BIOL 1001 Chapter : Chapter 3 Biological Molecules
Document Summary
Biological molecules are abundant in living organisms and are essential for life. Four major types: carbohydrates, lipids (fats, proteins, nucleic acids. Aside from water, most biologically related molecules contain carbon. --organic molecules are molecules containing carbon and hydrogen. Living organisms can synthesize and use this type of molecule. They have c (but not h) and are not organic molecules (inorganic): Carbon monoxide: only living organisms can create organic molecules, carbon atoms are the most versatile building blocks of molecules. Carbon is the key to the great variety of organic molecules that make life on earth possible: carbon has a valence of 4. Can become stable by bonding by forming single, double, triple bonds. Can bind to 2, 3, or 4 other atoms. Four single bonds, two double bonds, one double bond/two single bonds, one triple bond/one single bond: another factor which leads to the versatility of organic molecules is the attachment of functional groups.
