Lesson 1.3 - The Carbon Chemistry of Life (and Functional Groups)

Question 1

Compare and contrast dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis.

Answer 1

Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis are both processes that rearrange molecules in organic substances. Dehydration synthesis connects smaller molecules to form larger organic compounds. Water is lost during the process. In hydrolysis, water is added and larger compounds are broken down into smaller units.

Question 2

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 2

Carbonyl

Question 3

What does the phosphate functional group look like?

Answer 3

Question 4

Methane, CH₄, is the simplest _____.

Answer 4

Methane, CH₄​, is the simplest hydrocarbon.

Question 5

Functional groups have _____ or _____ qualities that influence how they interact with water and other molecules.

Answer 5

Functional groups have polar or ionic qualities that influence how they interact with water and other molecules.

Question 6

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the carbonyl functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 6

Aldehydes & Ketones

Question 7

The functional groups are usually attached to a hydrocarbon chain which is _____.

Answer 7

The functional groups are usually attached to a hydrocarbon chain which is non-polar.

Question 8

Is the following reaction an example of dehydration synthesis or hydrolysis? Explain your answer.

C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ + H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + C₆H₁₂O₆

Answer 8

This is an example of hydrolysis because the products are smaller than the reactants and water is added.

Question 9

What role does oxygen play in most functional groups?

Answer 9

In many functional groups, oxygen helps establish the polarity of the molecule. In some groups, oxygen acts as a reducing agent by losing electrons from compounds while in other groups, it acts as an oxidizing agent by gaining electrons to form a bond.

Question 10

What does the hydroxyl functional group look like?

Answer 10

Question 11

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the hydroxyl functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 11

Alcohols

Question 12

What is the primary purpose of functional groups that are found in organic molecules?

Answer 12

Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within organic molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. The same functional group will undergo the same or similar chemical reaction(s) regardless of the size of the molecule it is a part of.

Question 13

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the phosphate functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 13

Nucleotides, Nucleic Acids, Many Other Cellular Molecules

Question 14

Considering the functional groups you have studied, why do you think that compounds with similar structures often have similar uses?

Answer 14

Compounds with similar structures often have similar uses. Their use is dependent on the properties of the compounds and the properties are dependent on structures of the compounds.

Question 15

Explain how the electron arrangement in carbon atoms enables them to form straight and branching chains and ring structures.

Answer 15

Carbon has four unpaired valence electrons allowing it to form four covalent bonds. Carbon can bond with one or two other carbons to form straight chains. When carbon bonds with three or four other carbons, each secondary carbon can form a chain resulting in a branched chain. Due to electron repulsion, the bonds form a tetrahedral structure. The angles between the bonds allow chains of carbon to bend around and form ring structures.

Question 16

What does the carbonyl functional group look like?

Answer 16

Question 17

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the sulfhydryl functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 17

Many Cellular Molecules

Question 18

During a _____ reaction, water is removed from subunits as they combine to form a larger molecule.

Answer 18

During a dehydration reaction, water is removed from subunits as they combine to form a larger molecule.

Question 19

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 19

Hydroxyl

Question 20

[_____] are either ionic or strongly polar, which makes them attracted to ionic or polar molecules.

Answer 20

[Functional groups] are either ionic or strongly polar, which makes them attracted to ionic or polar molecules.

Question 21

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 21

Sulfhydryl

Question 22

During a _____ reaction, larger molecules react with water and break down into smaller subunits.

Answer 22

During a hydrolysis reaction, larger molecules react with water and break down into smaller subunits.

Question 23

Carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms are called _____.

Answer 23

Carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms are called hydrocarbons.

Question 24

Define Functional Group

Answer 24

A group of atoms that affects the function of a molecule by participating in chemical reactions.

Question 25

What is a group of atoms that affects the function of a molecule by participating in chemical reactions known as?

Answer 25

Function Group

Question 26

_____ atoms can form chains that branch, ring structures, or double or triple bonds.

Answer 26

Carbon atoms can form chains that branch, ring structures, or double or triple bonds.

Question 27

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 27

Carboxyl

Question 28

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the carboxyl functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 28

Organic Acids

Question 29

What does the amino functional group look like?

Answer 29

Question 30

What does the sulfhydryl functional group look like?

Answer 30

Question 31

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 31

Phosphate

Question 32

_____ atoms make up the base of every organic molecule, which arises from it’s bonding properties.

Answer 32

Carbon atoms make up the base of every organic molecule, which arises from it’s bonding properties.

Question 33

Explain how functional groups influence solubility and the forces of attractions between molecules.

Answer 33

Functional groups help determine if a molecule is polar or non-polar. This property determines the types of solvents and molecules that it is attracted to. For example, polar solvents dissolve polar and ionic compounds and non-polar solvents dissolve non-polar compounds.

Question 34

What does the carboxyl functional group look like?

Answer 34

Question 35

_____ atoms form the backbone of biological molecules. They can link together to form chains, branched structures, and rings.

Answer 35

Carbon atoms form the backbone of biological molecules. They can link together to form chains, branched structures, and rings.

Question 36

[When a function group is attached to a hydrocarbon chain,] the over-all molecule would be _____ since at one side it has a non-polar hydrocarbon chain but at the other it has a polar functional group.

Answer 36

[When a function group is attached to a hydrocarbon chain,] the over-all molecule would be polar since at one side it has a non-polar hydrocarbon chain but at the other it has a polar functional group.

Question 37

Which of the following major classes of molecule is the amino functional group associated with?

• alcohols
• organic acids
• nucleotides, nucleic acids, many other cellular molecules
• aldehydes
• amino acids
• ketones
• many cellular molecules

Answer 37

Amino Acids

Question 38

Which functional group is pictured below?

Answer 38

Amino

Question 39

[Function groups] affect the function of the molecule by participating in _____.

Answer 39

[Function groups] affect the function of the molecule by participating in chemical reactions.

Question 40

[Carbon] has _____ electrons in its valence shell, therefore each carbon is capable of forming _____ covalent bonds with other atoms.

Answer 40

[Carbon] has four electrons in its valence shell, therefore each carbon is capable of forming four covalent bonds with other atoms.

Question 41

When would a cell use the dehydration and hydrolysis reactions of polysaccharides?

Answer 41

Dehydration could be used to form longer and more complex polysaccharides for cell function. Hydrolysis could be used to reduce polysaccharides into simple more easily utilized sugars.