The Importance of Carbon

1.Organic chemistry is the study of carbon

compounds.
2. Carbon atoms are the most versatile building
blocks of molecules
3. Although cells are 70-95% water, the rest
consists mostly of carbon-based compounds.
 Why CARBON?
With a total of 6 electrons, a carbon atom
has 2 in the first shell and 4 in the second
shell.
Carbon usually completes its outer shell
by sharing electrons with other atoms in
four covalent bonds.
Carbon needs to be stable!
Carbon will ALWAYS have 4
bonds
Substances not containing
carbon are called
Inorganic.

Water and Minerals are

inorganic
 Proteins, Carbohydrates, Lipids and
Nucleic acids distinguish living matter from
inorganic material are all composed of
carbon atoms bonded to each other and to
atoms of other elements.

These other elements commonly include

hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen
(N), sulfur (S), and phosphorus (P). The
overall percentages of the major elements
of life are uniform in all organisms.
Carbohydrates

GT Biology
I. Carbohydrates are compounds
made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
A. Basic building block is a 6 carbon
chain with hydrogen and oxygen
B. Basic chemical formula is C6H12O6
C. All carbohydrates have the same
ratio of elements: 1:2:1
II. Carbohydrate function
A. Store and release energy for
chemical reactions
III. Types of carbohydrates (-ose)
A. Simple sugars, called
monosaccharides (taste sweet)
1. Provide quick energy
2. Examples:
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Examples of simple sugars:
Soda
Candy
Cake
Pure sugar
Fruits

(anything sweet)
III. Types of carbohydrates
B. Disaccharides
1. Two monosaccharides linked
together.
a. These function in providing
energy also.
b. Examples:
sucrose= glucose + fructose
lactose= glucose + galactose
III. Types of carbohydrates
B. Complex sugars, called
polysaccharides
1. Used for storage of excess sugar
and tough plant parts
a. plants store carbohydrates as
starch
b. animals store carbohydrates
as glycogen in the liver
III. Types of carbohydrates
c. carbohydrates in plant stems
is called cellulose (fiber)
Examples of complex sugars:
Potatoes
Grains
Cereal
Bread
Chips
Fiber examples are:
Vegetables, whole wheat
IV. Testing for Carbohydrates/ Lab
application
1. Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates, such as starch and
cellulose can be detected using
Iodine (Lugols solution)
*This turns the carbohydrate
purple-black
B. Simple sugars
* Monosaccharides, such as glucose,
can be detected using Benedicts
reagent.
* the sample is placed in a test tube
with a few drops of Benedicts
solution (blue color). It is heated in
a water bath. A color change to
green, yellow or orange is a positive
reaction for a monosaccharide.
V. Creating a storage carbohydrate
A. Dehydration synthesis is joining 2
molecules by removing a water
molecule

H2O
H2O
H2O
VI. Breaking a carbohydrate releases
energy
A. Hydrolysis is breaking apart a
complex carbohydrate by adding
water
B. This is the reverse of dehydration
synthesis
H2O in needed
To break bonds
 Interesting fact
Polysaccharides, such as crackers, are
broken down by enzymes in your saliva
(enzyme is salivary amylase)
*enzyme = -ase ending*
When a polysaccharide is broken down by
hydrolysis, it turns into a
monosaccharide, which tastes sweet
(cracker will eventually then taste sweet)
 Cracker Tasting
(or raw pasta)
Directions: Chew the cracker a little bit. Let
it sit on your tongue for 2 minutes. Do
not swallow.

Do not talk with your mouth full!

After 2 minutes, move the cracker

around your tongue slowly, then
swallow. Notice the taste.
 Lab book Entry

Copy & answer in your lab book.

1. Why did the cracker taste
differently after 2 minutes in your
saliva?
2. What is the name of the enzyme?
3. Where does digestion actually begin
in the body?
4. Conclusions?