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Carbon and the Molecular Diversity of Life - General Biology

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Terms in this set (20)

  • What are the four emergent properties of water important for life?
    Cohesion, moderation of temperature, expansion upon freezing, and solvent properties.
  • Why is carbon the basis for all biological molecules?
    Carbon can form four covalent bonds with a variety of atoms, allowing it to form diverse and complex molecules.
  • What is organic chemistry?
    The study of compounds that contain carbon, regardless of their origin.
  • What did Stanley Miller's experiment demonstrate?
    The abiotic synthesis of organic compounds, supporting the idea that life could have originated from non-living molecules.
  • What elements make up the major elements of life?
    Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N), Sulfur (S), and Phosphorus (P).
  • How does electron configuration affect carbon's bonding?
    Carbon has four valence electrons, enabling it to form four covalent bonds with other atoms.
  • What shape do carbon atoms bonded to four other atoms form?
    A tetrahedral shape.
  • What are hydrocarbons?
    Organic molecules consisting only of carbon and hydrogen, often found in fats and can release large amounts of energy.
  • What are isomers?
    Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structures and properties.
  • What are enantiomers and why are they important?
    Isomers that are mirror images; important in pharmaceuticals because different enantiomers can have different biological effects.
  • What are functional groups?
    Components of organic molecules most commonly involved in chemical reactions, giving molecules unique properties.
  • Name three functional groups important in life processes.
    Hydroxyl (-OH), Carboxyl (-COOH), and Amino (-NH2).
  • What is ATP and why is it important?
    Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is an organic phosphate that stores potential energy used by cells when it reacts with water.
  • What happens when ATP reacts with water?
    ATP converts to ADP and inorganic phosphate, releasing energy for cellular processes.
  • How do carbon skeletons vary?
    They vary in length, branching, double bond position, and presence of rings.
  • What is the significance of carbon's ability to form four bonds?
    It allows for the formation of large, complex, and diverse organic molecules essential for life.
  • What is the role of carbon chains in organic molecules?
    They form the skeletons of most organic molecules, providing structure and diversity.
  • What is the difference between structural isomers and enantiomers?
    Structural isomers differ in the covalent arrangement of atoms; enantiomers are mirror images differing in spatial arrangement.
  • Why are organisms sensitive to subtle variations in molecules?
    Because even small changes like different enantiomers can lead to different biological effects.
  • What is the chemical basis for the diversity of organic molecules?
    The versatility of carbon's bonding and the variety of functional groups attached to carbon skeletons.