5.1 Carbon is the main ingredient of organic molecules

• carbon is in all living things
• it only can have 4 electrons at the highest occupied energy,
• the energy level can hold up to 8 electrons
• each atom can branch up to 4 different directions.
• most carbon based molecules are based as organic molecules
• non carbon based molecules are called inorganic molecules
• besides bonding with other carbon atoms they might bond with atoms of other elements.
• an organic molecule composed of only carbon or hydrogen is called hydrocarbons.
• a functional group is a group of atoms within a molecule that interacts in predictable ways.
• hydrophylic is a group that contains hydroxyl and it attracts water
• small molecules are made of monomers and the cells that hold them together are called polymers.

Concept check

draw a molecule that has a three carbon skeleton and a hydroxyl group on the middle carbon

Explain the connection between monomers and polymers.

Polymers are made of monomers in a long chain like structure

What molecule is released during construction of a polymer? What is this reaction called?

A water molecule is released during the construction of a polymer, it is called the dehydration reaction

Draw three ways 5 carbon atoms could be joined to make different carbon skeletons.

C-C-C-C-C

C-C-C-C

C

C

/ \

C C

\ /

C C