My AP Biology Thoughts  Unit 1 Episode #40

Welcome to My AP Biology Thoughts podcast, my name is Victoria and I am your host for episode 40 called Unit 1: Elements and Functional Groups of the Macromolecules. Today we will be discussing the elements and functional groups of macromolecules.

Segment 1: Introduction to Functional groups and elements of the macromolecules

Functional Groups: 

• Collections of atoms that attach the carbon skeleton of an organic molecule and confer specific properties.
• Each type of organic molecule has its own specific type of functional group.
• Functional groups in biological molecules play an important role in the formation of molecules like DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Functional groups include: hydroxyl, methyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, phosphate, and sulfhydryl

Carbohydrates:

Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen (1:2:1 ratio) 

Functional Groups:

• Hydroxyl
• Carbonyl
• Aldehyde (O= on the end of carbon chain)

Ketone ( O= in the middle of a carbon chain)

Proteins/Amino Acid:

Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, and Nitrogen

Functional Groups: 

• Carboxylic acid
• R group
• Amine 

Lipids:

Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen (sometimes P, N, and S) 

Functional Groups:

• Hydroxyl 
• Carboxylic Acids 
• Esters (ester linkages)

Nucleic acids:

Elements: Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Nitrogen

Functional Groups:

• Phosphate
• Some nitrogenous bases have Carbonyl and Amino
• Sugars have hydroxyl 

Segment 2: Example of these groups in the Macromolecules

Carbohydrates:

Proteins/Amino Acid:

Lipids:

Nucleic Acids:

Segment 3: Digging Deeper Connect it to the Chemistry of life/How do these functional groups affect the macromolecules

Functional groups are specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties, regardless of the other atoms present in a molecule. They are responsible for the macromolecules functions, which play a role in the chemical processes necessary for living organisms to survive. 

Thank you for listening to this episode of My AP Biology Thoughts. For more student-ran podcasts and digital content, make sure that you visit www.hvspn.com. See you next time!

Music Credits:

• “Ice Flow” Kevin MacLeod...