Overview: What Are Organic Compounds?
All organic compounds contain carbon. This is because of the atomic structure of carbon such that it can bind with up to four other elements at once. For example, in the compound methane, four hydrogen atoms form a ring around one carbon atom. In addition, most organic molecules consist of repeating sequences, called monomers. When those monomers combine to form a new type of molecule, water is released in a condensation reaction. The combination of molecules is called a polymer. The four major groups of organic molecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, familiar to many from studies of nutrition.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in the same ratio as in water, so that scientists first thought that carbon simply bonded with water. In other words, carbon was hydrated, later shortened to carbohydrate. Sugars and starches are common forms of carbohydrates, used for energy by living organisms. Atoms are arranged so that the carbon atoms are arranged in a long chain and the hydrogen and hydrogen-oxygen pairs are joined to carbon on either side of the chain. The simplest sugars are found in fruits and honey. When simple sugar monomers (called monosaccharides) are joined by the thousands in long chains, they produce starches.
Lipids
Lipids also contain carbon, hydrogen ,and oxygen, but the molecules are more complex. They make up fats, oils, and waxes, and do not dissolve in water. Three carbon molecules joined in a ring form a backbone for the chain. Fatty acids are joined to the glycerol chain, in complex molecules. They are used by living organisms to store energy and also form cell membranes.
Proteins
All proteins are made up of amino acids. They contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, as well as other elements. Amino acids have a distinct chemical structure, and combine in specific ways to form the different types of proteins. Long chains of proteins bond in specific patterns depending on their purpose. For example, the proteins that make up egg white are different from the proteins that make up hemoglobin. Some proteins are enzymes that speed up chemical reactions, producing even more energy to sustain life.
Nucleic Acids
Nucleic acids are special organic molecules that contain and carry out cellular function. There are two forms that are produced: DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), and RNA (ribonucleic acid). While DNA contains the instructions for cellular function and passes those instructions along during cellular reproduction, RNA carries them out. Both DNA and RNA are essential to genes.
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