Polymer and monomer

Odorless Monomer Liquid and Polymer Powder

Nail Tips and Wraps/Monomer Liquid Polymer Powder

LARGE CARBON MOLECULES Many carbon compounds are built up from smaller, simpler molecules known as monomers (MAH-ne-mers), such as the ones shown in Figure 3-3. As you can also see in Figure 3-3, monomers can bond to one another to form polymers (PAWL-eh-mer). A polymer is a molecule that consists of repeated, linked units. The units may be identical or structurally related to each other. Large polymers are called macromolecules. There are many types of macromolecules, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids. Monomers link to form polymers through a chemical reaction called a condensation reaction. Each time a monomer is added to a polymer, a water molecule is released. In the condensation reac- tion shown in Figure 3-4, two sugar molecules, glucose and fruc- tose, combine to form the sugar sucrose, which is common table sugar. The two sugar monomers become linked by a C—O—C bridge. In the formation of that bridge, the glucose molecule releases a hydrogen ion, H, and the fructose molecule releases a hydroxide ion, OH. The OH and H ions that are released then combine to produce a water molecule, H2O. In addition to building polymers through condensation reac- tions, living organisms also have to break them down. The break- down of some complex molecules, such as polymers, occurs through a process known as hydrolysis (hie-DRAHL-i-sis). In a hydrolysis reaction, water is used to break down a polymer. The water molecule breaks the bond linking each monomer. Hydrolysis is the reverse of a condensation reaction. The addition of water to some complex molecules, including polymers, under certain con- ditions can break the bonds that hold them together. For example, in Figure 3-4 reversing the reaction will result in sucrose breaking down into fructose and glucose. 2H2O Monomers Polymer C C O H OH C OH H CH2OH C H CH2OH C HO H C O H C OH H C CH2OH H C H OH O Sucrose C C O H OH C OH H CH2OH C H CH2OH C HO H C OH OH H C OH H C CH2OH H C H OH O Glucose Fructose H2O The condensation reaction below shows how glucose links with fructose to form sucrose. One water molecule is produced each time two monomers form a covalent bond. FIGURE 3-4 monomer from the Greek mono, meaning “single or alone,” and meros, meaning “a part” Word Roots and Origins A polymer is the result of bonding between monomers. In this example, each monomer is a six-sided carbon ring. The starch in potatoes is an example of a molecule that is a polymer. FIGURE 3-3 Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved. 54 CHAPTER 3 ENERGY CURRENCY Life processes require a constant supply of energy. This energy is available to cells in the form of certain compounds that store a large amount of energy in their overall structure. One of these com- pounds is adenosine (uh-DEN-uh-SEEN) triphosphate, more commonly referred to by its abbreviation, ATP. The left side of Figure 3-5 shows a simplified ATP molecule struc- ture. The 5-carbon sugar, ribose, is represented by the blue carbon ring. The nitrogen-containing compound, adenine, is represented by the 2 orange rings. The three linked phosphate groups, —PO4 , are represented by the blue circles with a “P.” The phospate groups are attached to each other by covalent bonds. The covalent bonds between the phosphate groups are more unstable than the other bonds in the ATP molecule because the phosphate groups are close together and have negative charges. Thus, the negative charges make the bonds easier to break. When a bond between the phosphate groups is broken, energy is released. This hydrolysis of ATP is used by the cell to provide the energy needed to drive the chemical reactions that enable an organism to function.

Lipids are large, nonpolar organic molecules. They do not dissolve in water. Lipids include triglycerides (trie-GLIS-uhr-IEDZ), phospho- lipids, steroids, waxes, and pigments. Lipid molecules have a higher ratio of carbon and hydrogen atoms to oxygen atoms than carbohydrates have. Because lipid molecules have larger numbers of carbon-hydrogen bonds per gram than other organic com- pounds do, they store more energy per gram. Fatty Acids Fatty acids are unbranched carbon chains that make up most lipids. Figure 3-10 shows that a fatty acid contains a long carbon chain (from 12 to 28 carbons) with a carboxyl group, —COOH, attached at one end. The two ends of the fatty-acid molecule have different properties. The carboxyl end is polar and is thus hydrophilic or attracted to water molecules. In contrast, the hydro- carbon end of the fatty-acid molecule is nonpolar. This end tends not to interact with water molecules and is said to be hydrophobic (HIE-droh-FOH-bik), or “water fearing.” In saturated fatty acids, such as palmitic acid, which is shown in Figure 3-10, each carbon atom is covalently bonded to four atoms. The carbon atoms are in effect full, or saturated. In contrast, linoleic acid, also shown in Figure 3-10, has carbon atoms that are not bonded to the maximum number of atoms to which they can bond. Instead, they have formed double bonds within the carbon chain. This type of fatty acid is said to be unsaturated. Triglycerides Three classes of lipids important to living things contain fatty acids: triglycerides (fats), phospholipids, and waxes. A triglyceride is composed of three molecules of fatty acid joined to one molecule of the alcohol glycerol. Saturated triglycerides are composed of saturated fatty acids. They typically have high melting points and tend to be hard at room temperature. Common dietary saturated triglycerides include butter and fats in red meat. In contrast, unsaturated triglycerides are composed of unsaturated fatty acids and are usually soft or liquid at room temperature. Unsaturated triglycerides are found primarily in plant seeds where they serve as an energy and carbon source for germinating plants. Phospholipids Phospholipids have two, rather than three, fatty acids attached to a molecule of glycerol. They have a phosphate group attached to the third carbon of the glycerol. As shown in Figure 3-11, the cell membrane is made of two layers of phospholipids, called the lipid bilayer. The inability of lipids to dissolve in water allows the mem- brane to form a barrier between the inside and outside of the cell. Hydrophilic “head” Phospholipids Hydrophobic “tail” Phospholipids Water Water The lipid bilayer of a cell membrane is a double row of phospholipids.The “tails” face each other.The “head” of a phospholipid, which contains a phosphate group, is polar and hydrophilic.The two tails are two fatty acids and are nonpolar and hydrophobic. FIGURE 3-11 H C H C O OH H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H C H H H H C H H C H H C H H C H H C H C O OH H C H H C H H C H C H C H C H H C H H C H C H H C H H C H C H H H H C H Fatty acids have a polar carboxyl head, highlighted in purple, and a nonpolar hydrocarbon tail, highlighted in green. FIGURE 3-10 Palmitic acid Linoleic acid mb06se_bchs02.qxd 5/18/07 10:49 AM Page 59 60 CHAPTER 3 1. Compare the structure of monosaccharides, dis- accharides, and polysaccharides. 2. How are proteins constructed from amino acids? 3. How do amino acids differ from one another? 4. Describe a model of enzyme action. 5. Why do phospholipids orient in a bilayer when in a watery environment, such as a cell? 6. Describe how the three major types of lipids differ in structure from one another. 7. What are the functions of the two types of nucleic acids? CRITICAL THINKING 8. Applying Information Before a long race, run- ners often “carbo load.” This means that they eat substantial quantities of carbohydrates. How might this help their performance? 9. Recognizing Relationships High temperatures can weaken bonds within a protein molecule. How might this explain the effects of using a hot curling iron or rollers in one’s hair? 10. Applying Information You want to eat more unsaturated than saturated fats. Name examples of foods you would eat more of and less of. SECTION 2 REVIEW Waxes A wax is a type of structural lipid consisting of a long fatty-acid chain joined to a long alcohol chain. Waxes are waterproof, and in plants, form a protective coating on the outer surfaces. Waxes also form protective layers in animals. For example, earwax helps pre- vent microorganisms from entering the ear canal. Steroids Unlike most other lipids, which are composed of fatty acids, steroid molecules are composed of four fused carbon rings with various functional groups attached to them. Many animal hor- mones, such as the male hormone testosterone, are steroid com- pounds. One of the most familiar steroids in humans is cholesterol. Cholesterol is needed by the body for nerve and other cells to func- tion normally. It is also a component of the cell membrane. NUCLEIC ACIDS Nucleic acids are very large and complex organic molecules that store and transfer important information in the cell. There are two major types of nucleic acids: deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid. Deoxyribonucleic acid, or DNA, contains information that deter- mines the characteristics of an organism and directs its cell activi- ties. Ribonucleic (RIE-boh-noo-KLEE-ik) acid, or RNA, stores and transfers information from DNA that is essential for the manufactur- ing of proteins. Some RNA molecules can also act as enzymes. Both DNA and RNA are polymers, composed of thousands of linked monomers called nucleotides (NOO-klee-uh-TIEDS). As shown in Figure 3- 12, each nucleotide is made of three main components: a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a ring-shaped nitrogenous base.

Polymer properties and problems

Polymer properties and processes

Chemistry around the house, acids and bases in solutions, chemical reactions, acid and base reactions, acid rain, key concepts: materials science, metabolism, nucleic acid, polymer, acid, acidic, alkali, alkaline, base, indicator, neutralize, pH, litmus paper, neutralization, salt, acid rain, dry deposition, ozone

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