Lesson 1:

Carbon Atom
 Introduction
+ Although cells are 70-95% water, the rest consists
mostly of carbon-based compounds.
+ Proteins, DNA, carbohydrates and lipids are all
composed of carbon atoms bonded to each other and to
atoms of other elements.
+ :These other elements commonly include
hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S)
and phosphorus (P)
Organic chemistry is the study of carbon
compounds.
+ The study of carbon compounds, organic
chemistry, focuses on any compound with
carbon (organic compounds).
+ Organic compounds can range from
simple (CH), to complex molecules like
protein, that may weigh over 100,000
daltons.
 Because of carbon’s versatility,
these few elements can be
combined to build an inexhaustible
variety of organic molecules.
 Carbon atoms are the most versatile
building blocks of molecules.
+ With a total of 6 electrons, a carbon atom has 2
in the first shell and 4 in the second shell.
+ Carbon has little tendency to form ionic
bonds by losing or gaining 4 electrons.
+ Instead, carbon usually completes its valence
shell by sharing electrons with other atoms in
four covalent bonds.
Variation in carbon skeletons contributes
to the diversity of organic molecules

+ Carbon chains form the skeletons of most

organic molecules.
+ The skeletons may vary in length and may be
straight, branched or arranged in closed rings.
+ The carbon skeletons may also include single,
double and triple bonds.
 Hydrocarbons are organic molecules that
consist of only carbon and hydrogen atoms

+ Fats are
biological
molecules that
have long
hydrocarbon tails
attached to a non-
hydrocarbon
component.
+ Isomers are compounds that have the same
molecular formula but different structures
and therefore different chemical properties.
+ For example, butane and isobutane have the
same molecular formula C4 H10, but butane
has a straight skeleton and isobutane has a
branched skeleton
 Functional groups contribute to the
molecular diversity of life.
+ The components of organic molecules
that are most commonly involved in
chemical reactions are known as
functional groups.
+ The number and arrangement of
functional groups help give each molecule
its unique properties.
 Saturated Hydrocarbons
+ A hydrocarbon is an organic
compound that contains only
the elements in hydrogen
and carbon
+ In a saturated hydrocarbon,
all the bonds are single
bonds.
+ Alkane is another name for
saturated hydrocarbon
Ethane
 Characteristics of Hydrocarbon
+ Factors that determine the
properties of a hydrocarbon are:
+ The number of carbon atoms
+ How the atoms are arranged:
 Straight chain
 Branched chain
 Ring
 Straight Chains
+ A hydrocarbon can contain
one carbon atom, as in
methane or thousand of
carbon as cellulose.
o 1 carbon – Methane
o 2 carbon – ethane
o 3 carbon – Propane
o 4 carbon – Butane
o 5 carbon – Pentane
o 6 carbon - Hexane
 Branched Chains

+ The structural formula

for certain alkanes can
differ.
+ Compounds with the
same molecular formula
but different structural
formulas are isomers
 The Ring
+ Carbons can be
arranged in a
ring, such as
cyclobutane.
 Unsaturated Hydrocarbons
+ A hydrocarbon that
contains one or more
double or triple bonds is
an unsaturated
hydrocarbon.
+ There are 3 types of
unsaturated hydrocarbons:
Alkenes, Alkynes and
Aromatic hydrocarbons
 Alkenes

+ Many fruit
bearing plants
produce ethene,
which controls
the rate at which
fruits ripening
 Alkynes

+ Alkynes are the most

reactive hydrocarbon
compounds.
+ They produce
extremely high
temperatures while
burning
 Aromatic Hydrocarbons

+ These alternating single

and double bond
hydrocarbons form a
ring.
+ Many of these
compounds have strong
aromas and odors
 Fossil Fuels

+ 3 types of fossil fuels

are coal, petroleum and
natural gas.
+ The primary products
of the complete
combustion of fossil
fuels are carbon dioxide
and water
 Substituted Hydrocarbons

+ The functional group in

an alcohol is a hydroxyl
group, -OH.
+ The functional group in
an organic acid is a
carboxyl group, - COOH
+ The functional group in
an amine is an amino
group, -NH2
 Alcohols

+ When a
halocarbon
reacts with a
hydroxyl
group.
 Polymers

+ Polymers can be
classified as natural
polymers or
synthetic polymers.
+ Rubber, nylon and
polyethylene are 3
examples of
compounds that can
be synthesized
4 Types of Polymers produces in plant
and animal cells are:
 Starches
 Cellulose
 Nucleic acid
 Proteins