Macromolecules: Organic Compounds

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An organic compound is any member of a large class of compounds whose molecules contain carbon. These compounds are made up of elements like carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. There are four groups of organic compounds found in living things are carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.
Carbohydrates are compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Living things mostly use carbohydrates as their main source of energy. However, some plants and animals also use carbohydrates for structural purposes as well. Some examples of carbohydrates include starches and sugars which provide living things with a source of energy.
Lipids are a large and varied group of biological molecules that are generally not soluble in water. This organic compound is made mostly of carbon and hydrogen atoms. Some lipids are important parts of biological membrane and waterproof coverings. Lipid molecules are made up of fatty acids and glycerol, and can be used to store energy.
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This class of an organic compound is polymers assembled from individual monomers known as nucleotides. Each nucleotide has a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base. Nucleotides can join together by covalent bonds to form a nucleic acid. Nucleic acids store and transmit hereditary information. There are two different types of nucleic acids: RNA and DNA. RNA contains the sugar ribose and DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose.
Proteins are macromolecules that contain nitrogen as well as carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. This compound is made up of polymers of molecules called amino acids. Amino acids are compounds with an amino group on one end and a carboxyl group on the other. Some proteins can control the rate of reactions and regulate cell process, form bones and muscles, transport substances into or out of cells or help to fight