What are the different types of Organic Compounds in living things?
The organic compounds in living things can be classified into four groups: Carbohydrates Lipids Proteins Nucleic Acids What do the different Organic Compounds do in living things? Carbohydrates function for short-term energy storage. (You will be reading all about this for homework next time.) Lipids function for long-term energy storage. They insulate, and are used in the construction of cell membranes. Proteins are used to build body structures and regulate metabolism (all the chemical reactions that keep you alive). Nucleic Acids compose all of your genetic material. This includes DNA and RNA. How Large are Organic Compounds? Organic compounds come in a variety of sizes. They can be as small as one or two carbons long, or they can be thousands of carbons long. The large carbon containing compounds are called POLYMERS. The small building block carbon compounds are called MONOMERS. How are Large Polymers Made? Large polymers are made in a process called dehydration synthesis. They are
