module 2 - carbohydrates and lipids

Study Notes

Carbohydrates are organic compounds mainly composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
The most common form of glucose in the body is D-glucose, often referred to as blood sugar.
Monosaccharides link to form disaccharides through a dehydration reaction, which involves the removal of a water molecule, creating a glycosidic bond.
Disaccharides are broken down into monosaccharides via hydrolysis, where a water molecule is added to break the glycosidic bond.

Lipids are a diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, primarily comprised of fats, oils, waxes, and steroids.
The most common type of lipid is triglycerides, which are primarily used for energy storage.
Triglycerides are composed of one glycerol molecule and three fatty acids.
Saturated fatty acids typically have the highest melting points due to their straight-chain structure, allowing for tighter packing.

Polysaccharides can have both 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic links; examples include amylopectin and glycogen, which are forms of stored glucose in plants and animals, respectively.

Phospholipids are essential components of cell membranes, consisting of a hydrophilic phosphate head and two hydrophobic fatty acid tails, allowing for a bilayer structure.

Fatty acids can be classified as saturated or unsaturated, with unsaturated fatty acids containing one or more double bonds.
Triglycerides are characterized by their fatty acid composition, which influences their physical properties, such as melting point.
The melting points of fatty acids correlate with their saturation; unsaturated fatty acids have lower melting points due to the presence of double bonds which create kinks in their structure.