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The oxygen atom is much more electronegative than either the hydrogen or the carbon, which will cause the electrons in the covalent bonds to spend more time around the oxygen than around the C or H. Among the polar functional groups is the carboxyl group found in amino acids, some amino acid side chains, and the fatty acids that form triglycerides and phospholipids.Ī hydroxyl (alcohol group) is an –OH group covalently bonded to a carbon atom. An example of a nonpolar group is the methyl group (see discussion in Atoms to Bonds for more detail). In a polar bond or molecule, electrons will tend to be more concentrated in some areas than others. In nonpolar bonds or molecules electrons and charge will be relatively evenly distributed. In the case of bonds and molecules, the property we care about is usually the distribution of electrons and therefore electric charge between the atoms. The term polar describes something that has a property that is not symmetric about it - it can have different poles (more or less of something at different places). Functional groups can sometimes be classified as having polar or non-polar properties depending on their atomic composition and organization. These groups play an important role in the formation of molecules like DNA, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. Some of the important functional groups in biological molecules are shown above they include: hydroxyl, methyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, phosphate, and sulfhydryl (R-S-H). Facciotti (own work adapted from previous image of unknown source)Ī functional group may participate in a variety of chemical reactions. The charges discussed, but not depicted, here at pH 7. "R" represents any other atom or extension of the molecule. The functional groups shown here are found in many different biological molecules. These include: Hydroxyl, Methyl, Carboxyl, Carbonyl, Amino and Phosphate. In Bis2a we will discuss the major functional groups found in biological molecules. Many biologically active molecules contain one or more functional groups. A functional group is a specific group of atoms within a molecule that is responsible for a characteristic of that molecule.