1.1 Flashcards
Role of Mg2+
Constituent of chlorophyll
Role of Fe2+
Constituent of haemoglobin
Role of Ca2+
Structural component of bones and teeth and cell walls
Role of PO4 3-
Needed for making nucleotides
Constituent of phospholipids
What is a condensation reaction
Removal of a water molecule to form a covalent bond
What is hydrolysis
Addition of a water molecule to break a covalent bond as
What is meant by water being dipolar
Its a polar molecule with a positive and negative charge
What is the biological importance of water being a solvent
- involved in many biochemical reactions
* dissolves polar molecules
Biological importance of water’s high specific heat capacity?
- need a lot of energy to increase it’s temperature
* stable aquatic environments
Biological importance of water’s high latent heat of vaporisation
- large amounts of heat needed to vaporise water
* used as cooling mechanism eg sweating in mammals
Biological importance of water being a metabolite
• involved in many biochemical reactions
Biological importance of water’s cohesive properties
- water molecules attract each other
* water can be drawn up the xylem vessels of trees
Biological importance of water’s high surface tension
• supports insects on surface of water eg pond skaters
Biological importance of water’s high density
- ice is less dense than water
* ice floats and acts as an insulator preventing the water freezing which protects the aquatic habitat
Biological importance of water’s transparency
- allows light to pass through
* enables aquatic plants to photosynthesise
Functions of carbohydrates in general
- building blocks for complex molecules
- source of energy
- energy storage molecules
- structural support
Formula of monosaccharides
(CH2O)n
Trioses
n=3
Important in respiration pathways
Pentoses
n=5
eg ribose and deoxyribose
constituent of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid
Hexose
n=6
Glucose, galactose and fructose
What are isomers
Molecules with same chemical formula but different arrangements of atoms
How do alpha and beta glucose differ
OH is interchanged on C1
What is a disaccharide and how is it formed
Two monosaccharides joined together by a glycosidic bond
Involves the loss of a molecule of water via a condensation reaction
Maltose
Glucose and glucose
Sucrose
Glucose and fructose
Lactose
Glucose and galactose
What are the reducing sugars
All monosaccharides
Maltose
Lactose
Test for presence of reducing sugars
Benedict’s reagent + heat
Describe the test for reducing sugars
- Add equal volume of Benedict’s reagent to the solution being tested and strongly heat in a boiling water bath
- A positive test would gradually turn from blue to green, yellow, orange and finally brick-red
Test for non-reducing sugar
Hydrochloric acid then Benedict’s and heat