1.1 Flashcards
What is a monomer?
Each individual component is called a monomer
What is a polymer?
Many monomers joined together, longer chains of repeated chains
Two examples of monomers
Amino acids and simple sugars
Two examples of polymers
Proteins and carbohydrates
Which elements do all organic compounds contain and which do they less frequently contain.
Carbon hydrogen and oxygen and they less frequently contain nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus
How many bonds can a carbon atom for and which shape?
Each carbon atom can make 4 bonds forming a tetrahedral shape
Which 3 main groups are carbohydrates divided into?
• Monosaccharides (one subunit)
• Disaccharides (two subunits)
• Polysaccharides (two or more subunits)
3 things about Monosaccharides
1)Sweet-tasting
2)soluble substances (dissolve easily in water to form sweet solutions)
3)have the general formula of (CH2O)n where n can be any number between 3 and 7
Glucose?
- has a formula of C6H12O6 and forms a hexose
Alpha glucose the OH is..
Below the carbon
Beta glucose the OH is…
Above the carbon
What is meant by the term reduction?
Reduction is the gain of electrons
What is a reducing sugar?
A reducing sugar donates electrons to another chemical (reducing sugar therefore becomes oxidized)
How to perform Benedict’s test to identify reducing sugars?
1)Add 2 cm^3 of the food sample to be tested to a test tube.
If the sample is not already in liquid form, first grind it up in water.
2)Add an equal volume of Benedict’s reagent.
3)Heat the mixture in a gently boiling water bath for 5 minutes.
4) if reducing sugar is present solution turns orange-brown
How does the Benedict’s test work?
1)Benedict’s reagent is an alkaline solution of copper (II) sulphate, blue in color
2)When a reducing sugar is heated with it, copper (II) sulphate gains electrons and forms copper (I) oxide,
3)which is an insoluble orange-brown/red precipitate (depending on the concentration of reducing sugar present)
