1.1 chemical elements and biological compounds Flashcards
inorganic definition
a molecule or ion that has no more than one carbon atom
organic definition
molecules that have a high proportion of carbon atoms
what is another name for inorganic ions?
electrolytes
why do living organisms need a variety of inorganic ions to survive?
they are important in many cellular processes, including muscle contraction and nervous coordination
what are the two groups of inorganic ions?
- macronutrients - needed in small concentrations
- micronutrients - needed in minute (trace) concentrations e.g copper and zinc
what are two examples of micronutrients?
- copper
- zinc
what are four examples of macronutrients? (the key elements present as inorganic ions in living organisms)
- magnesium (Mg 2+)
- iron (Fe 2+)
- calcium (Ca 2+)
- phosphate (PO4 3-)
what is the role of magnesium in living organisms?
- constituent (being a part of)/ component of chlorophyll (needed to make chlorophyll)
- and so needed for photosynthesis
- when lacking leaves appear yellow (chlorosis)
- mammals need magnesium for their bones
when lacking magnesium, what happens to plants?
their leaves turn yellow (a condition known as chlorosis)
because they can’t make chlorophyll
what is the role of iron in living organisms?
- constituent / component of haemoglobin
- so is involved in the transport of oxygen in red blood cells
- a diet deficient in iron (in humans) can lead to anaemia
what can a diet deficient in iron lead to (in humans)?
anaemia
what is the role of calcium in living organisms?
- important structural component of bones and teeth in mammals (along with phosphate)
- is a component of plant cell walls, providing strength
- HARDENS bones and teeth
what is the role of phosphate ions in living organisms?
- needed for making nucleotides, including ATP
- are a constituent part of phospholipids, found in biological membranes (in cell membranes)
condensation definition
the removal of a water molecule and the formation of a covalent bond between two biochemical groups
e.g glucose + glucose = maltose + water
hydrolysis definition
the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones by the chemical addition of a molecule of water
e.g lactose + water = glucose + galactose
dipolar definition
a polar molecule with a positive and negative charge, separated by a very small distance
hydrogen bond definition
the weak attractive force between a partially positively charged hydrogen atom and a partially negatively charged usually oxygen or nitrogen atom
why is water vital to life on earth?
- it makes up between 65% and 95% by mass of most organisms (70% of each human is water)
- it allows important reactions to take place
- it forms a habitat that covers over 70% of the earth’s surface
- is an important constituent of cells
what is the name for water’s basic structure?
it is a dipolar molecule
(it’s a dipole)
why is water said to be dipolar?
it has a positively charged end (hydrogen) and a negatively charged end (oxygen) but has no overall charge
what is a molecule with separated charges said to be?
‘polar’
what do the majority of water’s properties arise from?
its dipolar nature and hydrogen bonding
where can hydrogen bonds form in a water molecule?
between one of the hydrogen atoms of one molecule and the oxygen atom of another
are hydrogen bonds weak?
yes - but the very large number of them present in water makes the molecules difficult to separate
(and gives water a wide range of physical properties vital to life)
what are some of water’s properties that are vital to life?
- it’s an excellent solvent
- is has a high specific heat capacity
- it has a high latent heat of vapourisation
- it is a metabolite
- cohesion
- has a high surface tension
- has a high density
- is transparent
why is water an excellent solvent?
due to its dipolar nature, it attracts charged particles (such as ions) and other polar molecules (such as glucose), allowing them to dissolve
what is the importance of water being an excellent solvent?
- it is involved in many biochemical reactions e.g hydrolysis and condensation
- allows polar molecules e.g glucose and ions to dissolve (so chemical reaction take place)
- it acts as a transport medium e.g in animals = plasma transports dissolved substances and in plants = water transports minerals in the xylem, and sucrose and amino acids in the phloem
what is the importance of water being a metabolite?
- it’s involved in many biochemical reactions
e.g hydrolysis and condensation - a reactant in photosynthesis
specific heat capacity definition
the heat needed to raise the temperature of 1kg of water by 1.C
what is the importance of water having a high specific heat capacity?
- a large amount of heat energy is needed to increase the temperature of a body of water (due to large numbers of hydrogen bonds that need to be broken)
- so large fluctuations in temperature are prevented
- aquatic environments are therefore relatively thermally stable (meaning organisms don’t have to adapt to extremes of temperatures)
- also allows enzymes within cells to work efficiently
what is the importance of water having a high latent heat of vaporisation?
- large amounts of heat energy are needed to vaporise water (liquid -> vapour)
- so it is often used as a cooling mechanism e.g sweating in mammals
- important in temperature control
- as the water evaporates, the body cools
what is latent heat?
the heat or energy that is absorbed or released during a state change of a substance
(solid-> liquid -> gas)
(gas-> liquid-> solid)
what is the importance of cohesion of water?
- water molecules attract each other and form hydrogen bonds between themselves
- individually these are weak, but, because there are many of them, the molecules stick together in a lattice (this sticking together is called cohesion)
- it allows columns of water to be drawn up the xylem vessels of plants/trees
why does water have a high specific heat capacity?
- due to large numbers of hydrogen bonds that need to be broken
- the hydrogen bonds between water molecules restrict the movement of water molecules, resisting an increase in kinetic energy and therefore, resisting an increase in temperature
what is the importance of water having high surface tension?
- in a pond, cohesion between water molecules at the surface produces surface tension so that the body of an insect, such as the pond skater, is supported
what makes water have a high surface tension?
cohesion between water molecules at the surface
what is the importance of water being high density?
- ice floats (as it’s less dense than liquid water)
- it acts as an INSULATING LAYER preventing the water beneath from freezing completely, protecting the aquatic habitat
so life can survive when ice forms
at what temperature does water have a maximum density?
4.C
why is ice less dense than liquid water?
bc the hydrogen bonds hold the molecules further apart than they are in the liquid
what is the importance of water being transparent?
- it allows light to pass through, enabling aquatic plants to photosynthesise effectively
what are carbohydrates? what elements does it contain?
small organic molecules/compounds containing carbon, oxygen and hydrogen
what are the functions of carbohydrates/monosaccharides and what do they act as?
- building blocks for more complex/larger molecules e.g glucose is used to make glycogen and cellulose
- sources of energy in respiration e.g glucose
- energy storage molecules e.g glycogen and starch
- structural support e.g cellulose and chitin
- constituents of nucleotides e.g deoxyribose in DNA, ribose in RNA, ATP and ADP
in carbohydrates, what is the basic monomer/unit?
a monosaccharide
(simple sugar units)
what do two monosaccharides combine to form?
a disaccharide
what do many monosaccharide molecules combine to form?
a polysaccharide
what are some basic properties of monosaccharides?
- sweet tasting
- soluble in water
- small organic molecules
- are the building blocks for the larger carbohydrates
what is the general formula of monosaccharides?
(CH2O)n
‘n’ is any number between 1 and 7
what are the names of monosaccharides determined by?
the number of carbon atoms (n) in the molecule
how many carbon atoms does a triose sugar have?
3 carbon atoms
how many carbon atoms does a pentose sugar have?
five
how many carbon atoms does a hexose sugar have?
six
what type of sugar is glucose an example of?
a hexose sugar (C6H12O6)
what is the importance of triose sugars?
they are important in respiration pathways
- important in metabolism - intermediates in the reactions of respiration and photosynthesis
what is the importance of pentose sugars?
e.g ribose and deoxyribose
- are important constituents of ribonucleic acid (RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
what is the importance of glucose?
- it is the starting material for respiration
- is the building block of glycogen and other polypeptides
what are some examples of other hexose sugars (other than glucose)?
- galactose
- fructose
isomers definition
molecules that have the same chemical formula but different structure
how many isomers does glucose have?
2
- alpha-glucose
- beta-glucose
what is the difference between alpha-glucose and beta-glucose?
the positions of an (OH) and a (H) is swapped
what does the difference between the alpha-glucose and beta-glucose result in?
- it results in biological differences when they form polymers, such as starch and cellulose
- it affects the way in which they join to other molecules
how are disaccharides formed?
- by joining two monosaccharides together with the formation of a glycosidic bond and the elimination of water
- via a condensation reaction
what reaction can break down polymers and disaccharides into monomers?
hydrolysis reaction
(breaking the chemical bond using a water molecule)
what monosaccharides make maltoes?
(alpha-)glucose + (alpha-)glucose
what is the biological role of the disaccharide maltose?
in germinating seeds
what monosaccharides make sucrose?
glucose + fructose
what is the biological role of the disaccharide sucrose?
transport in phloem of flowering plants
- a product of photosynthesis which is transported in the phloem
what monosaccharides make lactose?
glucose + galactose
what is the biological role of the disaccharide lactose?
in mammalian milk
what are the prefixes of 1-6 carbon atoms? many carbon atoms?
1 - mono
2 - di
3 - tri
4 - tetra
5 - penta
6 - hexa
many - poly
if carbohydrate is the biological molecule, what is the monomer and polymer?
monomer - monosaccharide
polymer - polysaccharide
if protein is the biological molecule, what is the monomer and polymer?
monomer - amino acids
polymer - proteins and polypeptides
if nucleic acid is the biological molecule, what is the monomer and polymer?
monomer - nucleotide
polymer - DNA
what are some examples of monosaccharides?
- glucose
- fructose
- galactose
what are some examples of disaccharides?
- sucrose
- maltose
- lactose
what are carbohydrates (polysaccharides) used for in plants and animals?
- storage
- structure
how are polysaccharides used for storage in plants? in animals?
- glycogen and starch are storage carbohydrates
- animal cells store glucose as glycogen
- plant cells store glucose as starch
what do animal cells store glucose as?
glycogen
what do plant cells store glucose as?
starch
how are polysaccharides used for structure?
- cellulose and chitin are important structural carbohydrates
- cellulose forms the fabric of many cell walls
- chitin is a major component of the exoskeleton of many arthropods
how is cellulose used in structure?
- it forms the fabric of many cell walls
why is water a polar molecule?
O is more electronegative than H.
O attracts the electron density in the covalent bond more strongly, forming (smaller charge) - O and (smaller charge) + H
describe hydrogen bonding between water molecules
weak intermolecular forces of attraction form between a lone pair on a (small charge) -O and a (small charge) + H on an adjacent molecule
what is a metabolite?
a molecule formed or used in metabolic reaction
describe the role of water as a metabolite
- water is a reactant in photosynthesis and hydrolysis reactions
- water is a product in aerobic respiration and condensation reactions
what is the name of the bond formed when two monosaccharides react?
glycosidic bond
what are some examples of polysaccharides?
- starch
- glycogen
- cellulose
- chitin
what is the test for the presence of reducing sugars?
the Benedict’s test
what are examples of reducing sugars? (sugars that act as a reducing agent)
it includes all monosaccharides and some disaccharides e.g maltose
how is the Benedict’s test for detecting sugars carried out?
- equal volumes of Benedict’s reagent and the solution being tested are heated to at least 70.C (in a hot water bath)
- if a reducing sugar, such as glucose, is present, the solution will turn from blue through green, yellow and orange and finally a brick-red precipitate forms
what temperature is the solution and Benedict’s reagent heated to when testing for sugars?
at least 70.C
if a reducing sugar is present, what colour will the solution turn?
from blue through green, yellow and orange and finally a brick-red precipitate will form
what happens in terms of electrons when the test for sugar is carried out?
the sugars donate an electron to reduce copper (II) ions in copper sulphate, to red copper (I) oxide
Cu2+ + e- ——> Cu+
blue red
what is an example of a non-reducing sugar?
some disaccharides such as sucrose
what result do non-reducing sugars give when tested for sugar?
a negative one - the solution remains blue
what must be done for a non-reducing sugar e.g sucrose to be detected in a test for sugar?
it must be first broken down to its constituent monosaccharides, e.g by heating with hydrochloric acid
(benedict’s reagent needs alkaline conditions to work, so alkali is added. benedict’s reagent is then added and heated as before.)
if the solution now turns red then a non-reducing sugar was initially present
what condition does benedict’s reagent need to work?
alkaline conditions
what is the second way of detecting sucrose?
- by using sucrase, an enzyme that hydrolyses sucrose into glucose and fructose
the benedicts test will then give a positive result
what is a disadvantage of using the enzyme sucrase to help sucrose get detected in the test for sugars?
enzymes are specific. sucrase will only hydrolyse sucrose, so other non-reducing sugars will still give a negative result
why is the Benedicts test to detect sugars described as a semi-quantitative test?
- if 2 solutions w/ different concentrations have the same treatment in the Benedict’s test, the more concentrated will have a greater colour change
- the test doesn’t actually measure the concentration, but indicates which solution is more concentrated
what is a quantitative measurement (for example when testing for the presence of sugars)
giving an actual value to the concentration of sugar present
how do you accurately obtain the actual value to the concentration of sugar when testing for it?
by using a biosensor
what is an example of when it is important to know the actual value to the concentration of sugar present?
in monitoring medical conditions such as diabetes, where an accurate measurement of the concentration of blood glucose is required
what is the main source of energy in cells?
glucose
(and it must be stored in an appropriate form)
is glucose soluble in water? why is it a problem?
yes - it is soluble in water
so it would increase the concentration of the cell contents and consequently draw water in by osmosis
what are polysaccharides formed from?
very large numbers of monosaccharides units, which are their monomers, linked by glycosidic bonds
how is the problem of glucose being soluble in water avoided?
by converting the glucose into a storage product, a polysaccharide, starch
why does converting glucose into a storage product avoid the problem of glucose being soluble in water?
- it is insoluble so has no osmotic effect
- it cannot diffuse out of the cell
- it is a compact molecule and can be stored in a small space
- it carries a lot of energy in its C-H and C-C bonds
where are starch grains found in high concentrations?
in seeds and storage organs such as potato tubers
what is starch made of?
alpha-glucose molecules bonded together in two different ways, forming the polymers amylose and amylopectin
what are the two polymers that starch make?
amylose and amylopectin
what is amylose?
a linear, unbranched molecule with an alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds
this is repeated, forming a chain, which coils into an alpha-helix
what does an alpha-1,4-glycosidic bond mean?
it forms a glycosidic bond between the first carbon atom (C1) on one glucose monomer and the fourth carbon atom (C4) on the adjacent one
what is amylopectin?
- has chains of glucose monomers
- joined with alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds
- they are cross-linked with alpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds
- they fit inside the amylose
- when a glycosidic bond forms between the C1 atom on one glucose molecule and the C6 atom on another, a side branch is seen
- alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds continue on from the start of the branch
what would happen if a cell absorbs too much water?
its solutes would not be at the appropriate concentration for the cell’s reaction
what would happen if an animal cell absorbs too much water?
it would burst
what bonds are amylose molecules joined by?
alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds
what bonds are amylopectin molecules joined by?
both alpha-1,4-glycosidic bonds and alpha-1,6-glycosidic bonds
what is the test for the presence of starch?
-iodine solution (iodine dissolved in an aqueous solution of potassium iodide) reacts with starch
- resulting in a colour change from orange-brown to blue black
what is the colour change for a positive test of starch?
from orange-brown to blue-black
is the test for the presence of starch a qualitative or quantitative test ?
qualitative - an accurate concentration cannot be determined
what is the colour change for the test for the presence of sugars?
from blue through green, yellow and orange and finally a brick-red precipitate forms
what does the depth of blue-black colour give an indication of in the test for the presence of starch?
it gives an indication of relative concentration
(making it a qualitative test)
what happens to the test for the presence of starch above about 35.C? at very low pH?
- as temperature increases, the colour intensity decreases so above about 35.C, this test is unreliable
- it is also unreliable at very low pH, as the starch is hydrolysed
what is glycogen?
- the main storage product in animals
- used to be called animal starch bc it is very similar to amylopectin
- also has alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 bonds
- but has shorter alpha-1,4-linked chains and so are more branched than amylopectin
what bonds is glycogen joined by?
both alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 glycosidic bonds
what is the difference between glycogen molecules and amylopectin?
glucose molecules have shorter alpha-1,4-linked chains and so are more branched than amylopectin
what is cellulose?
- a structural polysaccharide
- its presence in plant cell walls makes it the most abundant organic molecule in earth
- consists of many long, parallel chains of beta-glucose units
what does cellulose consist of?
many long parallel chains of beta-glucose units
both ____ and ____ are readily hydrolysed to alpha-glucose, which is soluble and can be transported to where energy is needed
starch and glycogen
what is different about the glucose monomers in cellulose?
the glucose monomers are joined by beta-1,4-glycosidic bonds, and the beta-link rotates adjacent glucose molecules by 180.
(this allows hydrogen bonds to form between the OH groups of adjacent parallel chains and contributes to cellulose’s structural stability
what does the beta-link rotating adjacent glucose molecules by 180. allow to happen?
this allows hydrogen bonds to form between the (OH) groups of adjacent parallel chains and contributes to cellulose’s structural stability
what do between 60 and 70 cellulose molecules become? to form what?
- tightly cross-linked
- to form bundles called microfibrils
- which are, in turn, held in bundles called fibres
what are the bundles that hold microfibrils in cellulose called?
fibres
how many layers of fibres does a cell wall have? how are they found?
- several layers of fibres
- they run parallel within a layer but at an angle to the adjacent layers
(this laminated structure also contributes to the strength of the cell wall)
why are cellulose fibres described as freely permeable?
- because there are spaces between the fibres
- water and its solutes can penetrate through these spaces in the cell wall, to the cell membrane
when writing about cellulose in the cell wall, what must you always write?
plant cell wall
rather than cell wall because the cell walls of fungi and bacteria do not contain cellulose
what is chitin?
- a structural polysaccharide
- found in the exoskeleton of insects and in fungal cell walls
- it resembles cellulose, but has groups derived from amino acids added
- it is strong, waterproof and lightweight
where is chitin found?
- in the exoskeleton of insects
- in fungal cell walls
how does chitin resemble cellulose?
- with its long chains of beta-1,4-linked monomers
- the monomers are rotated through 180. in relation to their neighbour, and the long parallel chains are cross-linked to each other by hydrogen bonds, forming microfibrils
how is chitin different to cellulose? (in terms of resemblance)
it has groups derived from amino acids added, to form a heteropolysaccharide
what do the groups derived from amino acids added to chitin form?
a heteropolysaccharide
due to what makes amylopectin rapidly digested by enzymes therefore energy is released quickly?
due to the presence of many side branches
is chitin strong?
yes - it’s lightweight but strong
while ions are all charged, what can molecules have?
- no charge - non polar
- or a slight charge - polar
what does polar mean? non-polar? ( in terms of molecules)
polar - slight charge
non-polar - no charge
is a mixture a pure substance?
no - they can be divided by physical means
what does it mean if it’s a pure substance?
it can’t be broken down into smaller parts without a chemical or nuclear reaction
do particles with a charge (ions or polar molecules) have different properties from molecules with no charge (non-polar)
yes :
- ions and polar compounds attract oppositely charged particles and play important roles in the structure of molecules
- non-polar compounds do not dissolve in water but will dissolve in lipids (fats/oils) - they are said to be lipid-soluble
is water a polar molecule?
yes - but it has no overall charge, because the hydrogen atoms have a partial positive charge and the oxygen atoms have a partial negative charge
why do water molecules attract each other (by forming hydrogen bonds)?
because of their polarity
(also because of their polarity, water molecules are attracted to other water molecules and charged particles which helps charged particles dissolve in water)
why is water sometimes referred to as the universal solvent?
- because of their polarity, water molecules are attracted to other water molecules and charge particles.
- this helps charged particles dissolve in water
- a large number of substances can dissolve in water so it referred to as the universal solvent
what are examples of structural isomers?
glucose, galactose and fructose
they have the same molecular formula C6H12O6
what is a way to remember the position of the OH group in alpha-glucose and beta-glucose?
ABBA
Alpha OH Below - Beta OH Above
what isomer of glucose are both starch (plants) and glycogen (animals) made of?
alpha-glucose
what two different polysaccharides is starch a mixture of?
amylose (which forms coiled molecules) and amylopectin (a branched molecule)
why is starch known as osmotically stable?
because starch is insoluble it does not affect the water potential of the cell in which it is stored, making it osmotically stable
(also, starch is a compact molecule that is less soluble in water (ideal properties for storage of glucose))
what can glycogen form in cells? what can it act as?
- it can form granules in cells
- and act as a carbohydrate/energy store
what makes amylopectin and glycogen better for the release of glucose? why?
the branches - this is because there are more ‘ends’ where glycosidic bonds can be hydrolysed and glucose released, which can be used in respiration to produce ATP
what does the beta-1,4-glycosidic linkages of cellulose result in?
the -CH2OH groups being on opposite sides of the chain of adjacent glucose molecules
why is it important that within a cellulose chain, adjacent glucose molecules are rotated 180. relative to each other?
this means that OH groups are aligned and a water molecule can be removed to form a glycosidic bond
where do hydrogen bonds form in cellulose?
they DON’T form between glucose molecules within the same chain, but between glucose molecules in different chains
(the hydrogen bonds form cross-linkages which hold the chains together)
what holds the chains in cellulose together?
the hydrogen bonds form cross-linkages which hold the chains together
(this makes cellulose form into long threads called microfibrils)
is cellulose insoluble or soluble?
completely insoluble
how are microfibrils laid down in plant cell walls?
they are laid down in overlapping layers in plant cell walls
why is cellulose very difficult to digest?
because of the very high numbers of hydrogen bonds between the chains of beta glucose
(this also gives cellulose very high tensile strength; it is difficult to break when stretched)
why are cells with cellulose in their cell walls more resistant to osmotic lysis (they are not likely to burst)
cellulose has a very high tensile strength so it’s difficult to break when stretched.
(they are not likely to burst because cellulose stops too much water entering the cell)
why is chitin not a true polysaccharide?
it contains the element nitrogen - it is called a heteropolysaccharide
why can more hydrogen bonds form in chitin?
because it contains side groups containing nitrogen
why do chitin microfibrils have greater tensile strength than those of cellulose?
because more hydrogen bonds can form because chitin contains side groups containing nitrogen
what is the insoluble brick red precipitate that forms during the benedict’s test for sugars?
copper (I) oxide
because Benedict’s reagent is an alkaline solution of copper (II) sulphate
when does glucose exist in ring form?
when glucose is dissolved in water (in solution)
are all monosaccharides reducing sugars?? why?
yes - the C=O group has reducing properties
what are the functions of monosaccharides?
- a source of energy in respiration (C-H and C-C bonds broken)
- building blocks for larger molecules
- constituent of nucleotides