1.2 Carbohydrates Flashcards
What is a monomer?
A smaller repeating unit from which larger polymers are made
What is a polymer?
a chain of repeating units
What is a condensation reaction?
the joining of two monomers and the removal of 1 water molecule
What is a hydrolysis reaction?
water molecules are added to the process of breaking bonds between monomers
What elements are carbs made from?
carbon
hydrogen
oxygen
What are the three types of carbohydrates?
monosaccharide
disaccharide
polysaccharide
What is a monosaccharide?
the basic monomer unit
What is a disaccharide?
2 monosaccharides
What are polysaccharides?
large no. of monosaccharides
What are the 3 examples of monosaccharides?
glucose
galactose
fructose
What are the 3 examples of disaccharides?
maltose
sucrose
lactose
What are the 3 examples of polysaccharides?
starch
glycogen
cellulose
What makes maltose?
glucose and glucose
What makes sucrose?
glucose and fructose
What makes lactose?
glucose and galactose
What is a reducing sugar?
a sugar that can donate electrons to another chemical
How do you test for reducing sugars?
Benedict’s Test:
1. 2cm3 of food sample to a test tube - if sample not liquid, grind it up in water
2. add an equal vol of benedict’s reagent
3. heat the mixture gently for 5 mins
4. solution will turn yellow-brick red if reducing sugar is present
How do you test for non-reducing sugars?
Benedicts test then..:
5. 2cm3 of food sample in equal vol HCl and gently heat for 5 mins
the dilute HCl will hydrolyse disaccs to monosaccs
6. slowly add sodium hydrogencarbonate solution to neutralise HCl, test with pH paper - alkaline
7. re-do benedicts test
8. yellow to brick-red if non-reducing sugar is present
What is the function of starch?
energy storage
what monosacc type is starch made from and bond type?
alpha glucose - arranged in a helix
glycosidic bonds
What is the overall structure of starch?
branched - has many ends
large - doesnt diffuse out of cells
compact - a lot can be stored in a small space
insoluble - doesnt affect water potential
What is the chemical test for starch?
potassium iodide solution:
1. 2cm3 of food sample in test tube
2. add two drops of iodine solution then shake/stir
3. presence of starch indicated by yellow —> blue-black colouration
What is the function of cellulose?
provides rigidity to plant cell and prevents cell from bursting as water enters by osmosis
Which two types of carbs are sugars?
monosacc and disaccs
What are the properties of sugars?
sweet
soluble
crystalline
What is the general formula of monosaccs?
CnH2nOn
Which two monosaccs are pentose molecules ( 5 carbons )?
deoxyribose and ribose
What monosaccs are hexose (6 carbons) molecules?
glucose
fructose
galactose
Which hexose molecules is arranged in a pentagon?
fructose
What is the function of glucose?
main resp substrate
What are the properties of glucose?
highly soluble
sweet
crystalline
transporter of carbs in animals
abundant
How do you label the carbon’s numbers when drawing glucose or other isomers?
label the carbon numbers clockwise starting from the oxygen
What is the structure of alpha glucose?
hydroxyl group below carbon-1
What function do polymers of alpha glucose have?
glucose storage
What is the structure of beta glucose?
hydroxyl group above carbon-1
What is the function of a polymer of beta glucose?
structural polysacc
What is the structure of fructose?
x1 CH2OH group below carbon 1
6 carbons but has a pentagon shape
What is the structure of galactose?
alpha glucose with hydroxyl group above carbon-4
Where is galactose found?
glycolipids or glycoproteins on membranes for recognition
What is the structure of ribose?
5 carbons - so alpha glucose minus 1 carbon
What is the structure of deoxyribose?
ribose but missing an oxygen on carbon 2
C5 H10 O4
Where is ribose found?
RNA
Where is deoxyribose found?
DNA
How are disaccs prodcuced?
condensation reactions of monosaccs
What bond is formed by a condensation reaction?
1-4 glycosidic bond
What bond is present in maltose and sucrose?
alpha 1-4 glycosidic bond
What bond is present in lactose?
beta 1-4 glycosidic bond
What is the function of maltose?
resp substrate in germinating seeds
What is the function of sucrose?
table sugar
What is the function of lactose?
milk sugar
What are the two polymers of alpha glucose?
glycogen and starch
What is the advantage of alpha glucose polymers being compact?
can store more glucose in the cell
How do polymers of glucose release glucose?
by being hydrolysed
What is the advantage of alpha polymers of glucose being branched?
larger SA for hydrolysis so faster rate that glucose is released
can be condensed into very compact structure - ideal for storage
What is the advantage that polymers of alpha glucose are insoluble in water?
doesnt affect water potential - osmotically inert
What are starch and glycogen made of?
amylose and amylopectin
What is the structure of amylose?
1-4 bonds, facing downwards = the chain starts to curl in on itself and forms a helical shape
What is the structure of amylopectin?
1-4 and 1-6 bonds
due to the 1-6 bonds it has a branched structure = higher SA for hydrolysis
Why can glycogen release glucose faster than starch?
glycogen has more 1-6 bonds so it more branched and has a higher SA for hydolysis
What is the function of polymers of beta glucose?
structural function
Describe cellulose structure.
1-4 bonds, hydroxyl group above carbon-1 - straight chain
the glycosidic bonds flip so every alternate beta glucose molecule is rotated 180’
1-4 bonds have alternate up/down positions - results in a straight chain
hydrogen bonds forming cross links between chains
To form microfibrils
What is a microfibril?
multiple cellulose chains
What is the advantage of H bonds forming cross links in cellulose?
provides cellulose with its high tensile strength there are a large number of H bonds
How is a helical shape formed in starch?
1-4 bonds occur in downward position which puts a strain on the chain
What enzyme hydrolyses starch?
amylose
What enzyme breaks down glycogen?
glycogen phosphorylase
What does osmotically inert mean?
doesnt affect water potential
What is the advantage of cellulose molecules forming microfibrils?
provides high tensile strength so it is suitable for a plant cell wall
What is cellulose function in cells?
It has high strength and rigidity to resist osmotic pressure as the glycosidic bonds are difficult to break
It resists digestion and the action of enzymes
What are examples of monomer and polymer reactions?
amino acids to form a protein
alpha glucose to form starch or glycogen
What is the structure of glycogen?
alpha glucose branched chain
coiled = more compact
1-4 and 1-6 bonds
What are features of starch that make it a good storage molecule?
insoluble
branched/ coiled
polymer of alpha glucose
large molecule
How is glycogen used as a source of energy?
hydrolysed to glucose - used in resp