1.2 — carbohydrates: introduction Flashcards

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1
Q

what are carbohydrates?

A

carbohydrates are molecules that contain the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen

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2
Q

what does the ‘carbo’ in carbohydrates show about a biological molecule?

A

that the molecule contains the element carbon

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3
Q

what does the ‘hydrate’ in carbohydrates show about a biological molecule?

A

that it contains hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a ratio of 2:1 (like water — H2O)

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4
Q

what is the general formula for a carbohydrate?

A

Cx(H2O)Y

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5
Q

what are the 5 roles of carbohydrates in living organisms?

A
  1. energy supply for cells — the main role
  2. energy storage — sugars can be stored as complex carbohydrates (e.g. starch or glycogen)
  3. structural components — cellulose and chitin are used in cell walls
  4. cellular recognition — glycoproteins help cells identify each other and communicate
  5. building blocks for biological molecules — deoxyribose and ribose can be used to make nucleic acids
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6
Q

how many subunits does a monosaccharide contain?

A

one

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7
Q

give three examples of a monosaccharide:

A

glucose, fructose and galactose

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8
Q

what is a monosaccharide’s main function?

A

energy source

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9
Q

how many subunits does a disaccharide contain?

A

two

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10
Q

give three examples of a disaccharide:

A

maltose, sucrose and lactose

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11
Q

what is a disaccharide’s main function?

A

transport form

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12
Q

how many subunits does a polysaccharide have?

A

many

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13
Q

give three examples of a polysaccharide:

A

starch, glycogen, cellulose

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14
Q

what is a polysaccharide’s main function?

A

storage form

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15
Q

what is an example of carbohydrates being used for energy storage in living organisms?

A

sugars can be stored as complex carbohydrates, e.g. starch or glycogen

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16
Q

what is an example of carbohydrates being used for structural components in living organisms?

A

cellulose and chitin are used in cell walls

17
Q

what is an example of carbohydrates being used for cellular recognition in living organisms?

A

glycoproteins help cells identify each other and communicate

18
Q

what is an example of carbohydrates being used for building blocks for biological molecules in living organisms?

A

deoxyribose and ribose sugars can be used to make nucleic acids