1A - biological molecules

Question 1

what are polymers?

Answer 1

large, complex molecules composed of long chains of monomers joined together.

Question 2

what are monomers?

Answer 2

small, basic molecular units that form a polymer.

Question 3

what are some examples of monomers?

Answer 3

monosaccharides, amino acids and nucleotides.

Question 4

how are polymers formed?

Answer 4

condensation reactions between two or more monomers.

Question 5

what is a condensation reaction?

Answer 5

a reaction that forms a chemical bond between monomers, releasing a molecule of water.

Question 6

how can you break down polymers?

Answer 6

hydrolysis reaction.

Question 7

what is a hydrolysis reaction?

Answer 7

a reaction that breaks down the chemical bond between monomers using a water molecule.

Question 8

what are monosaccharides?

Answer 8

monomers of carbohydrates.

Question 9

give three examples of monosaccharides.

Answer 9

glucose, fructose and galactose.

Question 10

what type of sugar is glucose?

Answer 10

hexose sugar (a monosaccharide with six carbon atoms in each molecule).

Question 11

what are the two types of glucose?

Answer 11

alpha and beta.

Question 12

what are isomers?

Answer 12

molecules with the same molecular formula but with the atoms connected in a different way.

Question 13

what is a disaccharide?

Answer 13

where two monosaccharides join together.

Question 14

what bond is formed between two monosaccharides?

Answer 14

a glycosidic bond.

Question 15

give three examples of disaccharides.

Answer 15

maltose, lactose and sucrose.

Question 16

what test is used for finding reducing and non-sugars?

Answer 16

the benedicts test.

Question 17

how do you use the benedicts test for finding reducing sugars?

Answer 17

heat the sample with benedicts reagent. if the sample forms a green, yellow, orange or brick red precipitate then reducing sugar is present.

Question 18

what colour is benedicts reagent?

Answer 18

blue.

Question 19

how do you use the benedicts test to find non-reducing sugars?

Answer 19

if there’s no reducing sugar present, get a new sample and add dilute hydrochloride acid and then add sodium hydrogen carbonate to neutralise the solution. if the sample remains blue, no non-reducing sugar is present.

Question 20

what is a polysaccharide?

Answer 20

two or more monosaccharides joined together.

Question 21

give three examples of polysaccharides.

Answer 21

starch, glycogen and cellulose.