1B- Biological molecules Flashcards
What is a metabolite?
A metabolite is a substance formed necessary for metabolism
What happens to water during a hydrolysis reaction?
it requires water to break a bond
What happens as a result of a condensation reaction?
A water molecule is formed
What does polar mean?
water is polar as the two hydrogen atoms have a slightly positive charge whilst the oxygen atom has a negative atom, which means there is attraction
Why is a high latent heat of evaporation useful?
useful for living organisms as it means they can use sweat to cool down without losing too much water but they u
What does a high latent heat of vaporisation mean?
needs a lot of energy to break the hydrogen bonds. This means that lots of energy is used when water evaporates.
Why is a high specific heat capacity useful?
It means that since so much energy is required to raise the temp, the temp stays fairly constant so enzymes do not denature
How is water a buffer?
water can resist changes in temperature as it has a high specific heat capacity
Why is the cohesiveness of water useful?
it helps water flow, which is good for transporting substances
Why is water a good solvent
because of its polarity of the hydrogen and oxygen, negative and positive ions will be attracted and therefore the water can dissolve other substances
What is an ion?
at atom (or group) that has an electric charge
What is a cation?
positively charged ion
What is an anion?
negatively charged ion
What is an inorganic ion?
does not contain carbon
What is haemoglobin?
a large protein that carries oxygen around the body (via red blood cells)
