2-2 BIO-1010 Study Guide Flashcards
Questions
Answers
What are the two reasons why all of life is based on carbon?
Carbon can form four covalent bonds, allowing for a variety of complex molecules; Carbon can bond with many elements, forming diverse organic compounds.
Most of the large biological molecules are made up of individual subunits called _______________; the general term for a large molecule made up of many of these subunits is a ________________________________.
monomers; polymer
The process of building a polymer using monomers is called _____________________________. The breakdown of a polymer into individual monomers occurs through a process called _________________________.
polymerization; hydrolysis
The four categories of large biological molecules are : __________________________, _____________________, _____________________, and _____________________________.
carbohydrates; lipids; proteins; nucleic acids
For carbohydrates, the general term for a monomer is _____________________________, and the general term for a polymer is _______________________________.
monosaccharide; polysaccharide
The two major functions of carbohydrates in living organisms are _______________________ and _________________________.
energy storage; structural support
Plants store energy in the polysaccharide called ____________________________. Animals store energy in the polysaccharide called ______________________________.
starch; glycogen
_________________________ and ______________________ are two types of structural polysaccharides.
Cellulose; chitin
In general, what goes wrong in diabetes?
The body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it produces, leading to high blood sugar levels.
What is the difference between what goes wrong in type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes: The body’s immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas; Type 2 diabetes: The body becomes resistant to insulin or the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin.
How is the treatment for type 1 diabetes different from the treatment for type 2 diabetes?
Type 1 diabetes: Requires insulin injections or an insulin pump; Type 2 diabetes: Managed with lifestyle changes, oral medications, and sometimes insulin.
The BEST sources of carbohydrates are ones that are from ___________________________. Examples are __________________, _________________________, and __________________.
whole foods; fruits; vegetables; whole grains
When is added sugar on the list of good sources of carbohydrates?
Added sugar is generally not considered a good source of carbohydrates due to its lack of nutritional value and potential health risks.
Briefly list six functions of lipids in living organisms.
Energy storage; Insulation; Protection of organs; Cell membrane structure; Hormone production; Vitamin absorption
The three general categories of lipids that we talked about in class are ____________________, ______________________________, and ___________________________.
triglycerides; phospholipids; steroids
Structurally, triglycerides consist of a __________________________ attached to three _________________________________.
glycerol; fatty acids
What is the difference in chemical structure between a saturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty acid?
Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms, while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds.
List three differences between fats and oils.
Fats are solid at room temperature; oils are liquid; Fats are typically found in animals; oils are typically found in plants; Fats have a higher proportion of saturated fatty acids; oils have a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids.
Which type of triglycerides (saturated or unsaturated) is worse for our health, and why?
Saturated triglycerides are worse because they can raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.
What type of triglycerides is even worse than this?
Trans fats are even worse because they not only raise LDL cholesterol but also lower HDL cholesterol.
In terms of chemical structure, how is a phospholipid different from a triglyceride?
A phospholipid has two fatty acids and a phosphate group attached to glycerol, while a triglyceride has three fatty acids attached to glycerol.
Phospholipids are the main structural component of _________________________________.
cell membranes
Steroids are lipids with a chemical structure consisting of four _________________________.
fused rings
Why are low density lipoproteins (LDL) called “bad cholesterol”, and why are high density lipoproteins (HDL) called “good cholesterol”?
LDL is called ‘bad cholesterol’ because it can lead to plaque buildup in arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease; HDL is called ‘good cholesterol’ because it helps remove cholesterol from the bloodstream.
