2.2 :Biological Molecules Flashcards
State 3 functions of water
- It’s a habitat. Less dense when it freezes means animals can live in it
- Water is a solvent, meaning some substances can dissolve in it.
- Helps with temperature control, because of the high specific heat capacity, and latent heat of evaporation
- Water is a reactant in important chemical reactions, including hydrolysis
What are the bonds between two water molecules?
Hydrogen bonds
why is water polar molecule?
Because oxygen has a slightly negative charge and hydrogen has a slightly positive charge
State the properties of water (5)
- high specific heat capacity
- High latent heat of evaporation
- Very cohesive
- Lower density when solid
- Good solvent
why is water good for cooling things?
Because it takes a lot of energy (heat) to break the hydrogen bonds between the molecules so water has a high latent heat of operation, and a lot of energy is used up when water evaporates
What is a macromolecule?
A complex molecule with a relatively large molecular mass includes proteins, carbs, and lipids, as well as polymers
what happens in condensation and hydrolysis reactions?
in condensation reactions: a bonds between two molecules is made producing a H2O molecule.
in hydrolysis, a water molecule is used to break a bond between two molecules.
what elements are found in carbs, lipids, proteins + nucleic acids
Carbs: C H O
Lipids: C H O N S
Nucleic acid: C H O N P
Proteins: C H N O S
What is the monomers for carbohydrates? Also state two examples.
carbohydrates are polymers made of lots of monomers called monosaccharides, which combine to make a disaccharide or polysaccharide
Examples are glucose and ribose.
what is the structure of glucose?
glucose is a six carbon ringed structure, monosaccharide (hexose)
what is the difference between alpha and beta glucose?
Alpha glucose has the OH on carbon one pointing down towards the ankles
whereas beta glucose has the OH on carbon one pointing towards the brain?.
describe the structure of ribose
Ribose is a five carbon ring structure (pentose) It is also a monosaccharide
what is the difference between ribose and deoxyribose?
ribose is found in RNA and has an oxygen atom on the second carbon, whereas deoxy ribose is found in DNA and has no oxygen on the second carbon therefore is ddee oxy ribose
what bond forms when monosaccharides react to form polysaccharides?
Glycosidic bond
Name three disaccharides and describe how they form
form when condensation reactions occur to form glycosidic bonds between two monosaccharides
- Maltose (glucose + glucose)
- Sucrose ( glucose + fructose)
- Lactose (glucose + galactose
Describe the structure and functions of starch
Energy storage of alpha glucose in plant cells. It’s also large so can’t diffuse out of cells and insoluble.
Starch is made of amylose and amylopectin.
Amylose: is a long and branched chain of glucose. It’s got a coiled structure which makes it compact and good for storage.
Amylopectin: is a Long branched chain of glucose, its branches allow for glucose to be released quickly