6.1 Study Guide Flashcards
Describe the difference between the structures of Hydroxyl, Carbonyl, and Carboxyl chemical groups and state their respective charges/polarities.
Hydroxyl groups consist of only two atoms, one oxygen atom bonded to one hydrogen atom with a polar covalent bond. Carbonyl groups consist of two or more atoms and are distinguished by one carbon atom double-bonded to a single oxygen atom. Carboxyl is essentially a combination of a Hydroxyl group and a Carbonyl group, consisting of one carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and just bonded to a Hydroxyl group (oxygen bonded to hydrogen). Hydroxyl and Carbonyl are both polar, while Carboxyl has a negative charge.
Define Isomers.
Isomers are multiple molecules with the same chemical formula - the same elements and the same number of each element - but different structures and/or orientations of those elements. For example, glucose and fructose both have a chemical formula of C6H12O6, however, fructose organizes its atoms into different shapes and orders than glucose.
Explain the difference and relation between Monomers and Polymers.
Polymers are complex chemical compounds created by combining smaller, simpler compounds known as Monomers. Monomers can be built using individual atoms or basic molecules, but Polymers can only be built with multiple already-formed Monomers.
Describe the Dehydration Synthesis process using two glucose monomers as an example.
Dehydration Synthesis is the process of bonding compounds to form larger compounds. Because glucose molecules only have hydrogen ends, they normally cannot bond together. However, enzymes can stimulate the process of Dehydration Synthesis, which removes one hydrogen atom from one glucose and one hydroxyl group from the other, allowing the two glucose molecules to bond and form maltose. The removed particles then can be combined to form a secondary product of water.
Describe the Hydrolysis process using a sucrose polymer as an example.
Hydrolysis is the opposite of Dehydration Synthesis and works to break apart Polymers into smaller compounds. Because the bonds within sucrose are so strong, an enzyme is again required to stimulate the breaking of a bond. After a bond within the sucrose is broken, a water molecule is required now as an input to be split amongst the newly formed glucose and fructose molecules to make them whole.
Explain what qualities of carbon make it an excellent building block for organic molecules and matter.
Carbon has 4 valence electrons in its second shell. This means that it can bond with 4 other atoms at once. Additionally, being the 6th element on the periodic table, carbon is very common throughout the planet and the universe as a whole. This makes it so that carbon can easily bond with other atoms at an incredibly large scale to create numerous copies of molecules with a high variety of structures and functions.
Explain the morphological meanings behind the names ‘Dehydration Synthesis’ and ‘Hydrolysis’.
The root ‘hydro’ means ‘water’, the prefix ‘de’ means ‘opposite’ or ‘remove’, the root ‘syn’ means ‘together’, and the root ‘thesis’ means ‘to put’ or ‘to put forth’. Thus, Dehydration Synthesis literally means “to put together by removing water” (or just without water). The root ‘hydro’ again means ‘water’, and the root ‘lysis’ means ‘destruction’ or ‘breaking apart’. Thus, Hydrolysis literally means “the breaking apart of water”.
Explain how the processes of Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis are related to Monomers and Polymers.
Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis are required for the bonding of Monomers into Polymers and the separation of Polymers into Monomers respectively.
Describe how Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis relate to each other. Explain their purposes within organisms.
Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis are opposites of each other, with one turning Monomers into Polymers and Water and the other turning Polymers and Water into Monomers. They are vital for the existence of modern organisms, as Dehydration Synthesis is required for the production of complex chemical compounds which make up a large percentage of life today and Hydrolysis is required for the digestion of ingested compounds to produce energy.
Explain the difference between structural isomers and positional isomers (stereoisomers).
Structural isomers have the same chemical formula (as isomers do) but arrange their particles into distinctly different and unique structures and orders. Positional isomers, on the other hand, have the same chemical formula and the same structures but organize their structures in different orders and orientations, which causes their functions to differ despite being so similar.
