biochemistry Flashcards
What is biochemistry?
study of chemical composition and reaction of living matter.
What are inorganic compounds?
do not contain carbon except co2 (water, salts, and many acids and bases) essential for life.
What are organic compounds?
carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids. they contain carbon, are usually large, and are covalently bonded. essential for life.
What is water?
(h20) the most abundant compound and accounts for 50% to 75% of the human body weight.
What are the properties of water?
high heat capacity, high heat of vaporization, polar solvent properties, and cushioning.
What is high heat capacity?
temperature of water is very stable (helps stabilize the internal temperature of the body).
What is high heat of vaporization?
is a good evaporative coolant, which helps maintain uniform heat.
What is polar solvent properties?
universal solvent, both cohesive and adhesive giving it surface tension, capillarity, and lubricating properties.
What is cushioning?
protects certain organs from physical trauma.
What are minerals?
such as salts are ionic compounds that dissociate into separate ions in water. separated into cations (positively charged) and anions (negatively charged) not including h+ and oh- ions
What is an electrolyte?
all ions because they can conduct electrical currents in solutions.
What are monomers?
smallest organic compound and diffuses through cell membranes. (building blocks)
What is a polymer?
larger molecules and too big to fit through the cell membrane.
What is dehydration synthesis?
combine monomers by removing water.
What is hydrolysis?
add water to split monomers apart.
What is a carbohydrate?
(sugar) they contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. “glyco” (prefix), “ose”(suffix), “sacchar”(root word) all indicate sugar.
What is a monosaccaride?
simple sugars, main energy source for cell, glucose (c6h12o6), cellular respiration for ATP.
What is a disaccharide?
double sugars, lactose (milk), can’t be used directly by cells.
What are polysaccharides?
can’t be used directly by cells, starch, glycogen, cellulose, and not soluble.
What is a lipid?
fats that contain carbon hydrogen and oxygen with no definite ratio
What are the monomers in lipids?
fatty acids
What does saturated mean in lipids?
more hydrogen they can have which creates a solid bond at room temperature.
What does unsaturated mean in lipids?
not enough hydrogen this causes a kink in the carbon chain which causes oil at room temperature.
What are polymer triglycerides?
energy storage, insulation, and cushioning.
What are phospholipids?
important for cell memebrane structure.
What is used for making steroids needed for regular body functions?
cholesterol
What are the attributes of a phospholipid bilayer?
the top has extracellular fluid and the bottom ultracellular fluid. the head is hydrophilic and the tail is hydrophobic.
What are proteins?
they contain carbon hydrogen oxygen and nitrogen, are involved in nearly every chemical reaction, and have highly variable functions (how its built determines function).
What are the monomers in proteins?
amino acids, when bonded together via peptide bonds it creates polypeptide.
What is the definition of a functioning protein?
polypeptide folded into a 3-D shape and they have 4 levels.
What are the 4 structural levels of proteins?
- chains of amino acids
- alpha helix coil or beta pleated sheets
- combining coils and sheets
- taking multiple groups that one already combined to make a bigger structure
What are structural proteins?
mechanical support
What are enzyme proteins?
catalysis. protein enzymes are essential for virtually every biochemical reaction in the body.
What are transport proteins?
moving substances (in blood or across plasma membranes).
What are contractile proteins?
movement
What are communication proteins?
transmitting signals between cells, and acts as chemical messengers.
What are defensive proteins?
protect against disease.
What do the enzymes end with?
ase
What is the optimal pH level?
pH= power hydrogen
What is the optimal body temperature?
98.6
What is denaturing?
structures of protein fall apart at higher temperatures.
What are coenzymes?
vitamins help chemical reactions.
What are nucleic acids?
they contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorous.
What are the monomers in nucleic acids?
nucleotides
What are the attributes of RNA?
they make proteins based on blueprint and single stranded.
What are the attributes of DNA?
blueprints of genetic material and double stranded.
What are the base pairing rules for RNA?
cytosine binds with guanine and adenine binds with uracil.
What are the base pairing rules for DNA?
adenine binds with thymine and cytosine binds with guanine.
What is a messenger rna?
saying what amino acids, we need to.
What is a transfer rna?
getting the amino acids.
What is a ribosomal rna?
assists in protein synthesis (building blocks).
What is transcription in synthesis?
DNA information coded into mrna.
What is translation in synthesis?
mrna decoded to assemble polypeptides.
