BIOCHEMISTRY Flashcards
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS
- dont contain carbon element
- not produced by living organisms
eg. water, gases and mineral salts
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
- contain carbon element
- are produced by living organisms
eg. carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS- functions of water
- solvent
- medium in which chemical reactions can occur
- reagent during hydrolysis (when substances break down it should happen in the presense of water)
- transporting agent
- lubricant
- regulates body temp
- gives shape and rigidity
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS- mineral salts- macroelements deficiency diseases- calcium
humans; rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis
plants; weak root growth
phosphorus
humans; na
plants; stunted growth
sodium
humans; muscle cramps
plants; na
potassium
humans; na
plants; yellow and brown leaf margins
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS- mineral salts- microelements deficiency diseases- iron
humans; anaemia
plants; chlorosis
iodine
humans; goitre
phosphates and nitrates are also minerals, but they are not elements, they are compounds.
phosphate ions: na
nitrates ions: protein sysnthesis. nitrogen also forms part of the nucleotides of DNA and RNA, and is needed for synthesis ofd chlorophyll in plants
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS: carbohydates
.
carbohydrates and made up of ring shaped units
saccharides
3 groups according to how many saccharides
monosaccharide; 1
disaccharide; 2
mono and di are sugars because they taste sweet and are water soluble
polysaccharide; 3+
poly are not sugars because they dont taste sweet and are water insoluble
monosaccharides
glucose (building block to all carbohydrates)
fructose
galactose
disaccharides
condensation reaction - 2 monos are joined and one water molecule is removed
maltose (glucose+ glucose= maltose+ h20)
sucrose (glucose+ fructose= sucrose+h20)
lactose (glucose+ galactose= lactose+h20)
polysaccharides
condensation reaction
starch (excess glucose stored in plant)
glycogen (excess glucose stored in humans)
cellulose (structural component of plant cell walls)
importance of carbohydrates
- source of energy
- source of reserve energy
- structural component
test for carbohydrates- test for glucose
benedicts solution:
1. water bath in heat resistant beaker over bunsen burner
2. pour 5cm3 of benedicts solution into test tube
3. drip 10 drops of test soultion into test tube and place test tube into water bath
4. look at solution after 4 min
5. blue - no glucose present ——- red- glucose present
test for starch
- take test material and drop 2-3 drops of iodine onto it
- if iodine turns blue/black, starch is present
LIPIDS( FATS AND OILS)
1 lipid molecule consists of 1 glycerol molecule and 3 fatty acid molecules
lipids are:
- insoluble in water
- soluble in ether and alcohol
- hydrophobic
- saturated fats- from animals and solid at room temp
- unsaturated fats- from plants and liquid at room temp
importance of lipids
- source of reserve energy
- insulating material
- shock absorption (kidneys and eyes)
- structural component of cell membranes
- waterproofing
- absorption of minerals (A, D, E, K)
- source of water
test for fats
- grind test material into fine consistency and place small amount into test tube
- add 5cm3 ether and shake well
- let stand for 30 min
- filter ether
- allow drop of filtrate to fall onto clean filter paper
- ether will evaporate quickly
- if fats are present - translucent greasy spot
PROTEINS
- is a polymer with amino acids as monomers
bond formed between 2 amino acids= peptide bond
- dipeptide; 2 amino acids
- tripeptide; 3 amino acids
- polypeptide; 4+
- protein; 51+
proteins are sensitive to?
will denature at high temps and extreme pH levels
importance of proteins
- structural component of protoplasm
- building materials
- structual component of cell membranes
- play role in permeability of cell membranes
- source of reserve energy
- hormones regulate processes in body
- haemoglobin transports o2 and co2 in blood
- protect body against disease (antibodies are blood proteins
- chromosomes carry hereditary material
- act as buffers (keep pH of fluid constant)
- enzymes control metabolic processes in body
test for proteins
- grind test material into powder, add water and boil until forms soup
- pour 5cm3 of soup into test tube and add 2-3 drops of diluted copper sulfate soltion (blue)
- add 7cm3 sodium hydroxide solution(clear) and shake gently
- heat over bunsen burner to obtain deeper colour
- blue; no protein present purple; protein present
enzymes
enzymes are biological catalysts as they speed up biological chemical reactions
they lower the activation energy needed therefore accelerating the reaction
chemical reactions that take place inside cell= metabolic reactions. there are 2 types
- anabolic reactrions
- catabolic reactions
anabolic reactions
energy required
simple molecules -> complex molecule
catabolic reactions
energy released
complex molecule -> simple molecules
influence of temp and pH on enzyme action- temp
temporarily inactive in low temps
denature at high temps
optimum temp= 35-40`c
pH
denature at extreme pH levels
different enzymes have different optimum pH
properties of enzymes
- spherical proteins
- substrate specific
- can be used again and again
