Biological components 1.2 Flashcards
Name the 4 main inorganic compounds humans need
- Magnesium (Mg2+)
- iron (Fe2+)
- phosphate (Po43-)
- calcium (Ca2+)
What is the importance of magnesium in living organisms?
- plants= important constitute of chlorophyll therefore essential for photosynthesis.
- mammals= magnesium needed for bones
What happens to a plant if there is a lack of magnesium?
Chlorosis= plants without magnesium in the soil cannot make cholophyll so leaves turn yellow.
This means photosynthesis cannot take place leading to stunted growth due to the lack of glucose.
What is the use of iron in humans?
Iron is a constituent of haemoglobin which transports oxygen in red blood cells.
What can a lack of iron lead to in humans?
Anaemia
What is the use of phosphate ions I’m living organisms?
Making nucleotides including ATP and are a constituent of phospholipids found in biological membranes.
What is the use of calcium in living organisms?
Important structural component of bones and teeth in mammals.
Component of plant cell walls providing strength.
What is the use of water in the body?
- it’s a medium for metabolic reactions.
- important constituent of cells.
Why is water decribed to be a dipole/ polar molecule?
The hydrogen end is positively charge me and the oxygen is the negatively charged end but there is no overall charge.
(THESE CHARGES ARE NOT FULL CHARGES)
Where do hydrogen bonds from in water?
Between the positive on a hydrogen and negative on an oxygen of a different atom.
Describe a hydrogen bonds effect of water.
- weak
- when large numbers are present in water it makes the molecules hard to separate giving water a wide variety of physical properties.
List the properties of water
- solvent
- metabolite
- high specific heat capacity
- high latent heat of vaporisation
- cohesive
- high surface tension
- high density
- transparent
Describe the advantages of water being a solvent.
- universal solvent due to the polarity meaning most things will dissolve in it because they attract other polar molecules like ions
- transport medium like in the xylem of a plant transporting minerals.
- non polar molecules like lipids don’t dissolve in water.
Describe water being a metabolite.
Water can be used in biochemical reactions like photosynthesis.
HYDROLYSIS: Water splits a molecule.
CONDENSATION: Water is a product of a reaction.
Describe why water having a high specific heat capacity is useful.
- means a large amount of heat energy is needed to raise its temperature.
- creates a habitat for animals in the ocean as the temperature doesn’t fluctuate too much so the animals don’t have to adapt.
- endure the enzymes in cells to work efficiently
Explain why water having a high latent heat of vaporisation is useful.
- means a lot of energy is needed to change it from liquid to gas.
- useful in temperature control by sweating to keep the body cool.
Why is water being cohesive useful?
- water molecules attract forming hydrogen bonds. These are individually weak but in large amounts are strong.
- this allows columns of water to be drawn up the xylem vessel in plants.
Why is high surface tension useful in water?
-it allows a habitat to form for small insects like pond skaters because the molecules at the surface produce surface tension so the body of the insect is supported.
Why is high water density useful?
When frozen, ice is less dense than water so floats on the surface, insulating the water beneath so a stable habitat can form beneath.
What is water being transparent useful?
Light can pass through to allow aquatic plants to photosynthesise effectively.
What elements make up carbohydrates?
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
What is one single of sugar in carbohydrate (monomer).
Monosaccharide
What is the general formula for monosaccharides?
(CH2O)n
What determines the name of the monosaccharide?
The number of carbon atoms
Triose pentose hexose
What is the formula for a hexose?
C6 H12 O6
What shape do the carbon atoms of a monosaccharide form when dissolved in water?
Circle
What are the two isomers of glucose?
Alpha glucose
Beta glucose
How is beta glucose different to alpha glucose?
Beta glucose is the transverse of alpha glucose so the OH and H are swapped over.
What are the labels for the carbon atoms on a saccharide?
1-6
What are the functions of a monosaccharide?
- source of energy in respiration. C-H and C-C bonds are broken to release energy, transferred to make ATP.
- building block for larger molecules.
- intermediates in reactions
- constituent of nucleotides.
What is a disaccharide?
And dimer. Two monosaccharides bonded together with the elimination of water and has a glycosidic bond.
What is the biological role and component monosaccharide of maltose?
Glucose + glucose
In germinating seeds
What is the biological role and component monosaccharide of sucrose?
Glucose + fructose
Transport in phloem of flowering plants.
What is the biological role and component monosaccharide of lactose?
Glucose+ galactose
In mammalian milk
How do you test for the presence of reducing sugars?
-Benedicts test for reducing sugars.
-equal volume of benedicts reagent and testing solution heated to 80’C
- If present the solution turns from blue to BRICK RED
(Because the sugars donate an electron to reduce copper ll ions in copper sulphate to red l oxide)
-THIS WONT WORK FOR NON-REDUCING SUGARS
How do you test for non-reducing sugars?
- heat the sample with hydrochloride acid at 80’C
- add alkali like sodium hydroxide
- add benedicts reagent and heated as before.
- if turns red, a non reducing sugar is present.
What is a polysaccharide?
A complex polymer made up of monomers linked by glycosidic bonds.
What is the main source of energy in cells?
Glucose
Why can’t glucose be stored in cells?
Because it is soluble in water so it would increase the cells concentration consequently drawing in water by osmosis.
This is avoided by converting glucose into starch.
Where are starch grains found in high concentrations in plants?
- Seeds
- storage organs
- starch grains
What is starch comprised of?
Amylose and amylopectin
What is the monomer for starch?
Alpha- glucose
What is the structure of amylose?
- linear
- unbranched
- 1-4 glycosidic bond
- helix shape
- chains of alpha glucose