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A LEVEL BIOLOGY > BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES > Flashcards

BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

what makes water a good solvent

A

because it’s polar, the slightly positive end of a water molecule will be attracted to the negative ion, and the slightly negative end of a water molecule will be attracted to the positive ion, so the ions will dissolve

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2
Q

why is water being a solvent useful

A

so that substances are dissolved and can be transported around the body

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3
Q

why is water cohesive

A

because they’re polar so they stick together

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4
Q

why is water cohesiveness useful

A

helps it flow, making it good for transporting substances

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5
Q

why does water have a high specific heat capacity and what’s useful about it

A

hydrogen bonds can absorb a lot of energy which which makes it a good habitat

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6
Q

why is water having a high latent heat of evaporation useful

A

takes a lot of energy to break the hydrogen bonds so a lot of energy is used up when it evaporates useful for cooling mammals

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7
Q

why is water less dense when solid and how is this useful

A

makes a lattice shape when frozen due to each water molecule forming four hydrogen bonds, forms an insulating ice layer so that organisms can move underneath

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8
Q

what way round are the o and OH in a B glucose

A

OH on top and O on the bottom

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9
Q

what are the useful properties of glucose

A

the main energy source, soluble so can be transported and contains lots of energy

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10
Q

what are monosaccharides joined together by

A

glycosidic bonds

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11
Q

what is starch

A

plants store excess glucose as starch, a mix of two polysaccharides of alpha glucose: amylose and amylopectin

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12
Q

describe amylose and how it’s useful

A

a long unbranded chain of alpha glucose, angles of glycosidic bonds give it a coiled structure like a cylinder, compact do good for storing

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13
Q

describe amylopectin and how it’s useful

A

a long branched chain of alpha glucose, side branches allow enzymes that break down the molecule to get at the glycosidi c bonds easily, means glucose can be released quickly

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14
Q

what is glycogen and how’s it useful

A

main energy storage material for animals, store glucose as glycogen, lots of side branches so can be released quickly, and also compact so good for storage

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15
Q

describe cellulose and how it’s useful

A

major component of cell walls in plants, long unbranched chains of beta glucose which form straight cellulose chains when bonded, which are linked by hydrogen bonds which form fibres called microfibrils, means it gives structural support

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16
Q

what are triglycerides made of

A

one molecule of glycerol and three hydrophobic fatty acids

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17
Q

how are the glycerol and fatty acids bonded together and how are the bonds formed

A

ester bonds, condensation reaction

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18
Q

what are phospholipids made of

A

one molecule of glycerol, two fatty acids, and a hydrophilic phosphate group

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19
Q

what are the properties of triglycerides and why are they useful

A
  • contain lots of energy because of long hydrocarbon tails, good for energy
    -insoluble so they don’t cause water to enter the cells by osmosis because of hydrophobic tails
20
Q

what are the properties of phospholipids and what makes them useful

A

-hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails so they form a double layer
- centre of the barrier is hydrophobic so water soluble substances cant easily pass through, membrane acts as a barrier

21
Q

what are the properties of cholesterol and what makes it useful

A

-small size and flattened shape, allows cholesterol to fit in between the phospholipid molecules
-at high temps they bind to hydrophobic tails of the phospholipids causing them to pack more closely together,makes the membrane more rigid
- at low temps prevents phospholipids from packing too close together so increases membrane fluidity

22
Q

what are amino acids

A

the monomers in proteins

23
Q

what is the primary structure

A

the sequence of amino acids in the polypeptide chain, held together by peptide bonds

24
Q

what is the secondary structure

A

hydrogen bonds form between nearby amino acids in the chain which make it coil into an alpha helix or fold into a beta pleated sheet

25
Q

what is the tertiary structure

A

further coiling or folding, more bonds form between different parts of the polypeptide chain

26
Q

what is the quaternary structure

A

proteins that are made of multiple polypeptide chains are held together by bonds

27
Q

what bonds hold together the tertiary structure

A

ionic bonds, disulfide bonds, hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, hydrogen bonds

28
Q

what are some examples of globular proteins

A

haemoglobin, insulin, and amylase

29
Q

what is amylase

A

enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch in the digestive system, single chain of amino acids, contains both alpha helix and beta pleated sheets

30
Q

what are some examples of fibrous proteins

A

collagen, keratin, elastin

31
Q

calcium

A

transmission if nerve impulses and releasd of insulin from the pancreas, bone formation

32
Q

sodium

A

generating nerve impulses, muscle contraction, and regulating fluid balance in the body

33
Q

potassium

A

generating nerve impulses, muscle contraction, regulating fluid balance in the body, activates enzymes needed for photosynthesis

34
Q

hydrogen

A

affects PH and activates enzymes need for photosynthesis

35
Q

ammonium

A

absorbed from the soil by plants and important source of nitrogen

36
Q

nitrate

A

absorbed from the soil by paints and.important source of nitrogen

37
Q

hydrogen carbonate

A

acts as a buffer which helps maintain the PH of the blood

38
Q

chloride

A

involved in the chloride shift which helps maintain the PH of the blood during gas exchange, also involved in some nerve impulses

39
Q

phosphate

A

involved in photosynthesis and respiration reactions needed for the synthesis of many biological molecules such as nucleotides,phospholipids and calcium phosphate

40
Q

hydroxide

A

affects pH of substances

41
Q

how do you test for proteins

A

biuret test, add sodium hydroxide solution and then add copper sulfate, purple if present

42
Q

how to test for lipids

A

shake with ethanol and pour into water, solution will turn milk if present

43
Q

how to test for starch

A

iodine test, add iodine dissolved in potassium iodide solution, turns from browny orange to blue black

44
Q

how to test for reducing sugar

A

add benedicts reagent and heat, negative blue, positive green yellow brown and brick red

45
Q

non reducing sugars

A

add dilute HCL and heat, then add sodium hydrogen carbonate, add benedicts reagent and heat

A LEVEL BIOLOGY (9 decks)

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