Biological molecules - 2 Flashcards
What do carbohydrates consist of?
C, H, O
What do Lipids consist of?
C, H, O
What do proteins consist of?
C, H, O, N, S
What do Nucleic acids consist of?
C, H, O, N, P
Define metabolism
The sum total of all the chemical reactions that take place in an
organism.
What are anabolic reactions
Building larger molecules from smaller ones
What are catabolic reactions?
Breaking larger molecules into smaller ones
What is a monomer?
A monomer is a single molecule
Many monomers make a polymer
What is a condensation reaction?
- a water molecule is released
- A new covalent bond is formed
- A larger molecule is formed
What is a hydrolysis reaction?
- a water molecule is used
- A covalent bond is broken
- Smaller molecules are formed
What are the properties of water that make it special?
- High specific heat capacity
- High latent heat of evaporation
- hydrogen bonds makes ice form a lattice
- Effective solvent
- Cohesion
- Adhesion
- Surface tension
- Transparent
Why is a high latent heat of evaporation useful
Evaporation is an efficient cooling mechanism
Why is a high specific heat capacity useful
Thermally stable environment for aquatic organisms
Why are hydrogen bonds useful in water
Hydrogen bonds make the ice form a lattice when it
solidifies (expands)
Ice is less dense than water = it floats
Water beneath ice is insulated
Aquatic organisms under the ice do not freeze / can still
swim
Provides a habitat
Why is water an effective solvent
Medium for enzyme controlled reactions
Nitrates etc can be taken up by plants through their roots