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A-Level Biology > Biological Molecules > Flashcards

Biological Molecules Flashcards

1
Q

What are monosaccharides?

A

Simple sugars

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2
Q

What is an example of a monosaccharide?

A

Glucose

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3
Q

What is the general formula for monosaccharides?

A

Cn(H20)n

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4
Q

What is a disaccharide?

A

A sugar formed from two monosaccharides

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5
Q

How are disaccharides joined?

A

By a 1-4 glycosidic bond

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6
Q

What is lactose made from?

A

Glucose + galactose

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7
Q

What is sucrose made from?

A

Glucose + fructose

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8
Q

What is maltose made from?

A

Glucose + glucose

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9
Q

What is removed in a condensation reaction?

A

H2O

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10
Q

How do you test for non- reducing sugars?

A 
Reducing sugar test
If no colour change get fresh sample
Add 2cm3 of HCl
Place in water bath for 3mins
Add 1/2 spatula of sodium hydrogen carbonate to neutralise
Add Benedict's to hydrolysed sample
If now positive is a reducing sugar
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11
Q

Why is sucrose not a reducing sugar?

A

Cannot become linear so no free aldehyde group to react with

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12
Q

Why are most disaccharides reducing sugars?

A

Able to reduce oxidising agents

Ring opens to reveal aldehyde group

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13
Q

What are the reducing sugars?

A

Glucose
Fructose
Galactose

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14
Q

Which monomer is starch made from?

A

Alpha glucose

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15
Q

What is starch’s structure?

A

Chains branched + unbranched

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16
Q

What is the branched structure called in starch?

A

Amylopectin

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17
Q

What is the unbranched structure called in starch?

A

Amylase

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18
Q

Where is starch found?

A

Form of a small grain

Never in animals

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19
Q

What is starch’s function?

A

Energy store

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20
Q

What is starch’s structure related to its function?

A

Large so can’t diffuse out
Insoluble so doesn’t effect water potential
Compact so can be stored in small place]

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21
Q

What is good about starch having a branched structure?

A

Enzymes simultaneously act on it to produce glucose monomers rapidly

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22
Q

Which monomer is glycogen made from?

A

Alpha glucose

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23
Q

What is glycogen’s structure?

A

Similar to starch but shorter chains + highly branched

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24
Q

Where is glycogen found?

A

Animals + bacterial cells

Stored as small granules in muscles + liver

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25
Q

What is glycogen’s function?

A

Main carbohydrate storage product of animals

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26
Q

What is glycogen’s structure related to its function?

A

Insoluble so won’t effect water potential

Large so won’t diffuse out

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27
Q

What is good about glycogen having a highly branched structure?

A

Enzymes act on it simultaneously so it is rapidly broken down into glucose

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28
Q

Which monomer is cellulose made from?

A

Beta glucose

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29
Q

What is cellulose’s structure?

A

Straightened, unbranched chains

That run parallel to allow H bods to form cross links

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30
Q

Where is cellulose found?

A

Plant cell walls

31
Q

What is cellulose’s function?

A

Provides rigidity to the cell

Exerts inward pressure to stop cell from bursting

32
Q

What is cellulose’s structure related to its function?

A

Every 2nd beta glucose is rotated 180 degrees to create linear chain
Cross linked by H to provide strength

33
Q

How is the H bonds in cellulose grouped to provide strength?

A

Grouped to form microfibilis, which are grouped to form fibres

34
Q

What are the lipids?

A

Triglycerides
Phospholipids
Cholesterol
Steroids

35
Q

What are the functions of lipids?

A 
Waterproofing 
Substrate for respiration
Store of energy
Insulation
Protection of organs
Cell membranes
Buoyancy + streamlining
Hormones
36
Q

What does hydrophobic mean?

A

Molecules that are not polar so do not dissolve/mix with water

37
Q

What does hydrophilic mean?

A

Molecules that are polar so dissolve/mix with water

38
Q

What does saturated mean?

A

A hydrocarbon chain that doesn’t contain a double carbon bond

39
Q

What does unsaturated mean?

A

A hydrocarbon chain that does contain a double carbon bond

40
Q

What do double bonds do to a lipids structure and what does this mean?

A

It bends the structure so it cannot pack tightly together so is a liquid at room temperature

41
Q

Are lipids soluble?

A

They aren’t in water but are in organic solutions

42
Q

What solutions are lipids soluble in?

A

Alcohol and acetone

43
Q

What is the difference between fats and oils?

A 
Fats= solids at room temperature
Oils= liquids at room temperature
44
Q

How do lipids arrange themselves in water?

A

Hydrophilic heads are at the surface of the water and hydrophobic tails are above the water

45
Q

Why is a triglyceride a good energy store?

A

High ratio of energy storing C-H bonds to C atoms

Can store a large amount in small place

46
Q

Why does the storage of a triglyceride not effect osmosis?

A

Because it is insoluble

47
Q

Why does a triglyceride release water when oxidised?

A

High hydrogen to oxygen atoms ratio

48
Q

How does a phospholipid structure allow them to form glycolipids?

A

By combining carbohydrates with cell surface membrane

49
Q

What are glycolipids important for?

A

Cell recognition

50
Q

What happens when a phospholipids are in aqueous environment?

A

Form a bi layer with cell-surface membranes so a hydrophobic barrier is formed between the inside + outside of cell

51
Q

What do amino acids form?

A

Polymers that form polypeptide chains that form proteins

52
Q

How many amino acids occur naturally?

53
Q

What does that fact that the sane 20 amino acids occur i each organism prove?

54
Q

What is the structure of an amino acid?

A 
1 central carbon atom
Amino acid group (NH2)
Carboxyl group (COOH)
Hydrogen atom
R(side) group
55
Q

What varies with each amino acid?

56
Q

How many different side chain is there?

57
Q

What do side chains contain?

A

H, C and O atoms

58
Q

What do some R groups contain?

A

Sulphur/nitrogen atoms

59
Q

How are dipeptides formed?

A

Condensation reaction

60
Q

What is removed during the formation of dipeptides?

61
Q

What is the bond between the nitrogen and carbon in a dipeptide?

A

Peptide bond

62
Q

What are the functions of proteins?

A 
Enzymes eg amylase
Structure eg. keratin
Membrane transport 
Antibodies
Hormones eg. insulin
Receptors
Cell recognition
Mass transport eg. haemoglobin
63
Q

What is the structure of a triglyceride?

A

Glycerol with 3 fatty acid chains joined with an ester bond

64
Q

What is the structure of a phospholipid?

A 
Hydrophobic tail
Hydrophilic head
One glycerol molecule
2 fatty acids
Third fatty acid is a polar phosphate group
Ester bond
65
Q

What is a tertiary structure?

A

Secondary structure is folded more giving the protein a 3D shape, maintained by bonds

66
Q

What is a quaternary structure?

A

Complex molecules containing many polypeptide chains and contain non-protein molecules

67
Q

What is the function of haemoglobin?

A

Transport oxygen

Associate with oxygen at gas exchange and disociate at tissues

68
Q

What is the structure of haemoglobin?

A

Quaternary- all 4 polypeptide chains linked to form a spherical group
Each associated with a haem group

69
Q

What is haemoglobin’s structure related to its function?

A

Changes affinity for oxygne under different conditions
Shape changes in presence of CO2
New shape binds more loosely to O2

70
Q

Is haemoglobin globular or fibrous?

71
Q

What is the function of collagen

A

Found in tendons which join to muscles

Muscles contract and bone is pulled in direction of contraction

72
Q

What is the structure of collagen?

A

Quaternary- made up of 3 poltpeptide chains wound together in the same way

73
Q

What is collagen’s structure related to its function?

A

Individual polypeptide chains held together by crosslinks

Between amino acids of other chains

74
Q

Is collagen globular or fibrous?

A-Level Biology (21 decks)

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