Biological Molecules: Carbohydrates Flashcards
Why is water a polar molecule?
due to uneven distribution of charge
- hydrogen atoms are more positive than O2 atoms so one end is more + than the other
Why is water an important molecule?
- It is a metabolite - for hydrolysis and condensation
- solvent where metabolic reactions occur
Properties of water?
solvents - allows substances needed for body to dissolve/be transported around body e.g glucose
- high heat specific capacity - more energy needed to warm up water so less temp fluctuations
- provide stable habitat/optimum temp for enzyme activity
- large latent heat of vaporisation - cooling effect with Iittle water loss
- strong cohesion - molecules ‘stick tgt’ by hydrogen bonds - effective transport of water in tube like transport cells (surface tension at the air-water boundary is high)/ allows pond skate to float
- max density is at 4 degrees - ice will be less dense/float creating insulating layer , so prevents organisms from freezing
How does water act as a solvent?
- water is polar, so positive parts of water molecule will be attracted to negative parts of solute and vice versa
- water molecule then surrounds the charged parts of solute/ion —> leads to solute dissolving
What are monomers and polymers?
Monomers - smaller units from which larger molecules are made
Polymers - molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together in a chain
What are macromolecules?
Very large molecules
- contain 1000 or more atoms /have high molecular mass
What is a condensation reaction?
- occurs when monomers combine together by covalent bonds to form polymers or macromolecules (lipids) / water is removed
What is hydrolysis?
-covalent bonds are broken when water is added.
Covalent bond for carbohydrates/proteins and lipids?
Glycosidic
Peptides
Ester
Covalent bond for nucleic acids
Phosphodiester
What do carbs, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids contain?
Carbon and hydrogen
→carbon can form 4 covalent bonds - make compound very stable
Why are carbon atoms key to organic compounds ?
→carbon can form 4 covalent bonds - make compound very stable
→ carbon atoms can form covalent bonds with oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur
→ carbon atoms can form straight chains , branched chains and rings
Carbs functions?what elements do they contain?
Source of energy - glucose used for energy release in respiration
store of energy - glycogen stored in muscles/liver
structurally important - cellulose in cell walls of plants
Contains C, H, O
→ H and O Are present in 2:1 ratio
What are Monosaccharides, give an example and function ?
Single sugar monomer, all are reducing sugars
E.g : glyceraldehyde (3C)
Ribose (5C)
Glucose (6C)
Function : source of energy in respiration / building blocks of polymers
What are disaccharides , example and functions ?
A sugar formed from 2 monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic bond in a condensation reaction
E.g maltose : alpha glucose + alpha glucose
Sucrose : alpha glucose+ fructose
Lactose : alpha glucose + beta galactose
Function : - sugar found in germinating seeds (maltose)
- mammal milk sugar (lactose)
- sugar in sugar canes (sucrose)
Polysaccharides definition, eg. And function?
Polymer formed by many monosaccharides joined by glycosidic bonds in a condensation reaction.
Examples: cellulose: beta glucose
Starch: alpha glucose ( amylose and amylopectin)
glycogen: alpha glucose
Function: energy storage ( plant-starch and
Animals - glycogen)
→ structural -cell wall