Biological Molecules (Not finished) Flashcards
What are ions in solution called
Electrolytes
What elements are carbohydrates made up of
C, H, O
What elements are lipids made up of
C, H, O
What elements are proteins made up of
C, H, O, N, S
Only 3 amino acids contain S
How many amino acids contain S
3
What elements are nucleic acids made up of
C, H, O, N, P
What are monomers
Long-chain molecules made up by the linking of multiple individual molecules
What are the monomers for carbohydrates
Saccharides
What are the monomers for proteins
Amino acids
What are polar molecules
Molecules that have regions of positivity and negativity
Water is a liquid at room temperature. Explain why it has a high boiling point
Water molecules continually move around, and as they do, they form hydrogen bonds. These bonds mean that a lot of energy is required to increase the temperature of water and cause it to become gaseous.
Explain why water’s density is important
The density of water provides an ideal habitat for living things. if water was less dense, aquatic organisms would find it very difficult to float. As water cools, it becomes more dense up until 4 degrees, after which it becomes less dense because the water molecules align themselves in a structure less dense than liquid water. This means that:
Aquatic organisms have a stable environment in which to live in
It can be beneficial for the movement of animals, such as polar bears
What does water being cohesive mean
It moves as one mass as the molecules are attracted to each other. This means that:
Plants are able to draw up water through their roots
What does water being adhesive mean
Where water molecules are attracted to other materials. For example, when you wash your hands, your hands become wet, the water doesn’t run off.
Why is water a good solvent
The polar nature of water means that the positive and negative parts of the water molecules cluster around the charged parts of the solute molecules and will help to separate them and keep them apart. This means that:
Molecules and ions can move around and react together in water
Molecules and ions can be transported around living things whilst dissolved in water
Water has a high specific heat capacity. Explain what this means
Water molecules are held together quite tightly by hydrogen bonds. Therefore, you have to put in a lot of heat energy to increase their kinetic energy and temperature. This means that
Living things can survive because they need a stable temperature for enzyme-controlled reactions to happen properly
Aquatic organisms need a stable organisms need a stable environment in which to live
Water has a high latent heat of vaporisation. Explain what this means
When water evaporates, heat energy, known as the latent heat of vaporisation, helps the molecules to break away from each other to become a gas. because the molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds, a relatively large amount of energy is required for water to change state. therefore water can help to cool living things and keep their temperature stable. This means that
Mammals are cooled when sweat evaporates
Plants are cooled when water evaporates from mesophyll cells
What is the name of a carbohydrate polymer
Polysaccharide
