Biological molecules topic 1 questions Flashcards
What is an organic compound?
Chemical bounds that contain carbon.
What is an inorganic compound?
Chemical bounds that do not contain carbon.
How are the structures of cellulose and glycogen different?
- Glycogen has a branched structure and forms coils, whereas Cellulose is a straight chain.
- Glycogen has both 1,4 and 1,6 Glycosidic bonds whereas Cellulose just have a 1,4 glycosidic bond.
- Cellulose is made from beta-glucose whereas, Glycogen is made up of from alpha glucose monomers.
How does glycogen act as an energy source?
- Glycogen can be hydrolysed to Glucose
2. The glucose could be used as energy in the process of respiration.
Name the monomer maltose is made from?
Glucose
Explain how starch is adapted to its function in the cells of plants.
- Insoluble in water so can be stored without affecting the water potential.
- Helical in shape, making it compact for storage.
- A large molecule, so is unable to leave the cell.
What monomers is Glycogen made of?
Alpha glucose monomers
What monomers is Cellulose made of?
β- glucose monomers
Describe the structure of Cellulose?
Cellulose has a straight chain structure made from β -glucose monomers and contains 1,4 glycosidic bonds.
Describe the structure of Glycogen?
Glycogen has a branched structure and forms coils. It is made up of Alpha glucose monomers and is and has 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds.
What is structurally different between starch and cellulose that gives them different physical properties?
(A-A*)
Cellulose is formed by β-1,4 glycosidic linkages and crosslinks, making it rigid. Starch has α-1,4 and α-1,6 glycosidic linkages without tight crosslinks of cellulose
Describe some of the similarities and differences between glycogen and starch?
(A-A*)
Starched is less branched than glycogen and is found in animals
What is the major difference between chitin and other types of polysaccharides?
(A-A*)
Chitin is nitrogenous
Why is it impossible for humans to digest food that contains cellulose?
(A-A*)
Human digestive enzymes cannot break to β - 1,4 glycosidic linkages in cellulose, which requires a special enzyme that is absent in humans.
What is a polysaccaride?
2 or more monomers joined together.
State 4 examples of polysaccarides?
Starch
Cellulose
Glycogen
Chitin
Define a lipid?
Lipids are biological molecules that are only soluble in organic solvents such as alcohol.
What are the 2 types of lipids?
Saturated and Unsaturated
What is a Saturated lipid?
A lipid that is found in animals and contains no double bonds and is solid at room temperature.
What is an Unsaturated lipid?
A lipid that is found in plants that contain double bonds and melts at lower temperatures. Usually liquid at room temperature.
What is a Triglyceride?
Molecules that contain one molecule of glycerol and 3 fatty acid molecules joined by ester bonds through condensation reactions. Also insouble in water.
What is a phopholid?
A Phospholipid is a molecules with hydrophilic phosphate heads and hydrophobic lipid tails.
What is the test for lipids?
The emulsion test