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BIO > Biological Molecules - Water, Carbs, Lipids and Sterols > Flashcards

Biological Molecules - Water, Carbs, Lipids and Sterols Flashcards

1
Q

What atoms do carbohydrates contain?

A

C, H, O

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2
Q

What atoms do lipids contain?

A

C, H, O

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3
Q

What atoms do proteins contain?

A

C, H, N, O, S

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4
Q

What atoms do nucleic acids contain?

A

C, H, N, O, P

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5
Q

What is a monomer?

A

A single, small molecule or subunit.

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6
Q

What is a polymer?

A

A chain of monomers bonded together.

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7
Q

What kind of reaction links monomers together?

A

A condensation reaction. (water is a product)

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8
Q

What kind of reaction breaks monomers apart?

A

A hydrolysis reaction. (requires water)

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9
Q

What does it mean that water is a dipolar molecule?

A

The electrons are shared unevenly within the molecule, causing polarity.
Hydrogens are delta positive
Oxygen is delta negative.

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10
Q

What is hydrogen bonding?

A

Difference in the electronegativity of O and H causing an attraction between the O and H of different water molecules.

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11
Q

How do the properties of water literally support organisms? (4)

A

Water provides support for plants at a cellular level through turgidity.
Water provides support for aquatic organisms through buoyancy,
Water cohesion allows insects to stand on water.
Water freezes from the top down and ice floats. (polar bears)

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12
Q

What are some properties of water that make it ideal for biological functions? (2)

A

Water is an extremely effective solvent.

Water has a high specific heat capacity.

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13
Q

Why does the fact that water is an extremely good solvent make it ideal for life? (2)

A
  • makes water a good transport medium

- metabolic reactions occur in solution

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14
Q

Why does the fact that water has a high specific heat capacity make it ideal for life? (3)

A

Organisms must retain specific temperatures and water acts as a temperature buffer
Water is used in cooling mechanisms like sweating.
Ideal habitat as liquid over a wide range of temperatures.

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15
Q

What are monosaccharides?

What is their general formula?

A

The soluble base unit for all carbohydrates.

General formula Cn(H2O)n

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16
Q

What is the most common monosaccharide?

How many carbons does it have?

A 
Glucose
Hexose sugar (6 carbons)
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17
Q

How many carbons does the sugar ribose have?

A

Pentose sugar (5 carbons)

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18
Q

What is the formula for glucose and what is its structure?

A

C6H12O6

Forms a six-carbon ring structure, the ring structure is an isomer of glucose.

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19
Q

What is the difference between alpha glucose and beta glucose?

A

They are distinguished by the hydroxyl group on C1.(up or down)
Beta is balanced (up)
Alpha is awkward (down)

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20
Q

Draw the chemical structure of alpha and beta glucose.

A

Check bio book

21
Q

What is a disaccharide, and what bond forms them?

A

A pair of monosaccharides joined during a condensation reaction forming a glycosidic bond.

22
Q

Which two molecules form the disaccharides:
Maltose
Sucrose
Lactose

A

Glucose + Glucose = Maltose
Glucose + Fructose = Sucrose
Glucose + Galactose = Lactose

23
Q

What bonds join monosaccharides and which carbons do they join?

A

Glycosidic bonds

Between C1 and C4 (either side of the ring)

24
Q

What are polysaccharides?

A

Many monosaccharides joined together by glycosidic bonds produced by condensation reactions.

25
Q

What are some of the properties/uses of polysaccharides?

A

Insoluble
Used for structure+storage
Hydrolysed into monosaccharides

26
Q

What is starch?

A

Amylose+amylopectin
Main form of energy storage in plants
Not present in animals

27
Q

What is amylose? Describe its structure.

A

Alpha-glucose monomers joined in a straight chain by 1-4 glycosidic bonds.
Once formed, it coils into a helix structure.

28
Q

What is amylopectin? Describe its structure.

A

Alpha-glucose monomers joined by 1-4 glycosidic bonds.

Around every 30 units there is a branched chain joined by 1-6 glycosidic bonds.

29
Q

What is glycogen? Describe its structure.

A

Main energy storage polysaccharide in animals and fungi.

Similar structure to amylopectin but shorter alpha-glucose chains and more branching.

30
Q

What is cellulose? Describe its structure.

A

The most common polysaccharide.
Made from beta-glucose monomers.
Beta-glucose monomers run alternate aspect.
Forms straight, unbranched chains running parallel to each other.
Chains link other chains by hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl groups forming microfibrils.

31
Q

Why is the structure of cellulose so strong?

A

Straight chains run parallel, and beta-glucose monomers run alternate aspect.
This means that hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl groups connect each adjacent strand forming microfibrils.

32
Q

Relate the structure of amylose to its function. (4)

A

Insoluble = good for storage
Large = cannot pass cell membrane
Helix structure = high energy density
Few branches = slow energy release

33
Q

How is the structure of amylopectin different to that of amylose and how does it alter the function of amylose?

A

Amylopectin has a branched structure so energy can be stored and released much faster (due to many ends)

34
Q

How is the structure of glycogen different to that of amylopectin and why?

A

Glycogen has a more branched structure which is more appropriate for animal cells which have a higher metabolic rate.

35
Q

Relate the structure of cellulose to its function.

A

Form microfibrils due to lack of branching => cellulose plays a structurally important role in plants.
Hydrogen cross-links make cellulose very resistant to hydrolysis, so good structural carbohydrates.
Despite being strong, cellulose is fully permeable so ideal as the cell wall of plant cells.

36
Q

What are lipids used for in cells?

A 
Cell membranes
Cushioning organs
Insulation
Long term energy storage
Water storage
Use as hormones
37
Q

What are lipids soluble in?

A

Soluble in organic substances (e.g: alcohol)

Insoluble in water

38
Q

What are some features of triglycerides?

A

Most common lipids
Less dense than water => buoyant
Non-polar so insoluble in water

39
Q

What is the chemical structure of a triglyceride?

A

Comprised of 3 fatty acid chains and 1 glycerol.

Each fatty acid forms an ester bond with glycerol in a condensation reaction.

40
Q

What is the difference between monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats?

A

Monounsaturated fats only have one double bond while polyunsaturated fats have multiple.

41
Q

What are phospholipids used for?

A

They form the phospholipid bilayer in cell membranes.

They also act as a surfactant (e.g: in the lungs)

42
Q

What is the chemical structure of a phospholipid?

A

2 fatty acid chains connected to a glycerol by ester bonds. The glycerol is also bonded to a phosphate group.

43
Q

What are the electrical properties of phospholipids?

A

Phosphate groups are negatively charged.

Hydrophilic (polar) head and two hydrophobic (non-polar) tails.

44
Q

What are triglycerides used for?

A

Energy storage

45
Q

What is an example of a sterol (steroid)?

A

Cholesterol

46
Q

What is the structure of cholesterol?

A

4 carbon-based rings, 1 hydrocarbon tail (non-polar), 1 hydroxyl group (polar)

47
Q

What are sterols used for?

A

Provide and maintain the fluidity of the cell membranes.

Hormone production.

48
Q

What are some of the properties of cellulose that make it suitable as the basis of plant cell walls?

A

High tensile strength due to the H-bond microfibrils between beta-glucose chains.
Unreactive (inert).
Insoluble in water.
Flexible

BIO (33 decks)

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