Biomolecules

Question 1

What are the Core Four?

Answer 1

1. Proteins
2. Carbohydrates
3. Lipids
4. Nucleic Acids

Question 2

What are the monomers for each of the core four?

Answer 2

1. Amino Acids
2. Monosaccharides
3. Fatty Acids
4. Nucleotides

Question 3

What are the polymers of each of the core four?

Answer 3

1. Polypeptides
2. Polysaccharides
3. Triglycerides or Steroids
4. Nucleic Acids

Question 4

When are carbohydrates commonly used?

Answer 4

It is used in nutrition as energy source, but also can be used for cell recognition (glycoproteins) and cell structure (cellulose)

Question 5

What are lipids?

Answer 5

They are non-polar hydrophobic molecules and consist of either unbranched chains (fatty acids) or ringed structures (steroids)

Question 6

What do lipids serve?

Answer 6

They can serve as the main structural component of cell membranes (phospholipids and cholesterol) and Long-term energy storage (triglycerides)

Question 7

What do nucleic acids serve?

Answer 7

They serve as the genetic material of a cell and determine the inherited characteristics of an organism

Question 8

What are the functions of proteins?

Answer 8

Catalysis, structure, signaling, and transport

Question 9

What is the Condensation reaction?

Answer 9

When two monomers become covalently bonded to form a polymer through the production of water

Question 10

What is the Hydrolysis reaction?

Answer 10

When a polymer is broken down into monomeric subunits by inputting water

Question 11

What about glucose allows it to function (a source of energy as a monosaccharide)?

Answer 11

Chemical Stability
Yield of energy in ATP from oxidation
Solubility
Transportability

Question 12

What are the glucose polymers?

Answer 12

Cellulose
Amylose
Amylopectin
Glycogen

Question 13

Explain about the types of glucose

Answer 13

1. Cellulose is the only one made of β-glucose, and Amylose, Amylopectin, and Glycogen are made of α-glucose
2. Cellulose, Amylose, and Amylopectin are found in plants. Glycogen are found in animals
3. Cellulose and Amylose have spirals and not branches (only have 1-4 linkages), and Amylopectin and Glycogen have branches (both 1-4 and 1-6 carbon bonds)

Question 14

What are triglycerides?

Answer 14

They are made of one glycerol and 3 fatty acids.

Question 15

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Answer 15

Saturated - Has a single bond between carbon atoms (more hydrogen)
Unsaturated - Has double bonds between carbon atoms (less hydrogen)

Question 16

What is the difference between monounsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids?

Answer 16

Monosaturated - Has only one double bond
Polyunsaturated - Has more than 1 double bond

Question 17

What is the difference between Cis and Trans fatty acids?

Answer 17

Cis - Have hydrogen atoms on the same side of the two double-bonded carbon atoms (low melting point bc less good at packing together)
Trans - Has a straight chain where Hydrogen atoms are on opposite sides ( higher melting point, solid in Room temp. Unhealthy)

Question 18

What are the properties of triglycerides that make them suitable for long-term storage?

Answer 18

1. Chemical stability
2. Insolubility
3. High heat capacity
4. Liquid at body temp

Question 19

What are phospholipids?

Answer 19

They have a polar head (hydrophilic) made of glycerol and a nonpolar tail (hydrophobic) made of fatty acid chains

Question 20

What is amphipathic?

Answer 20

A class that has both water-loving and fat-loving regions

Question 21

What are steroids?

Answer 21

Lipids that are composed of four fused carbon rings that are nonpolar and lipophilic (fat-loving) (Do not have fatty acids)

Question 22

What is starch?

Answer 22

It is a complex carbohydrate found in plants used for energy storage