Blomolecules Flashcards
What is a biomolecule?
A very large organic molecule that contains carbon.
Types of biomolecules include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Name the four main types of biomolecules.
- Carbohydrates
- Lipids
- Proteins
- Nucleic Acids
These biomolecules are essential for various biological functions.
What are the primary elements that make up carbohydrates?
Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen.
Carbohydrates are organic compounds that serve as a major energy source.
What are monosaccharides?
Simple sugars that are the basic building blocks of carbohydrates.
Examples include glucose and fructose.
What are disaccharides?
Carbohydrates formed by the combination of two monosaccharides.
Examples include sucrose and lactose.
What are polysaccharides?
Carbohydrates made up of long chains of monosaccharide units.
Examples include starch, glycogen, and cellulose.
What is the primary structure of lipids?
Lipids are primarily made of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen.
They are hydrophobic and play important roles in cell membranes and energy storage.
What are triglycerides?
Also known as neutral fats, they are a type of lipid made up of glycerol and three fatty acids.
They serve as energy storage molecules.
What are phospholipids?
Lipids that contain two fatty acids and a phosphate group.
They are key components of cell membranes.
What are steroids?
A class of lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton with four fused rings.
Examples include cholesterol and hormones like testosterone.
What are proteins made of?
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Sulfur.
Proteins perform a wide range of functions in biological systems.
What are regular proteins?
Proteins that serve structural or functional roles in organisms.
Examples include collagen and keratin.
What are enzymes?
Proteins that act as catalysts to speed up biochemical reactions.
They lower the activation energy required for reactions.
What are nucleic acids made of?
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus.
They are essential for the storage and transmission of genetic information.
What is DNA?
Deoxyribonucleic acid, a type of nucleic acid that carries genetic information.
It is double-stranded and has a deoxyribose sugar.
What is RNA?
Ribonucleic acid, a type of nucleic acid involved in protein synthesis.
It is single-stranded and contains ribose sugar.
Where are nucleic acids located in the cell?
Primarily in the nucleus (for DNA) and in the cytoplasm (for RNA).
They play critical roles in heredity and protein synthesis.
