Carbon and Life

Question 1

Cohesion

Answer 1

a physical property of particles or molecules of the same substance sticking together and water is cohesive due to hydrogen-bonding between neighboring water molecules

Question 2

specific heat.

Answer 2

able to absorb heat

Question 3

(macromolecules)

Answer 3

carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids

Question 4

anabolism

Answer 4

The general process of joining monomers to form a polymer

Question 5

catabolism

Answer 5

a polymer can be broken down into its monomers

Question 6

hydrolysis reaction

Answer 6

a type of catabolism whereby a polymer is broken down by the addition of water

Question 7

monosaccharides

Answer 7

glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose, ribose, galactose, and ribulose

Question 8

Saturated fats (Stearic acid)

Answer 8

do not have double bonds in their hydrocarbon chains and each carbon is bound to two other carbons and two hydrogens

Question 9

Unsaturated fats (Oleic acid)

Answer 9

have double bonds along their lengths (monounsaturated = one double bond, polyunsaturated = more than one double bond)

Question 10

Nitrogenous bases

Answer 10

Purines: Adenine, Guanine
Pyrimidines: Thymine, Cytosine, Uracil

Question 11

Amino acid

Answer 11

The basic monomer of proteins with a general structure of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a chemically variable “R” group covalently joined by a carbon. Typically, there are twenty different R-groups, resulting in twenty commonly seen amino acids.

Question 12

Amphipathic

Answer 12

A property of being both hydrophobic and hydrophilic. An amphipathic molecule has one end with some charge character, and the other end lacking charge.

Question 13

Cellulose

Answer 13

A type of carbohydrates used as structural molecules.

Question 14

Chitin

Answer 14

A type of carbohydrates used for structural purposes in some animals and fungi.

Question 15

Condensation synthesis (dehydration synthesis)

Answer 15

The process in which a hydroxide (OH) is removed from one molecule and a hydrogen (H) is removed from the adjacent combining molecule.

Question 16

Covalent bond

Answer 16

Bonds that involve the sharing of electrons

Question 17

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Answer 17

A type of nucleic acids comprised of DNA nucleotides that have deoxyribose as their sugar and one nitrogenous base (adenine, guanine, cytosine, or thymine). DNA usually exists as paired strands, with the two sides held together by hydrogen bonds between the nitrogenous bases (cytosine binds to guanine, and thymine to adenine).

Question 18

Electronegative

Answer 18

Electronegative elements tend to pull electrons close to them when forming covalent bonds with other elements.

Question 19

Enzyme

Answer 19

A type of proteins that accelerate chemical reactions.

Question 20

Glycogen

Answer 20

A type of a polymer of glucose monomers used by animals to store surplus sugar in their livers.

Question 21

Heat of vaporization

Answer 21

The specific amount of heat or energy required to vaporize a liquid at a constant temperature.

Question 22

Hydrogen bond

Answer 22

The electrostatic attraction formed between the partial positive charge of a hydrogen (due to it being covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom such as nitrogen, oxygen, or fluorine) and the partial negative charge of another highly electronegative atom nearby.

Question 23

Inorganic compound

Answer 23

Compound that does not contain carbon

Question 24

Lipid

Answer 24

An assortment of diverse non-polymer molecules that share a common trait of being hydrophobic. Their main biological functions include energy storage (e.g., fats), main structural components of cell membranes (e.g., phospholipids and cholesterol), and hormones and other cell signaling molecules (e.g., estrogen and testosterone).

Question 25

Nitrogenous base

Answer 25

A ringed structure consisting of nitrogen, carbon, and hydrogen.

Question 26

Nucleic acid

Answer 26

Organic compounds that make up RNA and DNA

Question 27

Phospholipid

Answer 27

An important amphipathic component of phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes that have only two fatty acids molecules, and a glycerol joined to a phosphate group

Question 28

Polar

Answer 28

State of having different electrical properties on opposite ends.

Question 29

Polypeptide

Answer 29

A polymer (chain) of amino acids with a particular order of amino acids determined by a specific gene.

Question 30

Proteins

Answer 30

Polymers of amino acids that are functionally and structurally diverse. Protein consist of one or more polypeptide chains arranged in a specific conformation.

Question 31

Primary structure

Answer 31

The sequence of amino acids in a protein

Question 32

Secondary structure

Answer 32

Regions of the molecule that are coiled ( helices) or folded ( pleated sheets).

Question 33

Tertiary structure

Answer 33

The overall shape of the protein due to interactions between the side chains (R groups) of the amino acids

Question 34

Solvent

Answer 34

A material capable of dissolving many compounds.

Question 35

Starch

Answer 35

A type of carbohydrates that is a glucose polymer used by plants to store surplus sugar.

Question 36

Steriod

Answer 36

A type of lipids characterized by a four-fused ring structure including cholesterol and certain hormones (e.g., estrogen and testosterone) produced from cholesterol.

Question 37

Triacylglycerol

Answer 37

Dietary fats which are formed when three fatty acid molecules and one glycerol molecule join via condensation synthesis.