Chapter 1 - Biological Molecules Flashcards
What are carbohydrates?
It’s an organic compounds made from carbon/hydrogen/oxygen
What types are there of carbohydrates? State in increasing the chain length
- monosaccharides
- Disaccharides
- Polysaccharides
Describe a monosaccharide
- ’simple sugar’
- Same number of carbon as oxygen atoms
- The general formula is (CH2O)n
- White crystalline solids
- dissolves in water
- E.G glucoses, galactose and fructose
How are disaccharides formed?
By monosaccharides joining together by a condensation reaction producing 1 molecule of water with a glycosidic bond
Glucose + glucose ->
Glucose + fructose ->
Glucose + galactose ->
- maltose
- sucrose
- lactose
How can disaccharides form monosaccharides?
Hydrolysis reaction - add water to disaccharides breaking the glycosidic forming monosaccharides
What are the two structures of glucose?
- a-glucoses
* b-glucose
Describe what happens during hydrolysis of polysaccharide molecules
Water is added in suitable conditions causing the glycosidic bond to break to form the monosaccharide
What are all monosaccharides and some disaccharides?
They are reducing agents as they reduce other chemicals in the solution by gaining electrons. They can donate electrons/reduce another chemical.
What’s the benedicts reagent?
An alkaline solution of copper (II) sulfate
Describe how to detect a non-reducing sugar
1) hydrolysis into a monosaccharide
2) test with Benedict’s reagent
3) if no colour change add 2 cm³ of food sample to 2 cm³ of dilute HCL
4) then place in boiling water bath for five minutes. Slowly add sodium hydrogen carbonate solution until neutralised. Use universal indicator paper it should go from red to green
5) retest using Benedicks reagent, there should be a red precipitative of copper (I) oxide
Describe the test for reducing sugars
1) water bath should be at 70°C
2) have seven test tubes and label each one with the glucose concentration that’s going to be in them
3) add 1 cm³ of each concentration into the designated tube
4) then add 1 cm³ of Benedict solution into each tube
5) leave in the water bath for four minutes then make note of the colour change
What are the colour changes in the test for reducing sugars?
Blue to green to yellow to orange to brick-red. The more closer to red the more reducing agents present.
Describe the test for starch
1) add 1 cm³ of 1% starch to a tube
2) Then add 1 cm³ of iodine to the tube
3) The solution should turn blue/black
Which of the three carbohydrates are found in plant cells?
Starch and cellulose
Which of the three carbohydrates contain glycosidic bonds?
Starch, cellulose and glycogen
Which of the three carbohydrates contain beta glucose?
Cellulose
Describe lipids
- they contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
- they are non-polar molecules meaning they are insoluble in water
- soluble in organic solvents
- Generally water hating (hydrophobic)
- Building blocks are fatty acids and glycerol
what are the types of lipids?
- triglycerides
* phospholipids
Describe triglycerides lipids
- reaction between fatty acid and glycerol by condensation reaction
- glycerol molecules are always the same but fatty acids may vary
- carboxyl group +hydroxyl group -> triglycerides + 3 molecules of water
- Ester bond is formed
- Hydrophobic as there are no spare oxygen molecules from water to form with hydrogen bonds
What is the function of triglycerides?
- Energy source and the metabolic water source
- fat as buoyancy aid (blubber is less dense than bone/muscle)
- heat insulator
- waterproofing
- electrical insulation
Describe phospholipids
- similar to triglycerides but The fatty acid molecule is replaced with a phosphate molecule
- Phosphate molecule attracts water (hydrophilic)
- extracellular - Hydrophilic head/hydrophobic tail
What is the function of phospholipids?
- polar molecules formed bilayer with the surface membrane
* hydrophobic barrier between inside/outside cells
Describe the test for lipids (emulation test)
- make sure completely dry and grease free test tube
- 2 cm² of sample + 5 cm³ of ethanol
- shake tubes to dissolve any lipid
- Add 5 cm³ of water and shake gently
- cloudy white colour in presence of water
What does the amino acid structure contain?
- amine group
- carboxyle group
- variation of R group
- hydrogen
How are proteins constructed?
• amino acid + amino acid by condensation reaction producing a protein and one molecule of water
Describe the primary structure of protein
• two amino acids come together by condensation reaction forming a dipeptide with a peptide bond
Name the two secondary structures of protein
- an alpha helix
* beta-pleated sheet
Describe an alpha helix protein
A polypeptide chain is twisted where a hydrogen bonds are formed between the double bonded carbon and oxygen of carboxl and the -NH of amine group
Describe a beta-pleated sheet protein
Several parallel chains linked together by hydrogen bonds