Chapter 1: Molecules and Fundamentals of Biology

Question 1

What is an organic molecule?

Answer 1

Carbon atoms arranged as long chains or rings, and these carbon atoms tend to bond with H, O, or nitrogen

Question 2

What are intramolecular forces?

Answer 2

Strong attractive forces that hold atoms WITHIN a molecule

Question 3

What are intermolecular forces?

Answer 3

Forces between molecules, which are weaker than INTRAmolecular forces. However, intermolecular forces determine physical properties.

Question 4

Monomers vs. Polymers

Answer 4

Monomers are single molecules. Polymers are substances made up of monomers that join together in chains.

Question 5

What is a carbohydrate?

Answer 5

Macromolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Divided into three varities: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

Question 6

What is a monosaccharide?

Answer 6

Means “one sugar”. They have a ratio of precisely one carbon per water molecule. Common monosaccharides are ribose (5 carbon sugar), fructose (6 carbon sugar), and glucose (6 carbon sugar).

Question 7

What is a disaccharide?

Answer 7

Means “two sugars”. Formed by the joining together via dehydration reactions (condensation reactions). Common disaccharides are sucrose, lactose, and maltose.

Question 8

Dehydration reaction

Answer 8

A hydroxyl group (-OH) of one molecule will combine with hydrogen on another molecule. As a result, two molecules bond covalently while releasing water.

Question 9

Hydrolysis reaction

Answer 9

Water adds to a covalent bond, which split the monomer apart. Reverse of dehydration reaction.

Question 10

What is a polysaccharide?

Answer 10

Long polymers of monosaccharides. Used for storage or structure. Common polysaccharides are starch, glycogen, amylopectin, cellulose, chitin, etc.

Question 11

Starch

Answer 11

Storage polysaccharide in plants. Linear plant starch is called amylose. Branched plant starch is amylopectin.

Question 12

Glycogen

Answer 12

Storage polysaccharide found in humans. It is stored in the liver and mucle cells, and it’s broken down to release glucose monosaccharides to cells that need energy.

Question 13

Cellulose

Answer 13

Structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, wood, and paper. Cellulose is a glucose polymer. *Humans cannot digest cellulose, so it passes our digestive tracts as fibers.

Question 14

Chitin

Answer 14

Structural polysaccharide. It is found on cell walls of fungi and in the external skeleton of insects. The polysaccharide strands arrange in parallel.

Question 15

What is a protein?

Answer 15

Most abundant macromolecules in biology. Made up by polypeptides with a monomeric subunit called amino acids.

Question 16

Proteome

Answer 16

All proteins make up a proteome

Question 17

What is an amino acid?

Answer 17

Monomeric subunit made up of an alpha carbon, amino group (NH2), hydrogen atom (H), and carboxyl group (COOH). Amino acids differ based on their R group, which gives it a different property.

Question 18

Peptide bond

Answer 18

Amino acids (monomer) is attached to neighbor via peptide bonds.

Question 19

Amide bond

Answer 19

An amine (NH2) bonded to a carboxylic acid (COOH).

Question 20

Structure of amino acid

Answer 20

Polypeptides have specific ends. N-terminus refers to the end for an amino. C-terminus refers to the carboxyl end.

Question 21

Primary structure of protein

Answer 21

Specific sequence of a peptide, which is determined by DNA genes. All proteins have a primary structure

Question 22

Secondary structure of protein

Answer 22

Folds in polypeptide chain due to INTERmolecular interactions between atoms of polypeptide backbone (amino acid structure W/O the R group).

The most common intermolecular interaction is hydrogen bonding.

Beta-pleated sheets and alpha helices are most common structures formed

Question 23

Tertiary structure of protein

Answer 23

The three-dimensional structure of larger polypeptide chains, which form as a result of the R group. Common R group interactions are ionic bonding, hydrogen bonding, dipole-dipole, and London dispersion forces.

Question 24

Hydrophobic interactions

Answer 24

Can cause a tertiary structure. Water-hating/nonpolar. R-group will cluster together to avoid coming in contact with water molecules.

Question 25

Hydrophilic interactions

Answer 25

Can cause tertiary structure. Water-loving, polar. R groups will come in contact with aqueous environment.

Question 26

Quaternary structure of protein

Answer 26

Refers to large proteins with multiple subunits. Even though there are multiple polypeptide chains, the entire structure is still one protein.

Question 27

Protein denaturation

Answer 27

Causes a protein to lose their secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structure. Caused by excess temperature, chemicals, pH changes, and radiation.