Chapter 2: Chemical Properties Flashcards
Explain the difference between inorganic and organic compounds and provide examples
Inorganic compounds do not have carbon-hydrogen bonds. For example, water is an inorganic compound because it is made up of two hydrogen and one oxygen atom, therefore there are no carbon-hydrogen bonds. Organic compounds do have C-H bonds. For example, carbohydrates are organic compounds because they are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, therefore they have C-H bonds.
Explain how macromolecules are polymers made up of monomers
Macromolecules are polymers which are made up of many monomers connected by covalent bonds.
describe the structure of carbohydrates (mono-, di-, and polysaccharides)
Mono: single monomer
Di-: two monosaccharides joined by a glycosidic bond
Poly: tens to hundreds of monosaccharides joined by glycosidic bonds
Describe the structure of phospholipids and how they assemble into biological membranes
Phospholipids comprise two fatty tails, a glycerol, and a phosphate group. The fatty tails are hydrophobic and repel water forming a lipid bilayer. The heads are facing towards the water/outward and the tails are facing inward.
Describe the chemical structure of amino acids and how they link together
Amino acids are the monomers of proteins. They are made up of a carboxyl group, and twenty different amino acids that all have their own R-group and different properties (charge, size). They are linked by peptide bonds
Explain how proteins fold into distinct shapes (primary, secondary, tertiary structure)
Primary structure: polypeptide strand
Secondary: alpha helix and beta sheet structures are produced by hydrogen bonds that form within the polypeptide chain
Tertiary: The helix and the sheets begin to fold into a 3D shape containing secondary structures
Describe the chemical structure of a nucleotide and how they link together
Nucleotides are monomers of nucleic acids and are composed of phosphate, sugar, and a base (A,C,T,G). To connect, one nucleotide’s phosphate group will attach itself to a 3-carbon of another’s sugar via a phosphodiester bond, creating the phosphate-sugar backbone.
Define ‘denature’ and explain how protein and DNA structure is influenced by hydrogen bonds
The shape of DNA (double helix) forms due to hydrogen bonds and the shape of DNA is integral to its ability to store genetic material in an accessible manner. Denaturing is when these hydrogen bonds are broken, causing the DNA to lose its shape and thus separating it into two separate strands.
