Chapter 5 Flashcards
polymer
a long molecule consisting of many similar or identical building blocks linked by covalent bonds
monomer
the repeating units that serve as the building blocks of a polymer
enzymes
the chemical mechanisms by which cells make and break down polymers
o Specialized macromolecules that speed up chemical reactions
dehydration reaction
reaction in which two molecules are covalently bonded to each other
o Forms a monomer
o Results in the loss of 1 H2O
Hydrolysis
process by which polymers and disassembled into monomers
o Reverse of hydration reaction
carbohydrates
sugars and polymers of sugars
Monosaccharides
simplest sugars
• Have formulas in the form of CH2O
• Either aldose or ketose, depending on location of carbonyl group
Disaccharides
two sugars joined by a covalent bond
• Connected by glycosidic linkages
glycosidic linkages
covalent bond formed between two monosaccharides by dehydration reaction
starch
All glucose monomers are in α configuration
• Helical molecules
cellulose
All glucose monomers are in β configuration (Every monomer is upside down compared to neighbor)
• straight molecule
• OH- groups are free to bond with OH- groups of other cellulose molecules
fats
molecules consisting of glycerol and fatty acid
glycerol
an alcohol
• Contains 3 carbons attached to 3 hydroxyl groups
fatty acid
long carbon skeleton (~16-18 atoms)
• Carboxyl group at one end gives the name fatty acid
• Other end is hydrocarbon chain
saturated fatty acid
when there are no double bonds between carbon atoms composing a chain
As many H atoms as possible are bonded to carbon skeleton
