Chapter One Test Flashcards
why is carbon unique?
it has 4 valence electrons and can form strong covalent bonds with many elements
what is a macromolecule?
a giant molecule
what is the process of building macromolecules from smaller molecules?
polymerization
what is a monomer?
a small molecule that are put together to make long chains of molecules
what are the four types of macromolecules?
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
what are the functions of carbohydrates?
main source of energy for many living organisms
what is an example of a carbohydrate?
starches
what are the monomer and polymer forms of carbohydrates?
monosaccharides and polysaccharides
what are examples of lipids?
fats oils and waxes
what are the functions of lipids?
store energy for future needs, important part of the cell membrane and important for cushioning organs
what are steroids?
lipids that act as chemical messengers
what are the monomer and polymer form of lipids?
fatty acids/glycerol molecules and fatty acid chains
what are the functions of nucleic acids?
to store and transmit genetic information
what are examples of nucleic acids?
DNA, RNA, and ATP
what are the monomer and polymer forms of nucleic acids?
nucleotide and nucleic acids
what are the 3 parts of a nucleotide?
a phosphate backbone, sugar, and a nitrogen base
what are the monomer and polymer forms of proteins?
the monomer form is amino acids and the polymer form is polypeptides
how many amino acids are there?
20
what are the functions of proteins?
control the rate of reactions (enzymes), form bones and muscles, form the immune system, and transports substances in and out of cells
what is a chemical reaction?
a process that changes one set of chemicals into another
what are the starting and ending materials of chemical reactions?
reactants and products
what do enzymes do?
speed up the chemical reactions that are taking place and lower the activation energy
what can effect enzymes?
temp, pH, coenzymes, and amount of concentration
what are the bonds in proteins called?
peptide bonds
