Life at the Cellular Level 2 Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the 10 elements that are normally found in structural parts of organisms?

A

H, C, N, O, Na, P, S, Cl, K and Ca

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2
Q

How many trace elements are needed in small amounts?

A

12

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3
Q

What are 99% of our cells composed of?

A

H, N, C and O

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4
Q

What are H, N, C and O found in 99% of our cells?

A

Because they are the lightest atoms which can form the strongest bonds (H forms 1, O forms 2, N forms 3 and C forms 4)

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5
Q

Why does carbon form the bases of all biomolecules?

A

Because it is so versitle, being able to form 4 bonds

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6
Q

What defines a molecules function?

A

Its functional group

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7
Q

What are some functional groups?

A

Hydroxyl (polar, hydrogen bonds, linkage by dehydration)

Aldehyde (C=O very reactive)

Keto (C=O very reactive)

Carboxyl (hydrogen bonding, polar)

Amide (hydrogen bonds)

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8
Q

What does the hydroxyl functional group look like?

A
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9
Q

What does the aldehyde functional group look like?

A
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10
Q

What does the keto functional group look like?

A
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11
Q

What does the carboxyl functional group look like?

A
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12
Q

What does the amide functional group look like?

A
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13
Q

Why is the polarity of carbon critical to function?

A

C-C and C-H are relatively stable or share e- evenly

C-O or C-N o C-functional group are highly polar which allows carbons bond reactivity

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14
Q

Does funcition also depend on how groups are arranged in a molecule?

A

Yes

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15
Q

What is configuration?

A

The final arrangement of atoms in a molecule

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16
Q

Why is C=C a rigid conformation?

A

Because cannot move freely around a double bond so can only have two distinct configurations

trans

cis

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17
Q

How do you convert between trans and cis configurations?

A

By breaking and reforming the bonds

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18
Q

C an be a chiral centre, what are the two forms?

A

Laevo (left handed)

Dextro (right handed)

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19
Q

Is the difference between laevo and dextro important?

A

Yes, all proteins are made from L-amino acids

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20
Q

What is conformation?

A

The precise arrangement of atoms in a molecule

21
Q

What is a property of bonds that can rotate freely?

A

They can form many different conformations without breaking and reforming bonds

22
Q

What dictates how freely bonds can rotate?

A

Interaction of groups, certain conformations are favoured

23
Q

What are the five chemical reactions of life?

A

Redox reactions

Making and breaking C-C bonds

Internal rearrangement

Group transfers

Condensation and hydrolysis reactions

24
Q

What are redox reactions?

A

Redox reactions involve oxidation (loss of electrons) or reduction (gain of electrons)

25
Q

Is every reduction accompanied by oxidation and vice versa?

A

Yes

26
Q

What is condensation?

A

Addition reaction that produces water

27
Q

What is hydrolysis?

A

Reaction involving breaking a bond in a molecule using water

28
Q

What are proteins?

A

Polymers of amino acid monomers linked by peptide bonds

29
Q

What is a monomer?

A

A molecule that is able to bond in a long chain

30
Q

What is a polymer?

A

A substance whose molecular structure is built up from a large number of similar units bonded together

31
Q

What are nucleic acids?

A

Polymers of nuceotide monomers linked 3’, 5’-phosphodiester bonds

32
Q

What does a diagram of a nucleotide look like?

A
33
Q

What are the two kinds of bases in nucleic acids?

A

Pyrimidines (flat single rings such as cytosine, thymine and uracil)

Purines (flat double ring such as adenine and guanine)

34
Q

What does a diagram showing the conversion of a base to a nucleotide look like?

A
35
Q

What does the flat planer structure of bases allow DNA to do?

A

Form the double helix

36
Q

What is the reason behind base pairing?

A

A and T can form two bonds

G and C can form three bonds

37
Q

How is RNA different form DNA

A

Single stranded

Ribose sugar instead of deoxyribose

Uracil (U) base replaces thymine (T)

38
Q

How do double stranded segments of RNA form?

A

Sequences of RNA nucleotide pair with one another

39
Q

What are polyaccharides?

A

Polymers of sugar monomers linked by glucosidic bonds

40
Q

What are examples of polysaccharides?

A

Starch and glycogen

41
Q

Why is D-glucose terms a reducing sugar?

A

Linear form containing an aldehyde can be oxidised

42
Q

What are properties of glycose polymers?

A

Formed from condensation reaction between glucose monomers

Monomers are in cyclic form except the end monomer which is linear and known as a reducing end

43
Q

What are lipids?

A

Molecules that contain hydrocarbons and is souble in nonpolar solvents

44
Q

What do saturated and unsaturated lipids look like?

A
45
Q

What do more double carbon bonds do to a lipid?

A

Molecule becomes less linear and more bent

46
Q

What are some classes of lipids?

A

Triacylglycerides

Phopholipids

47
Q

What are properties of triacylglyderides?

A

Act as storage lipids, releasing a lot of energy when broken down

Non polar

Three fatty acid chains linked to glycerol

48
Q

What are properties of phospholipids?

A

Have a hydrophilic head group attracted to glycerol, making them polar

Tail composed of two hydrophobic fatty acid chains