M2 chapter 3: Biological molecules Flashcards
what are the four key elements?
Hydrogen
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
what is a bond?
2 or more atoms joining together
what is a covalent bond?
bond where a pair of electrons are shared
carbon bond rules?
makes 4 bonds
nitrogen bond rules?
makes 3 bonds
oxygen bond rules?
makes 2 bonds
hydrogen bond rules?
makes 1 bond only
what is a ion?
where the number of electrons in an atom don’t equal the number of protons, so the atom becomes positively or negatively charged
what is the difference between an cation and an anion?
cation has a positive charge and is formed when an atom on loses an electron. whereas an anion has a negative charge as it is formed when an atom gains an electron.
cations: what does ammonia do?
production of nitrate ions by bacteria
cations:what does calcium do?
needed for nerve impulse transmissions and muscle contractions
cations: what does sodium do?
needed for nerve impulse transmissions and kidney function
cations: what does potassium do?
needed for stomata opening in plants and pH determination
cations: what does hydrogen do?
needed for the catalysis of reactions and pH determination
anions: what does nitrate do?
supplies nitrate to plants for amino acid and protein formations
anions: what does hydrocarbonate do?
maintains blood pH
anions: what does chloride do?
balances the charges of sodium and potassium ions
anions:what does phosphate do?
membrane formation
bone formation
nucleic acid and ATP formation
anions: what does hydroxide do?
catalysis of reactions and pH determination
what are biological molecules made up of?
polymers
(long chain of monomers)
what happens to electrons in covalent bonds?
they spend more time to one of the atoms than the other so one atom in the bond is more positive whereas the other atom is more negative
what is a key fact about the share of electrons between oxygen and hydrogen?
oxygen always has the greater share of electrons compared to hydrogen
what is a key feature of a water molecule?
it is a POLAR molecule
what is a polar molecule?
a molecule which has areas of positivity and negativity as the electrons are attracted to one atom more strongly than the other (eg water)
what are some characteristics of water?
high boiling point due to hydrogen bonding
when it is a solid it is less dense due to hydrogen bonds fixing their positions slightly further then in a liquid
cohesive
adhesive
what does cohesive mean?
a molecule that moves as one mass due to attraction
what does adhesive mean?
molecules that are attracted to other molecules
why is water so important?
acts as a solvent
is a medium for chemical reactions.
transports dissolved compounds in and out of cells
is a coolant to buffer temp changes in cells as cells need a constant temperature
stable doesn’t change state easily
surface tension is strong
what do carbohydrates contain?
carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
what are carbohydrates also known as?
saccharides or sugars
what is a single sugar unit known as?
a monosaccharide
what is a disaccharide?
when 2 monosaccharides join together
what is it called when more than 2 monosaccharides join together?
a polysaccharide
what is the glucose formula?
c6h12o6
is glucose a monosaccharide?
yes it is a hexose monosaccharide as it is composed of 6 carbons
what are the types of glucose and how are they different?
alpha ajnd beta glucose
the OH (hydroxyl group) is in opposite positions on carbon 1
characteristics of glucose?
polar and soluble in water due to hydrogen bonds between hydroxyl groups and water molecules. this allows glucose to be dissolved in the cytosol of the cell
what happens in condensation reactions between 2 alpha glucoses?
the two hydroxyl groups interact
2 hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom are removed forming water
a glycosidic bond is formed between the molecules
what is starch composed of?
many alpha glucose molecules joined together by glycosidic binds.
what is starch?
a chemical energy store and the main energy store in plants , excess glucose from photosynthesis is stored as starch. it is insoluble which is good for storage as it doesnt allow water to enter via osnosis
what is amylose?
long unbranched chains of alpha glucose
angles of the glycosidic bonds give it a coiled structure which makes it compact, ideal for storage
what is amylopectin?
long branched chain of alpha glucose. side branches allow the enzymes that break down the molecule reach the bonds easily meaning glucose to be released quickly
what is the structure of glycogen?
has many more branches than amylopectin making it more compact and less space needed to be stored
why is glycogen so efficient at releasing glucose in animals?
excess glucose is stored as glycogen in animal’s
the structure has many free ends so glucose molecules can be added or removed, so easily accessible for quick release of energy