Molecules of Life

Question 1

Macromolecules

Answer 1

Big molecule such as carbohydrates, proteins and nucleic acids; RNA and DNA.

Question 2

Polymer

Answer 2

Large molecules made by stringing togheter many smaller molecules called monomers.

Question 3

Dehydration reaction

Answer 3

Cells link up monomers to polymers by removing a molecule of water.
(O + OH –>H20) releases H2O.

Question 4

Hydrolysis

Answer 4

The breakdown of polymers occurs by cells breaking monomers by adding water between them.
(O - OH) Receives H2O.

Question 5

Carbohydrates

Answer 5

Sugar molecules that serve as building material for much of the plant body.

Question 6

Monosaccharides

Answer 6

Monomers of carbohydrates, they cannot be broken down to smaller pieces. (glucose, fructose).

Question 7

Isomer

Answer 7

Two or more compounds that have the same chemical formula but different arrangements of the atoms within the molecules. May also have different physical/chemical properties.

Question 8

Dissacharide

Answer 8

Double sugar that is constructed from two monosaccharides caused by a dehydration reaction. (lactose, maltose)

Question 9

Polysaccharides

Answer 9

Polymers of monosaccharides, long chains of sugars. (starch, glycogen).

Question 10

Fats

Answer 10

Fats are composed of molecules called trigylcerides which consists of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule. Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxylic acid group at one end.

Question 11

Unsaturated fat

Answer 11

Unsaturated fats contain one or more double bonds between the carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. They have fewer hydrogen atoms in their fatty acids. (healthy because of shape)

Question 12

Saturated fats

Answer 12

Saturated fats have no double bonds between the carbon atoms in their fatty acid chains. They have the maximum amount of hydrogen atoms. (unhealthy because of their linear shape)

Question 13

Polyunsaturated fat

Answer 13

Has several double bonds within its fatty acids due to the lack of hydrogen atoms.

Question 14

Hydrogenation

Answer 14

Unsaturated fats converted to saturated fats by adding a hydrogen. Can also create trans fats which are bad for the health.

Question 15

Steroids

Answer 15

Lipids with a carbo skeleton with four fused rings. Different steroid vary in the functional groups attached to the set of rings and these chemical variations affect their function. (Cholesterol)

Question 16

Protein

Answer 16

Is a polymer of amino acid monomers.

Question 17

Amino acid

Answer 17

There are 20 different kinds of amino acids, They all consist of an amino group, carboxyl group, hydrogen atom and a side chain (R-group). Each amino acid has a unique R-group which gives them their special chemical property.

Question 18

Peptide bond

Answer 18

The bond that joins togheter amino acids with dehydration reactions.

Question 19

Nucleic acid

Answer 19

Macromolecules that store information and provide instructions for building proteins. Nucleic acids are polymers made from monomers called nucleotides.

Question 20

Nucleotides

Answer 20

Monomers of nucleic acids. Contains a five-carbon sugar attached to a negatively charged phospate group.
Is also attached to nitrogen containing base (A, T, C, G).

Question 21

DNA

Answer 21

Deoxyribonucleic. Double helix made by two polynucleotide strands coiled around each other. DNA is what determines the characteristics we inherit. Controls the making of proteins, enzymes, metabolism.

Question 22

RNA

Answer 22

Ribonucleic acid. RNA is a single-stranded nucleic acid essential for various cellular processes, including protein synthesis and gene regulation.

Question 23

Sugar-phosphate backbone

Answer 23

Dehydration reaction link nucleotide monomers into polynucleotides. The nucleotides are joined togehter by covalent bonds between the sugar of one nucleotide and the phosphate of the next.

Question 24

Differances between DNA and RNA.

Answer 24

(1) The sugar in RNA is ribose rather than deoxyribose.

(2) RNA uses the base uracil instead of thymine that DNA uses.

(3) RNA is single stranded whilst DNA is a double helix.