OCR ALevel Biology - Module 2 - Definitions - Topic 2.2 : Biological molecules Flashcards
What is adhesion?
A property of water molecules that creates an attraction between them and surfaces that they are in contact with.
What is an amino acid?
The monomers containing an amino group (NH2), a carboxyl group (COOH) and a variable R group that make up proteins.
What is amylopectin?
A branched polysaccharide made up of alpha glucose monomers joined by α-1,6 glycosidic bonds that makes up starch along with amylose.
What is amylose?
An unbranched polysaccharide made up of alpha glucose monomers joined by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds that makes up starch along with amylopectin.
What are anions?
An ion with a negative charge.
What is Benedict’s test?
A biochemical test used to detect the presence of a reducing sugar in a solution and distinguish between solutions of different reducing sugar concentrations.
What is the Biuret test?
A biochemical test that produces a purple colour when it is added to a solution containing protein.
What are cations?
An ion with a positive charge.
What is cellulose?
A linear polysaccharide that is the main component of the cell wall in plants and is made up of many beta glucose molecules joined by β-1,4 glycosidic bonds.
What is chromatography?
A technique used to separate different molecules in a solution by their different properties.
What is cohesion?
A property of water molecules that creates an attraction between them which causes them to stick together.
What is collagen?
A type of fibrous protein that provides strength to many different cell types and makes up connective tissues.
What is a condensation reaction?
A type of reaction that joins two molecules together with the formation of a chemical bond involving the elimination of a molecule of water.
What is a conjugated protein?
A protein with a prosthetic group bound to it.
What is elastin?
A type of fibrous protein that allows tissues and structures like blood vessels to stretch and return to their original shape.
What is a fibrous protein?
A class of long chain proteins that are generally insoluble in water and typically have structural roles.
What is a globular protein?
A class of spherical shaped proteins that are generally water soluble and typically have metabolic roles.
What is glucose?
A hexose monosaccharide that is the main respiratory substrate in eukaryotes.
What is glycogen?
A highly branched polysaccharide that is used as the main energy storage molecule in animals and is made up of alpha glucose monomers joined by α-1,4 glycosidic bonds.
What is haemoglobin?
A type of conjugated globular protein used to transport oxygen that is made up of four polypeptide chains each containing a haem prosthetic group.
What is a hexose monosaccharide?
A simple sugar that contains 6 carbon atoms.
What is a hydrogen bond?
A type of weak bond formed between an electropositive hydrogen and an electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen.
What is hydrolysis?
Breaking a chemical bond between two molecules involving the use of a water molecule.
What is insulin?
A globular protein hormone that is made in the pancreas in response to detection of high glucose levels in the blood.
What is the iodine test?
A biochemical test that produces a blue/black colour when it is added to a solution containing starch.
What is keratin?
A type of fibrous protein that provides strength to hair and nails.
What is lactose?
A disaccharide made of a molecule glucose and galactose joined by a glycosidic bond.
What is the lipid emulsion test?
A biochemical test that produces a cloudy emulsion when performed on lipids.
What is maltose?
A disaccharide made of two molecules of glucose joined by a glycosidic bond.
What is a monomer?
An individual unit that can be bonded to other identical monomers to make a polymer.
What are monomers?
The smaller units from which larger molecules are made.
What is a pentose monosaccharide?
A simple sugar that contains 5 carbon atoms.
What is a phospholipid?
A type of amphipathic lipid made from a molecule of glycerol bonded to two fatty acid molecules and a phosphate group.
What is a polymer?
A molecule made from many repeating monomers joined together.
What are polymers?
Molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together.
What is primary structure?
The individual sequence of amino acids in a protein.
What is quaternary structure?
A structure only applicable to proteins with multiple polypeptide chains that describes the interactions of the different chains.
What is ribose?
A pentose monosaccharide which composes the backbone of RNA.
What is a saturated fatty acid?
A type of fatty acid molecule containing only single bonds between the carbon atoms.
What is secondary structure?
The local interactions of the amino acids in the polypeptide chain.
What is a solvent?
A liquid that solutes can dissolve in to form a solution.
What is starch?
A polysaccharide used for energy storage in plants that is made up of alpha glucose joined together in the forms of amylose and amylopectin.
What is sucrose?
A disaccharide made of a molecule glucose and fructose joined by a glycosidic bond.
What is tertiary structure?
The way that the whole protein folds to make a three dimensional structure.
What is a triglyceride?
A type of lipid formed from a molecule of glycerol joined by ester bonds to three fatty acid molecules.
What is an unsaturated fatty acid?
A type of fatty acid molecule containing at least one double bond in the carbon chain.
