Systems: Intro Flashcards
What are the two groups of raw materials that our body needs to live?
Micromolecules and macromolecules
What are the four major categories of macromolecules?
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
Which is the largest of the macromolecule groups?
Carbohydrates
A small molecule that can be used to make up a chain of molecules
Monomer
A larger molecule made up of repeating units bonded together
Polymer
Which macronutrient group is also known as saccharides, starches, or sugars?
Carbohydrates
What elements and in what ratio comprise carbohydrates
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen in a 1: 2: 1 ratio
What are the three types of carbohydrates?
Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides
What are the functions of carbohydrates?
Used as an energy source, for short-term energy storage, and to build cell membranes of cells
Which type of carbohydrate produces the quickest burst of energy?
Monosaccharide
Carbohydrate made of one monomer sugar ring unit
Monosaccharide
Simple sugars that are very sweet and break down in the body easily
Monosaccharides
What is the chemical formula for all isomeric monosaccharides?
C6H12O6
What is the suffix name for most sugars?
-ose
Give three examples of monosaccharides
Glucose, galactose, fructose
Forms when two monosaccharides bond together by a condensation reaction
Disaccharide
What type of reaction do monosaccharides undergo to form disaccharides?
Condensation reaction
Briefly describe a condensation reaction
Two molecules are joined together by removing a water molecule
Give three examples of disaccharides
Maltose, lactose, sucrose
Long chains of monosaccharides bonded together, also known as complex carbohydrates
Polysaccharides
What is the difference between simple sugars and complex carbohydrates?
Simple sugars are monosaccharides while complex carbohydrates are polysaccharides
What is the function of polysaccharides?
Used for energy storage
How do plants store energy?
As starch
How do animals store energy?
As glycogen
Which polysaccharide, indigestible by humans, do plants use in their cell walls?
Cellulose
Give three examples of polysaccharides
Cellulose, glycogen, starch
What chemical elements comprise lipids?
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
What property is common among all lipids?
Insoluble in water
What are the functions of lipids?
Used for building cell membranes, for long-term energy storage, insulating the body, cushioning organs, making hormones, and absorbing nutrients
Which macromolecules stores the most energy and by what factor?
Lipids (2.25x)
What constitutes triglycerides?
3 fatty acids connected to a glycerol backbone
What are the three types of triglycerides?
Saturated fats, unsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats
What type of lipid has saturated, unsaturated, and polyunsaturated fat varieties?
Triglycerides
What are the properties of saturated fats, and give two examples
Have only single bond between carbons, solid at room temperature, unhealthy. Butter, fat in steak
What is a property of unsaturated fats?
Contains a double bond in the carbon chain
Which type of triglyceride is the healthiest, and how is this determined?
Polyunsaturated fats. The more double bonds present in the carbon chain, the healthier it is
What lipid is the main component of the cell membrane?
Phospholipids
What differentiates a phospholipid from a triglyceride?
Phospholipids contain a phosphate instead of one of the fatty acids
What are the four types of lipids?
Triglycerides, phospholipids, waxes, steroids
What are waxes?
Waterproof coatings made of fat secreted by plants and some animal fur or feathers
What are steroids and give four examples
Ringed fats that are used as chemical messengers in the body. Testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, cholesterol
What elements comprise protein?
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
Give five examples of substances in which protein is found
Meats, dairy, legumes, soy, whey
What are proteins?
Polymers made of amino acid monomer units
What are the functions of proteins?
To build and repair muscles and cell membranes, speed up chemical reactions, used in fighting infections
How many different amino acids are there?
20
How many amino acids are made naturally by our body using other chemicals that we ingest?
12
What are essential amino acids and how many are there?
Amino acids that the body cannot naturally produce and that must come from our diet. 8
What directs the cells how to reassemble amino acids into different proteins that our body uses for its processes?
DNA
What are enzymes?
Catalysts that speed up chemical reactions, but are not used in the reaction
At which temperature do enzymes work best?
37°C
What is meant by the term “denature” and what can cause an enzyme to denature?
To lose their shape and stop working properly. If it gets too hot or too acidic
What suffix is given to most enzymes?
-ase
What is the function of nucleic acids?
To direct the growth and development of an organism.
Which macromolecule is not ingested through diet but produced by other molecules?
Nucleic acid
What two molecules constitute nucleic acid?
DNA and RNA
Which type of carbohydrate is a monomer and give three examples of it
Monosaccharide. Glucose, galactose, fructose
What do enzymes break carbohydrates into?
Monosaccharides
What do enzymes break lipids into?
Glycerol and fatty acids
What do enzymes break proteins into?
Amino acids
What do enzymes break nucleic acids into?
Nucleotides
