Topic 1 - Bio Molecules Flashcards
What causes water to be a dipole
The electrons between the covalent bonds are closer to oxygen, giving the O side a negative charge and the H2 side a positive charge
What is the significance of the following properties of water:
1) high specific heat capacity
2) cohesion and adhesion
3) latent heat of vaporisation
4) ice is less dense than water
5) transparency
1) means water is available to organisms across a wide range of temperatures
2) coh- water molecules flow together adh- water is attracted to move up walls
3) used in cooling effect using body heat to vaporise water
4) ice floats to surface to insulate habitat beneath
5) light can penetrate so plants and algae can photosynthesise
What are sodium ions used for?
Nerve impulses, uptake of glucose and amino acids into gut, kidney tubule function
What are phosphate ions used for?
Strengthen bones, used in ATP, DNA and RNA
What are iron ions used in?
Haemoglobin
What are iodine ions used for?
Production of thyroxine, involved in IQ levels and development
Iodine = trace element only need small amount daily
What are some monosaccharides?
Trioses,
Pentoses e.g ribose and deoxyribose, Hexoses e.g fructose, glucose and galactose
What is the formula for glucose and the difference between beta and alpha glucose?
Formula: C6 H12 O6
Alpha = OH group on first carbon is on bottom
Beta = OH group on first carbon is on top
ABBA
What are the disaccharides and what are they composed of?
Maltose - 2 alpha glucoses
Sucrose - alpha glucose and fructose
Lactose - alpha glucose and galactose
What is the reaction between glucose and what bond does it form? How do you break down these bonds?
A condensation reaction that forms glycosidic bonds. Bonds are broken down in a hydrolysis reaction
What are features of polysaccharides? What are the 3 main polysaccharides?
Larger molecules
Compact
Chemically inert
Lots of glycosidic bonds
3 main polysaccharides are starch, glycogen and cellulose
Others are : chitin and murein
What are the components of starch and features of them?
Amylose - long chain of alpha glucose twisted into alpha helix shape by hydrogen bonds contains only 1,4 glycosidic bonds
Amylopectin - branches chain of alpha glucose contains both 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds
What is the test for reducing sugars?
Add Benedict’s solution and heat at 80• for 5 mins. Copper precipitates to form a red colour from original blue
What is the test for non-reducing sugars?
Heat with HCl at 80•
Cool and neutralise (with sodium hydrogen carbonate)
Test with Benedict’s
Should turn from blue to red
What is the test for starch?
Add potassium iodide solution
Will turn from brown to blue/black
What is the structure and features of glycogen?
Polymer of alpha glucose
Animal energy reserve
Found in muscles and around liver
Very compact grain - more 1,6 glycosidic bonds
Chemically inert unless broken into glucose by hydrolysis
Insoluble
What enzyme breaks down starch and how does that then become glucose?
Starch is broken down by amylase into maltose
Maltose is broken down by maltase into glucose
What are features and the structure of cellulose?
Is a polymer of beta glucose
Creates a straight chain of microfibril
Is a component in the cell wall- microfibril is layered and held together by hydrogen bonds
Only 1,4 glycosidic bonds but the glucose molecules undergo an alternating 180• flip during bonding
What are features and the structure of cellulose?
Is a polymer of beta glucose
Creates a straight chain of microfibril
Is a component in the cell wall- microfibril is layered and held together by hydrogen bonds
Only 1,4 glycosidic bonds but the glucose molecules undergo an alternating 180• flip during bonding
What structure are lipids made out of? And what part of this is hydrophobic
Triglycerides
The fatty acid tails are hydrophobic
What are the two components of a fatty acid?
The carboxyl group and the hydrocarbon tail
What is the reaction between a glycerol and a fatty acid and what bond does it form?
A condensation reaction that forms a ester bond
What happens is a fatty acid is unsaturated?
It has less hydrogen atoms due to a carbon-carbon double bond which causes a kink in the chain
What happens is a fatty acid is unsaturated?
It has less hydrogen atoms due to a carbon-carbon double bond which causes a kink in the chain which makes the lipid a liquid (oil)
What are the uses of lipids?
Energy reserve used after carbohydrates in both plants and animals
Used in hormone production
Insulation
Rich in vitamins and aids uptake
Protects vital organs
Buoyancy
What are the two types of unsaturated fatty acids acids and what is the difference between them?
Monounsaturated - single C=C bonds
Polyunsaturated - multiple C=C bonds