Unit 2: Cell Chemistry Flashcards
lWhat are the reactants and products of a catabolic reaction?
Catabolic reaction: where a complex molecule breaks down into simpler molecules
What atoms are lipids composed of? What 2 types of molecules create a triglyceride when synthesized?
C, H, and O (not in a fixed ratio)
There is 1 glycerol molecule (the backbone of the lipid), and 3 fatty acid chains.
FILL IN THE BLANK: Catabolic reactions result in the ____ of energy.
(net) loss/(net) release
Name the 5 functions of lipids and examples of each.
S- Storage of energy for long term use (triglycerides)
H- Hormones structural component (steroids, such as estrogen and testosterone)
I- Insulation (both thermal (triglycerides) and electrical (sphingolipids)
P- Protection/cushion of internal organs (triglycerides and waxes)
S- Structure of cell membranes (Phospholipids and cholesterol)
→ Chemical signals are diffused: cholesterol range
What are ester bonds? Explain how they are formed.
Ester bonds are bonds between glycerol and fatty acids, through condensation reactions (dehydration synthesis.)
The H2O is removed between the glycerol and each fatty acid, and the oxygen of the glycerol bonds with the carbon of the fatty acid chain.
What are phospholipids? Describe their structural components.
Phospholipids are a variation of a triglyceride in a cell membrane. The top fatty acid chain is replaced by a phosphate group (PO4). PO4 is negatively charged, making a polar (hydrophilic) head with nonpolar (hydrophobic) fatty acid tails.
They are amphipathic (have polar and nonpolar traits)
What 6 elements are main components of most living things?
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Phosphorus
Sulfur
Mnemonic: CHNOPS/CHONPS
Define saturated fats, as well as:
- their shape
- their state at room temperature and why
- their melting point
Saturated fats are when all carbons have the maximum number of hydrogen atoms bonded to them. There are no double carbon bonds and no kinks.
They are linear in shape when packed together. Their tight packing makes them solid at room temperature, with high melting points.
As well, the tight packing of the layers means more London Dispersion forces can act upon them, holding the fatty acids together.
FILL IN THE BLANK: An organism’s metabolism is the ____ ____ of all anabolic and catabolic reactions
net sum
Define unsaturated fats, as well as:
- their shape
- their state at room temperature and why
- their melting point
Unsaturated fats have double bonds of carbon, as not all carbons are fully saturated (has kinks, less hydrogens).
There are bends due to the repulsion of the hydrogens, since they are not balanced on each side of the fatty acid. They are more commonly liquid with lower melting points due to less London Dispersion forces and looser packing.
This also means they are more fluid, such as in cell membranes.
State the two types of metabolism reactions.
Condensation (aka dehydration synthesis) and hydrolysis
Define a condensation reaction, in the context of metabolism. State its alternate name.
Two molecules are covalently bonded through the loss of water. AKA dehydration synthesis
State the difference between monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Monounsaturated: only one double bond between carbons (1 carbon not fully saturated)
Polyunsaturated: more than one double bond, several carbons not fully saturated
Define a hydrolysis reaction, in the context of metabolism.
Covalent bond between two molecules is broken through the addition of water
Draw a diagram of saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, trans fats.
🤯 good job!
Define monomers, polymers and polymerization. Give an example of a monomer and a polymer.
Monomers: similar subunits that bond together to form polymers, e.g. amino acids
Polymers: chains of monomers, e.g. proteins
Polymerization: chemical reaction in which monomers react into polymers
State the four main kinds of macromolecules.
Carbohydrates
Proteins
Lipids
Nucleic acids
Explain how London Dispersion forces work.
- Intermolecular forces, electronegativity of different atom’s electron clouds
- Electron density is instantaneous in an atom’s orbitals; slightly positive and negative regions
- Causes a brief electrostatic attraction between two molecules
- Instantaneous dipoles react to form induced dipoles, with the negative charge of the atom attracting he partial positive charge of an atom in another molecule, temporarily
- electrons move to another point and the bond breaks
Define a monosaccharide and a disaccharide. Name the bond between two monosaccharides.
Monosaccharide: aka simple sugar, is the most basic unit from which carbohydrates are built
Disaccharide: two monosaccharides bonded together by a glycosidic bond
How do London Dispersion Forces help geckos “defy gravity”?
- Their toes are padded with tiny, hair like structure called setae, which have even tinier hairs called spatulae
- Creates more surface area, which means more LDF between the gecko feet and walls
- Is miniscule force on its own, but has ~2 billion LDF
- Slightly changing the angle allows the gecko to let go, escaping in a frenzy
Define hydrogenation.
The process of adding hydrogen to unsaturated fatty acid chains, getting rid of double carbon bonds
- leads to more saturated fatty acid
- plant oils are artificially hydrogenated to make them solid (e.g. margarine, PB&J)
- process results in the creation of partially saturated lipids
Define trans fats.
Partially saturated/hydrogenated lipids that still have double carbon bonds but exhibit the characteristics of saturated fats.
What are qualities of trans fats? Why are they liked/used?
- Linear
- Tightly packed
- Solid at room temp
- Difficult to break down by enzymes
- Good taste
- Higher melting point/more stable at higher temperatures
- Last longer
(Niche) Why do the components of a disaccharide not follow the same ratio of the components of a monosaccharide?
One water molecule is lost from when two monosaccharides are bonded through a condensation reaction (aka dehydration synthesis)
Distinguish between cis and trans fats.
- Are both unsaturated fats
CIS:
- hydrogens on same side
- causes kink or bend in fatty acid
- lower melting point
- good for health
- naturally occurring (most common natural double bond)
- can consume as per required
TRANS:
- hydrogens on opposite side
- linear fatty acid
- body does not effectively break down this molecule
- higher melting point
- detrimental to health (lowers good cholesterol [HDL], increases bad cholesterol [LDL])
- Less naturally occurring, thus produced artificially by partial hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids
- Found in processed food, fast foods, butter/milky products, small red meat
- Occurs naturally in small amounts in red meat/dairy
- no more than 1% of total calories per day
Why are some cities/countries banning/taxing foods with trans fats?
They are artificially made and implemented into consumable foods, despite having a highly unhealthy nature.
What are polysaccharides composed of?
3 or more monosaccharides
Define Urea and its purpose, as well as a secondary application.
- Organic compound CO(NH2)2
- Purpose: excrete nitrogen
- Use: fertilizer to increase crop production
- Who discovered urea, and what did that discovery disprove? What is this kind of discovery called?
- First discovered accidentally by Friedrich Wöhler in 1828
- Synthesis of an organic compound from two inorganic olecules was possible
- Disproved the theory of vitalism (organic compounds can only be synthesized by living organisms as they possess a “life spark”/divine principle that non-living things did not have
- Serendipity!
What are Urea’s 2 key traits?
- Non-toxic, highly soluble
- Artificially synthesized due to its helpful qualities
Name the two uses of polysaccharides. Give two examples of each usage.
Energy storage (e.g. starch - in plants - and glycogen - in animals) and structural use (cellulose - in plants - and chitin - in fungi and arthropods)
What are the five elements that appear the most in proteins?
Carbon
Hydrogen
Oxygen
Nitrogen
Sulphur (in some side groups)
Mnemonic: CHONS
Note that phosphorus is not included, unlike in the 6 basic elements of most living things