Y12 MS - Biological Molecules (Excluding Proteins) (Complete) Flashcards

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1
Q

What is ATP an abbreviation for?

A

Adenosine triphosphate

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2
Q

What are the components of ATP?

A

Adenine
Ribose
Three phosphate groups

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3
Q

What is ATP?

A

An energy-carrying molecule which provides energy for various processes within living cells

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4
Q

What processes is ATP required for?

A

Metabolic processes
Active transport
Movement
Activation of molecules
Secretion

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5
Q

What is a hydrolysis reaction?

A

The break down of a chemical bond between two molecules with the use of a water molecule

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6
Q

What catalyses the hydrolysis of ATP?

A

ATP hydrolase

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7
Q

What is formed by the hydrolysis of ATP?

A

ATP + H20 —> ADP + Pi + E

Adenosine triphosphate + water —> adenosine diphosphate + inorganic phosphate + energy

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8
Q

How can ATP be resyntheised?

A

Through a condensation reaction

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9
Q

What is a condensation reaction?

A

Where two molecules are joined together with the formation of a chemical bond and the elimination of a molecule of water

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10
Q

What is used as a catalyst for the synthesis of ATP?

A

ATP synthesase

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11
Q

What can the inorganic phosphate formed from the hydrolysis of ATP be used for?

A

To phosphorylate other compounds, often making them more reactive

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12
Q

Why is ATP such a useful molecule?

A

Releases energy as it breaks down
Can move around but can’t leave the cell as the molecule is too large
Releases energy quickly
Releases energy in small amounts, suitable for cellular reactions

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13
Q

What is adenosine made up of?

A

Adenine and ribose

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14
Q

What is the name of the molecule with adenine, ribose and one phosphate group?

A

Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)

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15
Q

What is a metabolite?

A

Any substance produced by or involved in metabolic processes

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16
Q

How is water a metabolite?

A

Water is involved in many metabolic reactions such as being used in hydrolysis reactions and condensation reactions

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17
Q

What is the cohesion in water molecules?

A

Water molecules have strong cohesion between them (which supports columns of water in tube-like transport cells of plants)
This also produces surface tension where water meets the air

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18
Q

Does water have a high or low specific heat capacity?

A

High

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19
Q

What is the result of water having a high specific heat capacity?

A

It acts as a buffer for changes in temperature (advantageous for enzyme action and body temperature in organisms)

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20
Q

What does the density of water allow to occur?

A

Solid water is less dense than liquid water which means that ice can float and form land masses

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21
Q

What is a solvent?

A

A liquid in which a solute can be dissolved to form a solution

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22
Q

What are the two major properties of water?

A

Water is a polar molecule
Water is bonded together with hydrogen bonds

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23
Q

What is the effect of water having a large latent heat of vapourisation?

A

Loss of water through evaporation produces a cooling effect

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24
Q

What does it mean that monosaccharides are isomers?

A

Isomers are molecules with the same molecular formula but a different arrangement of atoms

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25
Q

Name three monosaccharides

A

Glucose
Fructose
Galactose

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26
Q

What are the two isomers of glucose?

A

Alpha glucose and beta glucose

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27
Q

What is the structure of alpha glucose?

A
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28
Q

What is the structure of beta glucose?

A
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29
Q

How many bonds can carbon make?

A

4

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30
Q

What is the formula for glucose?

A

C6H1206

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31
Q

Draw the structure of glucose (alpha)

A
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32
Q

What bond is formed through a condensation reaction between two sugars?

A

A glycosidic bond

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33
Q

What is a disaccharide?

A

Two monosaccharides joined together with a glycosidic bond

34
Q

Glucose + glucose —>

A

Maltose

35
Q

Glucose + fructose —>

A

Sucrose

36
Q

Glucose + galactose —>

A

Lactose

37
Q

How are the carbons numbered in a molecule?

A
38
Q

Name some polysaccharides

A

Starch
Cellulose
Glycogen

39
Q

What is a monosaccharide?

A

Monomers from which larger carbohydrates are made

40
Q

What are polymers?

A

Molecules made from a large number of monomers joined together

41
Q

How many bonds can oxygen make?

A

2

42
Q

How many bonds can hydrogen make?

A

1

43
Q

Starch is a ——— polysaccharide in ———

A

Storage
Plants

44
Q

What two different polysaccharides make up starch?

A

Amylose and amylopectin

45
Q

What are the features of amylose?

A

Amylose is an unbranched, helix-shaped chain with 1,4 glycosidic bonds between alpha-glucose molecules

46
Q

What are the features of amylopectin?

A

Amylopectin is a branched molecule with 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds between alpha-glucose molecules

47
Q

How is starch suitable for its function?

A

The helix shape allows it to be compact so only requires small space for storage
The molecule is large so cannot pass through membranes
It is insoluble so no osmotic effect
The many branches can be easily hydrolysed to release glucose

48
Q

Cellulose is a ——— polysaccharide in ———

A

Structural
Plants

49
Q

What is the structure of cellulose?

A

Cellulose consists of straight, unbranched chains with 1,4 glycosidic bonds between beta-glucose molecules. Many hydrogen bonds form between the long, parallel chains

50
Q

How is cellulose suitable to its function?

A

Cellulose fibres are permeable so allow water and solutes to pass through
Cellulose fibres are insoluble so there is no osmoic effect
The parallel molecular chains are cross linked with hydrogen bonds, forming collective strength (microfibrils)

51
Q

Glycogen is a ——— polysaccharide in ———

A

Storage
Animals

52
Q

What is the structure of glycogen?

A

Glycogen consists of shorter, branched chains with 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds between alpha-glucose molecules

53
Q

How is glycogen suitable for its function?

A

The many branches can be easily hydrolysed to release glucose
The molecules are too big to pass through membranes
It is insoluble so there is no osmoic effect
Compact so a lot can be stored in a small space

54
Q

All monosaccharides are ———

A

Reducing sugars

55
Q

Will reducing sugars give a positive or negative result from the Benedict’s test?

A

Positive

56
Q

What is the only non-reducing sugar you will come across?

A

Sucrose

57
Q

Describe the Benedict’s test?

A

Place 2cm3 of the test solution into a test tube
Add 2cm3 of Benedict’s solution
Heat in a water bath at 80°C for five minutes

Positive result - Colour change to brick red
Negative result - No colour change, remains blue

58
Q

Describe the test for non-reducing sugars

A

Obtain a negative result from the Benedict’s test
Place 2cm3 of the test solution in a test tube
Add 2cm3 of dilute hydrochloric acid
Heat in a water bath at 80°C for two minutes
Add small amounts of solid sodium hydrocarbonate until it stops fizzing
Add 2cm3 of of Benedict’s solution
Heat in a water bath at 80°C for five minutes

Positive result - Colour change to a brick red colour
Negative result - No colour change, remains blue

59
Q

What is the test for starch?

A

Place 2cm3 of test solution into the test tube
Add two drops of iodine solution

Positive result - Colour change to a blue/black
Negative result - No colour change, remains orange/brown

60
Q

What can lipids exist as?

A

Fats, oils and waxes

61
Q

Fats and oils are ————

A

Triglycerides

62
Q

Are lipids soluble or insoluble in water?

A

Insoluble

63
Q

What is a monounsaturated fatty acid?

A

A fatty acid which has one double bond between the carbon atoms

64
Q

What is a polyunsaturated fatty acid?

A

A fatty acid which has two or more double bonds between the carbon atoms

65
Q

What is a saturated fatty acid?

A

A fatty acid which doesn’t have any double bonds between the carbon atoms

66
Q

What are the monomers of lipids?

A

Fatty acid and glycerol

67
Q

What occurs when there is a condensation reaction between a fatty acid and glycerol?

A

A lipid is formed with the elimination of a water molecule and the formation of an ester bond

68
Q

What are the main groups of lipids?

A

Triglycerides and phospholipids

69
Q

What is a triglyceride?

A

A triglyceride is made up of three fatty acids and glycerol. Each fatty acid forms an ester bond with glycerol in a condensation reaction

70
Q

What are the properties of lipids?

A
  • Insoluble in water
  • Source of energy (provided when oxidised)
  • Slow conductor of heat -> good insulator
  • Can provide protection (fat is stored near organs to protect them)
71
Q

What are the properties of triglycerides (related to their function)?

A
  • Able to release water (especially vital to organisms in dry environments) when oxidised due to the high ratio of hydrogen to oxygen atoms
  • Insoluble in water as they are large and non-polar molecules so are good for storage as do not disrupt water potential
  • Source of energy due to the energy-storing carbon-hydrogen bonds
72
Q

What are microfibrils and how does it affect the properties of cellulose?

A

Microfibrils are structures of long, cellulose chains running parallel to each other and joined by hydrogen bonds, forming strong cross linkages. This makes cellulose good for structural purposes due to its strength

73
Q

Do triglycerides and phospholipids have similar structures?

A

Yes. If you replace a fatty acid within a triglyceride with a polar phosphate group, a phospholipid is formed

74
Q

What is the structure of a phospholipid?

A

Phospholipids are made up of hydrophilic phosphate heads and hydrophobic fatty acid tails
- Phosphate
- Glycerol
- Two fatty acids

75
Q

Are phospholipids polar or non-polar?

A

Polar

76
Q

What are the properties of phospholipids (related to their structure)?

A
  • In an aqueous environment, a bilayer is formed within cell-surface membranes due to them being polar molecules, so a hydrophobic barrier is created
  • Phospholipids can form glycolipids by combining with carbohydrates in the cell-surface membrane which are very important for cell recognition
  • The hydrophobic phosphate heads can be used to hold at the surface of the cell membrane
77
Q

Describe the test for lipids (the emulsion test)

A
  • Take a completely dry and grease-free test tube
  • Add 2cm3 of the sample being tested and 5cm3 of ethanol
  • Shake the tube thoroughly to dissolve any lipids in the sample
  • Add 5cm3 of water and shake gently
  • If a lipid is present, a milky-white emulsion is produced
78
Q

What is the importance of H+ ions

A

Maintenance of pH for metabolic processes
Maintenance of pH for optimum conditions for enzymes

79
Q

What is the importance of iron ions (Fe3+ or Fe2+)

A

They bind to oxygen in haemoglobin in the blood so oxygen can be transported around the body

80
Q

What is the importance of Na+ sodium ions

A

For the co-transport of amino acids and glucose
Transmission of nerve impulses

81
Q

What is the importance of PO4 3- phosphate ions

A

Attaches to other molecules to form phosphate groups, an essential component of DNA, RNA and ATP
Found in phospholipids and form key components of the phospholipid bilayer

82
Q

What is the importance of Ca2+ calcium ions

A

Stimulates muscle contraction
Regulates the transmission of impulses from neurone to neurone in synapses
Formation of blood clots