Biology Lecture Notes: Macromolecules, Nucleic Acids, Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Functional Groups

A set of practice flashcards covering hydrogen bonding, macromolecules, monomers vs polymers, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, phospholipids, cell membranes, functional groups, and energy storage.

Which atoms can hydrogen bond with hydrogen in hydrogen bonds?

Oxygen, nitrogen, and fluorine (often referred to as fluorine or fluoride).

What property of the atoms involved gives hydrogen bonds their strength?

High electronegativity of the atoms (oxygen, nitrogen, or fluorine) causing a strong attraction to hydrogen.

What are the four major macromolecules studied in biology?

Proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids.

In nucleic acids, what is the monomer and what is the polymer?

Monomer: nucleotide; Polymer: nucleic acid (DNA or RNA).

What are the three components of a nucleotide?

A five‑carbon sugar (pentose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Which bases are found in DNA and which are found in RNA?

DNA: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), thymine (T); RNA: adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), uracil (U).

What are the building blocks of nucleic acids called?

Nucleotides.

What bond links nucleotides together in nucleic acids?

Phosphodiester bond.

What are the two nucleic acid polymers?

DNA and RNA.

What is the primary function of nucleic acids?

Blueprint of life; store and transmit genetic information.

For carbohydrates, what is the monomer and the polymer called?

Monomer: glucose (a monosaccharide); Polymer: polysaccharide.

Name the three polysaccharides mentioned in the notes.

Starch, glycogen, and sodium (as stated in the notes; sodium appears to be a note error).

What is the difference between a monosaccharide and a polysaccharide?

Monosaccharide is a single sugar; polysaccharide is three or more monosaccharides linked together.

What is the monomer and polymer for proteins?

Monomer: amino acids; Polymer: polypeptide; Bond: peptide bond.

What are the major roles of proteins in the body?

Enzymes, tissue repair, protein synthesis, antibodies, and other structural/functional roles (e.g., hemoglobin).

What is the monomer for lipids?

Fatty acids.

What are the two main types of lipids discussed?

Triglycerides and phospholipids.

What bond links lipids (in general) and what is the energy role of triglycerides?

Ester bonds link lipids; triglycerides store long‑term energy.

Describe the structure of a phospholipid.

A phospholipid has a polar head (phosphate group + glycerol) and two nonpolar fatty acid tails (one saturated and one unsaturated); head is hydrophilic, tails are hydrophobic.

What is the cell membrane primarily made of?

A phospholipid bilayer (two layers of phospholipids) forming the cell membrane.

What does amphipathic (amphiphilic) mean in the context of phospholipids?

Molecules that have both polar (hydrophilic) and nonpolar (hydrophobic) regions, such as phospholipids with a polar head and nonpolar tails.

What is the basic chemical makeup shared by nucleic acids?

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

Which functional group is associated with nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids respectively?

Nucleic acids: phosphate group; Proteins: amino group (and carboxyl group in amino acids); Lipids: carboxyl group.

What is the phosphodiester bond and why is it important?

The bond that links nucleotides within nucleic acids, enabling the polymerization of DNA and RNA.

What does the term 'polarity' mean in the context of cell membranes and phospholipids?

Phospholipid heads are polar (hydrophilic) and tails are nonpolar (hydrophobic), contributing to the amphipathic nature of the membrane.