Introduction to Biological Transport and Macromolecules

This set covers pH scales, cellular transport mechanisms (diffusion and osmosis), the biochemical processes of synthesis and hydrolysis, and the classification and function of carbohydrates.

Acidic pH

A pH range from $0$ to $6.9$.

Neutral pH

A pH level of exactly $7$.

Basic pH

A pH range from $7.1$ and beyond.

Passive Transport

The movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Osmosis

The movement of water toward a higher solute concentration.

Diffusion

The concept that molecules naturally flow from a high concentration to an area where there is less substance.

Solute

Anything being dissolved in a solution; anything other than water.

Equal Movement

A state where molecules are consistently in motion but move back and forth across a membrane at the same rate, maintaining equal concentrations.

Macromolecules

Large molecules that make up the human body: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Polymers

Another name for macromolecules, derived from the term meaning "many" units.

Monomers

The smaller, similar structural units that serve as the building blocks for polymers.

Synthesis

The process of creating a polymer from monomers.

Dehydration

A chemical reaction where two monomers bind together and discard a water molecule to form a bond.

Hydrolysis

The process of breaking down a polymer into monomers by introducing water into the reaction.

Monosaccharide

The monomer of carbohydrates, also known as a single or simple sugar.

Examples of Monosaccharides

Glucose, fructose, galactose, mannose, ribose, and deoxyribose.

Carbohydrates

A macromolecule that functions as the main source of energy for the body in the form of $ATP$.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate formed by two monosaccharides put together, such as sucrose.

Polysaccharide

A complex carbohydrate made of thousands of monosaccharides joined together.

Starch

A polysaccharide created by plants during photosynthesis to store sugar for later use.

Glycogen

The polysaccharide used by the human body to store excess glucose in the liver and muscles.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that forms the skeleton of plants and provides rigidity to stems; it is indigestible to humans and acts as fiber.

Chitin

A polysaccharide that makes up the exoskeleton of arthropods such as crabs and spiders.

Glycogen Storage Disease

A condition where the body can create glycogen but cannot break it down, leading to liver enlargement.