Honors Biology Unit 2

Biological Molecules and Enzymes

dehydration synthesis

Process that combines two molecules by removing a water molecule, forming a new bond.

hydrolysis

Chemical breakdown of a compound by adding water.

polysaccharide

A complex carbohydrate made up of multiple sugar molecules joined together.

It serves as a long-term energy storage molecule in plants and animals.

Examples include cellulose, starch, and glycogen.

cellulose

structural polysaccharide that makes up plant cell walls

starch

storage polysaccharide found in plants

fatty acid

hydrocarbon chain with a carboxyl group at one end; majority portion in lipids

polymer

long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together

monomer

building block for polymers; only made by producers

macromolecule

giant molecule formed by the joining of smaller molecules

nucleotide

building block of a nucleic acid; five carbon sugar covalently bonded to a nitrogen base and a phosphate group

Nucleic Acid

A macromolecule composed of long chains of nucleotides, which store and transmit genetic information.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur, enabling reactants to transform into products.

Enzyme

A protein that acts as a catalyst to accelerate biochemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Substrate

The specific reactant molecule that an enzyme acts on during a biochemical reaction, fitting into the enzyme's active site.

Active Site

The section on an enzyme where the substrate binds (fits), speeding up the chemical reaction.

Denature

The process in which an enzyme loses its shape due to things like heat or pH changes, making it unable to bind (fit with) the substrate.