Essential elements for life

What are the major elements that make up approximately 96% of living matter?

Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O), Nitrogen (N)

What is the role of water in biological systems?

Water is vital due to its polar nature, forming hydrogen bonds, and possessing key properties like cohesion, adhesion, high specific heat, solvent properties, and allowing ice to float.

Fill in the blank: Carbon forms __________ covalent bonds, allowing for complex molecules.

4

What are the two types of carbohydrates?

Monosaccharides (monomer) and Polysaccharides (polymer).

Define the structure and function of proteins.

Proteins are polymers made of amino acids that fold into functional forms. Functions include enzymes, structural support, transport, and signaling.

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?

Saturated fats have no double bonds and are solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds and are liquid at room temperature.

What are the monomers of nucleic acids?

Nucleotides, consisting of sugar, phosphate, and nitrogenous base.

Fill in the blank: DNA is double-stranded and contains __________ sugar.

deoxyribose

What functional groups are found in amino acids?

Carboxyl (-COOH) and Amino (-NH2) functional groups.

What is the primary function of lipids?

Energy storage, membrane structure, and signaling.

Fill in the blank: Water's ability to stick to itself is called __________.

Cohesion

What enables carbon to form a diverse range of structures?

Carbon can form 4 covalent bonds.

List the four major biological macromolecules.

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids.

What characterizes the tertiary structure of proteins?

3D folding due to side chain interactions.

Fill in the blank: The backbone of life is __________.

Carbon