Biological Molecules

These flashcards cover key concepts related to biological molecules, including the importance of water, types of saccharides, reactions involving condensation and hydrolysis, and the structure and function of lipids.

Water

A polar molecule essential for metabolic reactions and transport in cells.

Dipole

A separation of electrical charge that occurs in polar molecules.

Polar Molecule

A molecule with a distribution of charge that leads to positive and negative regions.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weak bonds that form between the positive and negative regions of polar molecules.

Metabolites

Substances involved in metabolism, often requiring a solvent for transport.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide composed of glucose monomers in plants.

Glycogen

A storage polysaccharide in animals, highly branched to allow for rapid breakdown.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide composed of β-glucose, important for plant cell walls.

Amylose

An unbranched form of starch with 1,4 glycosidic bonds.

Amylopectin

A branched form of starch containing 1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonds.

Alpha Glucose

A form of glucose where the hydroxyl group is below carbon 1.

Beta Glucose

A form of glucose where the hydroxyl group is above carbon 1.

Lipid

A macromolecule that includes fats and oils, generally hydrophobic and energy-rich.

Triglyceride

A type of lipid formed from glycerol and three fatty acids.

Ester Bond

A covalent bond formed between glycerol and fatty acids during triglyceride formation.

Saturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid with no double bonds, typically solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid

A fatty acid that contains one or more double bonds, typically liquid at room temperature.

Trans Fatty Acid

An unsaturated fatty acid with hydrogens on opposite sides of a double bond.

Cis Fatty Acid

An unsaturated fatty acid with hydrogens on the same side of a double bond.

Hydrocarbon Chain

The carbon backbone of fatty acids, which can vary in length.

Energy Storage

The function of polysaccharides like starch and glycogen to store energy in organisms.

Reducing Sugar

A sugar that can donate electrons to another molecule, often tested using Benedict's reagent.

Iodine Test

A qualitative test used to detect the presence of starch.

Serial Dilution

A method of creating standard solutions by diluting a stock solution in a series.

Colorimeter

An instrument used to measure the absorbance of light in solutions, often used in quantitative analysis.

Calibration Curve

A graph used to determine unknown concentrations based on known values.

Benedict's Test

A qualitative test used to detect reducing sugars by observing color change.

Hydroxyl Group

A functional group (-OH) that is characteristic of alcohols and contributes to the properties of sugars.