Miller-Urey, Abiotic/Biotic Chemistry & Functional Groups - Practice Flashcards

A comprehensive set of Q&A flashcards covering Miller-Urey, abiotic/biotic concepts, hydrocarbons, energy, and seven functional groups, with emphasis on how these concepts relate to biology and biochemistry.

What experiment demonstrated that simple abiotic compounds can form organic molecules like amino acids and nucleic acids under early Earth-like conditions?

The Miller-Urey experiment.

In biology, what does abiotic mean in contrast to biotic?

Abiotic means not derived from living systems; biotic refers to molecules associated with living systems.

Is ‘organic’ always biological in origin? True or false?

False. Organic refers to carbon-containing compounds; many organics are synthesized in the lab and are not from living systems.

What does ‘biotic’ mean in the context of molecules?

Biotic means biological or typically found in living systems.

Among the list discussed, which molecule is considered truly abiotic?

Ammonia.

Are nucleic acids commonly found outside living systems?

They are almost never found outside living systems; a few have been found in meteorites.

Besides amino acids, what other organic molecules have Miller-Urey-type experiments yielded?

Nucleic acids; some experiments have even formed short peptides by linking amino acids.

Have Miller-Urey-type experiments ever produced long, functional proteins?

They have produced short peptides, but not fully functional proteins.

When did Miller-Urey type experiments begin, and are they still performed today?

They began in the 1950s and are still performed in variations today.

What are hydrocarbons composed of?

Hydrogen and carbon.

Are hydrocarbons generally hydrophobic or hydrophilic, and are they charged?

Hydrocarbons are hydrophobic and uncharged.

Why do hydrocarbons store a lot of energy?

Breaking their C-H and C-C bonds releases a large amount of energy; fats with long hydrocarbon chains store even more energy.

What geometric property arises from carbon–carbon double bonds?

Planarity around the double bond.

What is the typical geometry of carbon when single bonds are present?

Tetrahedral (three-dimensional) geometry.

Define a cis isomer.

An isomer where functional groups are on the same side of a carbon–carbon double bond.

Define a trans isomer.

An isomer where functional groups are on opposite sides of a carbon–carbon double bond.

What is an enantiomer?

A mirror image of a molecule around a chiral center; non-superimposable.

Why are enantiomers important in drug design and regulation?

Different enantiomers can have different biological effects and side effects; regulation often favors single-enantiomer drugs over racemic mixtures.

How many and which functional groups are discussed in the seven-group set?

Seven groups: hydroxyl, carbonyl, carboxyl, amino, sulfhydryl, phosphate, and methyl.

Which functional group cannot form hydrogen bonds among the seven listed?

Methyl.

Which functional group is classified as an acid in the list?

Carboxyl group.

Which functional group is classified as a base in the list?

Amino group.

Which functional group is typically charged at physiological pH?

Phosphate group (often negatively charged in cells).

What does the term titratable mean in the context of functional groups?

A group that can gain or lose a proton depending on pH, changing its charge.

What is the high-energy molecule ATP released by removing a phosphate from?

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP); removing a phosphate releases energy.

Which would release more energy if completely broken apart into atoms: a long-chain hydrocarbon or ATP?

A long-chain hydrocarbon releases more energy than ATP when fully broken apart.

Among the seven functional groups, which is the strongest hydrophobic contributor?

Methyl.

What does ‘amphipathic’ mean in biology?

Molecules that have both hydrophobic and hydrophilic parts, enabling interactions with water and fats (e.g., phospholipids).

What is the four-ring core common to steroids?

Four fused hydrocarbon rings (the steroid core).

What does the term ‘decorating’ refer to in steroid chemistry?

Moving or rearranging functional groups around the four-ring steroid core to create different steroids.

How are cis fats and trans fats defined in relation to double bonds?

Cis fats have substituents on the same side of a double bond; trans fats have substituents on opposite sides.