Organic Compounds & DNA Quiz

amino acid

• Contains an amino group (-NH₂) and a carboxyl group (-COOH).

• Makes up building blocks for protein.

• There are 20 different amino acids containing a different R group.

• All amino acids have the same chemical structure.

animal vs plant carbohydrates

• Plants store excess sugar (polysaccharides) in the form of starch.

• Animals store their excess sugar (polysaccharides) in the form of glycogen in the liver and muscles.

animal vs plant cell differences

• Cells in animals, plants, and related organisms have 3 basic structures: cell membrane, nucleus, and cytoplasm.

• Animal cells: lysosome, centriole.

• Plant cells: chloroplast, cell wall, plastid (leucoplast), and plastid (chromoplast).

carbohydrate

• Organic compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio (C₆H₁₂O₆).

• Source of energy for humans’ bodies.

• 4 types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch, glycogen, cellulose.

• Monosaccharide: Single sugar (glucose, galactose, and fructose).

• Disaccharides: Double sugar (sucrose, maltose - malt sugar, lactose - milk sugar).

• Polysaccharides: formed by many monosaccharide units (starch, glycogen, cellulose).

catalyst

• A substance that speeds up the chemical reaction.

• Stays unchangeable during the reaction.

cellulose

• A type of polysaccharide.

• Exists only in plants.

• Support plants by giving them strength and rigidity.

• Major component of wood → Woods are used to make building and printing materials.

chlorophyll

Principal pigment in the cells of photosynthesis autotrophs that capture light energy.

chromosome

Threadlike structure in a cell contains the genetic information (DNA) passed on from one generation of cells to the next.

complementary bases

• Pair of nitrogenous bases.

• Adenine always pairs up with Thymine.

• Cytosine always pairs up with Guanine.

cytoplasm

• Area between the nucleus and the cell membrane in an eukaryotic cell.

• Contains many important structures such as mitochondria, chloroplasts, ribosomes, etc.

DNA ladder

• Nucleic acid stores and transmits the genetic information from one generation of an organism to the next.

• 2 DNA strands were twisted around each other → DNA was shaped as a double helix.

• DNA stands for deoxyribonucleic acid.

DNA vs RNA

• Sugar in RNA is ribose, whereas sugar in DNA is deoxyribose.

• RNA consists of a single strand of nucleotide, while DNA is double-stranded.

• Nitrogenous bases of DNA are adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine, while RNA contains adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine.

double helix

• Similar to a spiral, or the way the threads are arranged in a screw.

• Two strands are twisted around each other, forming a double helix.

enzyme

• One of many special protein catalysts contained in living organisms.

• Enzymes are important in regulating chemical pathways, synthesizing materials needed by cells, releasing energy, and transferring information.

• Necessary for DNA synthesis: separate the DNA strands, insert appropriate bases, produce covalent sugar-phosphate links, and proofread the bases that have been inserted.

Eukaryotic cell

Cells that contain clearly defined nucleus.

fat

• A common name for lipid.

• Fats are solid at room temperature.

• Healthy fat (unsaturated): avocado, oily fish

• Unhealthy fat (saturated): fats from pigs, cows, beef, tuna

fatty acid

• A factor that forms lipids.

• Long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms that have a carboxyl group attached at one end.

genome

All the genes possessed by an organism.

glucose

Sugar with formula C₆H₁₂O₆ is a product of photosynthesis; and can be broken down for energy.

glycogen

• Multibranched polysaccharide of glucose.

• A form of energy storage in animals, fungi, and bacteria.

hydrogen bonds

Hold the two strands of DNA together.

kinds of compounds

• Inorganic compounds: compounds that do not contain carbon (CO₂ is an exception).

• Organic compounds: carbon-containing compounds

lipid

• Organic compounds that are waxy or oily.

• Lipids store energy, form biological membranes, and act as chemical messengers.

• Many important lipids are formed from combinations of fatty acids and glycerol.

• Types of lipids: saturated, unsaturated, sterols, and phospholipids

• Means of storing energy.

• When lipids are broken down, they produce more energy gram for gram than carbohydrates do → lipids are healthier.

saturated lipids

• Carbon atoms in the fatty acid chain are joined together by a single bond.

• Contains the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

• Less healthy

unsaturated lipids

• Fatty acids contain several double bonds.

• Does not contain the maximum number of hydrogen atoms.

• Healthier → help prevent heart diseases

most abundant compound in a cell

Water is the most abundant molecule in the cells, accounting for 70% or more of total cell mass.

nitrogenous bases

• DNA contains 4 nitrogenous bases.

• Purines: adenine and guanine.

• Pyrimidines: cytosine and thymine.

nuclear membrane / nuclear envelope

• A membrane that surrounds the nucleus of a cell.

• In the nuclear envelope are thousands of nuclear pores, or small openings.

nucleic acid

• Complex organic molecules comprise carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus atoms.

• Polymers of individual monomers are known as nucleotides.

• 2 kinds of nucleic acids: RNA (ribonucleic acid), and DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).

• Store and transmit the genetic information that is responsible for life itself.

nucleotide

• Monomers of nucleic acids

• Built up of 3 basic parts: a special 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

oil

• A common name for lipids.

• Liquid

wax

• Another common name for lipids.

• Solid at room temperature.

organic compound

• Carbon-containing compounds.

• Carbon is a unique element because of its remarkable ability to form covalent bonds that are strong and stable.

• 4 groups of organic compounds: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

phosphate group

• A phosphorus atom is bound to four oxygen atoms.

• Makes of nucleic acids along with sugars and nitrogenous bases.

• Provides energy for moving our muscles.

photosynthesis equation / purpose

• In the process of photosynthesis, plants use the energy of sunlight to produce carbohydrates.

• 6CO₂ + 6H₂O → (light) C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂

• Carbon dioxide + Water → (light) Glucose + Oxygen

monomer

Small compounds can be joined together with other small compounds to form polymers.

polymer

• Large compounds are formed by combinations of monomers.

• Many polymers are so large that they are called macromolecules.

monosaccharides

• Simple carbohydrate, also known as single sugar.

• Examples of monosaccharides: glucose, galactose, and fructose.

disaccharides

• Compound formed from the joining of two single sugars in dehydration synthesis.

• Examples of disaccharides: sucrose, maltose, and lactose.

polysaccharide(s)

• Very large molecules can be formed by joining together many monosaccharide units.

• Examples of polysaccharides: starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Prokaryotic cell

A single-cell organism whose cell lacks a nucleus and other membrane-bound organelles.

protein

• Organic compounds that contain nitrogen in addition to carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

• Polymers of amino acids.

• Peptide bond: a covalent bond that joins two amino acids.

• Has numerous roles: carrying out chemical reactions, pumping small molecules in and out of cells, and being responsible for cell moving.

protein synthesis

• Information that DNA transfers to messenger RNA is in the form of a code.

• Messenger RNA binds to the ribosomes on which ribosomal RNA is found.

• Amino acids in the cytoplasm are picked up by transfer DNA and are carried to messenger RNA.

• The anticodons in transfer RNA attach to the proper codons in messenger RNA.

  → Amino acids are brought together in the correct sequence to form a protein molecule.

codon

• Combination of three nucleotides on the messenger RNA.

• Each codon specifies a particular amino acid that is to be placed in the polypeptide chain.

ribosome

• Organelle in which proteins are made.

• Ribosomes are made up of two subunits, a large one and a smaller one.

• Protein synthesis takes place in ribosomes.

RNA

• Nucleic acid that acts as a messenger between DNA and the ribosomes.

• Carries out the process by which proteins are made from amino acids.

• Consists of a long chain of macromolecules made up of nucleotides.

• Each nucleotide is made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

transfer RNA (tRNA)

• Carries amino acids to the ribosomes, where the amino acids are joined together to form polypeptides.

• 3 transfer RNA nucleotides are called anticodon.

messenger RNA (mRNA)

Bring the genetic information from the DNA in the nucleus out to the ribosomes in the cytoplasm.

translation

The decoding of a messenger RNA into a polypeptide chain (protein).

transcription

The process by which a molecule of DNA is copied into a complementary strand of RNA.

simple sugar & purpose

• Contains a great deal of energy.

• Energy stored in bonds will make up the carbohydrate molecules.

starch

A very large molecule is formed by joining together hundreds of glucose molecules.

sterols

• One kind of lipid living in organisms.

• The most common sterol is a molecule called cholesterol.

• Cholesterol is an important part of many cells, but excessive cholesterol in the diet is a risk factor for heart disease.

• Steroid lipids play many important roles in building cells and carrying messages from one part of the body to another.

phospholipids

• Another kind of lipid living in organisms.

• Molecules consist of parts that dissolve well in water and parts that do not dissolve well in water.

• Phospholipid molecules are mixed with water will form liposomes.

polymerization

Many carbon-based compounds are formed in which large compounds are constructed by joining together smaller compounds.