Lab Review: Macromolecules and Functional Groups

Flashcards testing vocabulary, structural rules, and molecular model recognition for carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids/phosphates, and functional groups.

Glucose (Ring Structure)

A monosaccharide containing six atoms in its ring with the chemical formula $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Fructose (Ring Structure)

A monosaccharide containing five atoms in its ring.

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction that removes water to link smaller molecules into larger ones, such as joining monosaccharides to form a disaccharide.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks a larger molecule down into smaller components by adding water.

Maltose

A disaccharide composed of glucose plus glucose (wheat sugar), consisting of two six-atom rings linked together.

Sucrose

A disaccharide composed of glucose plus fructose, consisting of a six-atom ring linked to a five-atom ring.

Carbohydrates (Model Identification)

Biological molecules identified in lab models by the presence of lots of red atoms.

Lipids (Model Identification)

Water-insoluble molecules identified in lab models by lots of carbon (black) and hydrogen (white) atoms with very little oxygen (red).

Glycerol

A three-carbon molecule that serves as the backbone to attach three fatty acid tails in a triglyceride.

Traglyceride

A lipid composed of three fatty acid tails bound to a glycerol backbone.

Saturated Fat

A fat that is solid at room temperature, characterized by fatty acid tails containing only single bonds and fully saturated with hydrogen.

Unsaturated Fat

A fat that is liquid at room temperature because double bonds in its fatty acid tail cause it to bend or kink.

Cholesterol

A lipid composed of four fused rings rather than a tail, which can be modified to build testosterone, progesterone, or vitamin D.

Proteins (Model Identification)

Biological molecules identified in lab models by the presence of nitrogen, represented as blue atoms.

Glycine

An amino acid identified by having a single hydrogen atom ($H$) as its attached R-group.

Alanine

An amino acid identified by having a methyl group ($CH_3$) as its attached R-group.

Peptide Bond

A single bond that links amino acids together to form proteins.

Dipeptide

A molecule consisting of two amino acids linked together, identified in lab models by two blue nitrogen atoms.

Tripeptide

A molecule consisting of three amino acids linked together, identified in lab models by three blue nitrogen atoms.

Phospholipid

A lipid molecule identified in molecular models by having one purple atom representing a single phosphate group.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

An energy molecule identified in molecular models by three linked purple atoms representing three phosphate groups.

Methyl Group

A functional group consisting of one carbon atom and three hydrogen atoms ($CH_3$).

Methane

A standalone molecule with the chemical formula $CH_4$, composed of one carbon and four hydrogens.

Amino Group

A functional group with the chemical formula $NH_2$, present in amino acids.

Carboxylic Acid Group

A functional group found on amino acids alongside the amino group.

Hydroxyl Group (Alcohol)

A functional group consisting of $-OH$, which should not be confused with water ($H_2O$).