Unit 3: Biomolecules

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

main energy source that cells use for most of their work

Amino acid

monomer that makes up proteins

Denaturation

loss of normal shape of a protein due to heat or other factors

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

molecule responsible for inheritance. Nucleic acid that contains the sugar deoxyribose

Nucleic acid

a complex organic substance present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA, whose molecules consist of many nucleotides linked in a long chain.

Nucleotide

building block (monomer) of nucleic acid polymers

Polypeptide

chain of linked amino acids

Protein

polymer constructed from a set of 20 amino acid monomers

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

nucleic acid containing sugar ribose

Carbohydrate

organic compound made of sugar molecules

Cellulose

polysaccharide consisting of glucose monomers that reinforces plant-cell walls

Disaccharide

sugar with two monosaccharides

Fat

organic compound consisting of a three-carbon backbone (glycerol) attached to three fatty acids

Glycogen

polysaccharide in animal cells that consists of many glucose monomers

Hydrophilic

attracts water molecules

Hydrophobic

avoids water molecules

Inorganic molecule

non-carbon based molecule

Lipid

one of a class of water avoiding compounds

Monomer

small molecular unit that is the building block of a larger molecule

Monosaccharide

sugar containing one sugar unit

Organic molecule

carbon based molecule

Polymer

long chain of small molecular units

Polysaccharide

long polymer chain made up of simple sugar monomers

Saturated fat

fat in which all three fatty acid chains contain the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms

Starch

polysaccharide in plant cells that consists entirely of glucose monomers

Steroid

lipid molecule with four fused rings

Unsaturated fat

fat with less than the maximum number of hydrogens in one of more of its fatty acid chains