Unit two, molecules of life

What makes a molecule organic?

they have carbon in them

how many valence electrons does carbon have?

4

how many bonds can carbon create?

4

what element forms the backbone of most organic molecules?

Carbon

What element can bond to itself to create a variety of skeletons to form?

carbon

What is Hydrolysis?

water being added as a reactant and the disaccharide breaks down into two monosaccharides.

what is dehydration?

an “OH” and “H” are being removed (forming water - H2O), which enables 2 monosaccharides to bond together, creating a disaccharide

what element are found in carbohydrates?

Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen

what is the ratio of atoms found within a Carbohydrate molecule?

C1H2O1; 1:2:1

what are the building blocks of polymers?

monomers

What is starch?

a polysaccharide made from many molecules of glucose.

what is glucose?

the monomer of the polymer starch.

carbohydrates are an energy source/storage for what?

Animals AND Plants

Carbohydrates are a structural component of what?

Plants only

What is a monosaccharide?

”simple sugar” (one sugar unit); monomer of carbohydrates. Ex: Glucose, fructose

what is a disaccharide

”double sugar”; made of 2 monosaccharides. EX: sucrose

what is a Polysaccharide?

”complex carbs”; long polymer chains made up of many monosaccharides. Ex: starch, cellulose

what is the structure of starch?

glucose monomers linked in a single straight chain

What is the structure of glycogen?

Glucose monomers linked in a highly branched structure

What is the structure of cellulose?

Glucose monomers bonded in multiple chains

What is the function of starch?

Simple stock piles for plants to break down for energy

What is the function of glycogen?

How sugars are stored in animal cells like liver and muscle cells and humans

What is the function of cellulose

It is used as structural building materials. It protects the plant cell and helps stiffen the plant.

What is starch in?

plants only

What is glycogen in?

animals only

what is cellulose in?

plants only

what is chitin and what is its purpose?

a polysaccharide that is an important structural component of arthropod excess exoskeletons, and fungal cell walls

What elements are found in lipids?

carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen

why are fats(lipids) considered nonpolar?

Because they don’t have a linear shape

are lipids soluble in water?

no, they aren’t polar so a water molecule couldn’t attach to one.

what are the three main functions of lipids in living organisms?

long term energy storage, waterproof coverings, and structural components of biological membranes(cells)

what functions do triglycerides serve in the body?

they are the major form of fat storage in the body

what are unsaturated fats?

fats that contain one or more double bond, that are liquid at room temperature, found in plant sources.

what are saturated fats?

fats that are all carbon atoms fully surrounded by hydrogen atoms that are solid at room temperature, and found in animal/dairy products.

what is a phospholipid?

they are major components of cell membranes, which are also structurally similar to fats, except they only have two fatty acids attached to a glycerol.

What is the polar side of a phospholipid?

the phosphate group

What is the nonpolar side of the phospholipid?

The lipids(tails/fatty acids)

why are the hydrophilic parts of a phospholipid on the outside?

Because the hydrophilic parts need to be the parts in contact with the water.

what are the functions and structure of steroids?

steroids have a carbon skeleton with four fuse rings. They have two functions: one act as a chemical signals in the body and two they help maintain the structure and fluidity of the cell membrane.

what is the purpose of cholesterol?

It helps keep phospholipids spaced out in animal cell membranes , and they are used as starting materials for other steroids

What elements are found in proteins?

carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen oxygen and sometimes Sulfur.

what are the monomers of proteins?

Amino acids

how many amino acids combinations can bond via peptide bonds to form large proteins?

20

what are the four functions that proteins serve we have to know?

they help cells keep their shape, they area major components of muscles, they move items in and out of cells, and they send/recieve signals.

what is denaturization and how does it connect to the shape of a protein?

it is when a protein unravels and loses its shape; this is a problem because the protein will no longer perform. It’s intended function.

what are some common causes of denaturization?

heat, acids, bases, and solvents

What is the importance of a protein’s primary structure?

It essentially shows the sequence of amino acids, which in turn decide a protein’s shape, and therefore, it function.