1A - Biological Molecules

What is a polymer ?

A long chain of repeating monomer

What is a monomer ?

A small subunit

What are the monomers of a carbohydrate ?

Simple sugars

Name 4 Monosaccharides

Fructose, Galactose, Alpha Glucose and Beta Glucose

What is the difference between Alpha and Beta glucose ?

The H and OH on Carbon 1 are inverted

What is a Disaccharide ?

2 saccharides joined by a condensation reaction to form a glycosidic bond

Name the monomers in Sucrose

Fructose and Glucose

Name the monomers in Lactose

Glucose and Galactose

Name the monomers in Maltose

Two Alpha Glucose

What kind of bond joins saccharides ?

Glycosidic bond

What kind of reaction forms this bond ?

Condensation reaction

What is released everytime a bond forms ?

A water molecule

What reagent is used to test for sugar ?

Benedict’s solution

What condition does Benedict’s require to work ?

Boiled to at least 80 degrees

What do we see if a sugar is present ?

Colour change from blue → brick red

If a sugar is non-reducing, what are the first steps ?

Add HCl and then neutralise with an alkali

Name the reducing sugars

Glucose, Galactose, Fructose and Lactose

Name the non-reducing sugars

Sucrose

If the reaction forms a precipitate, how could we get quantitative results on how much sugar was present ?

Filter to remove precipitate from solution, dry and weigh precipitate - the greater the mass the more sugar was present

How could a colorimeter be used to give quantitative results ?

• Make up solutions of known sugar concentration using serial dilution and place in a colorimeter

• Create a calibration curve from the absorbance of each known concentration

• Compare unknown solution absorbancy and read off the concentration of sugar

What is a polysaccharide ?

Many monosaccharides joined by condensation reactions to form glycosidic bonds

What is the role of starch ?

Glucose storage molecules in plants for respiration

What is the role of Glycogen ?

Glucose storage molecule in animals for respiration

What is the role of Cellulose ?

Strong substance in plant cell walls

What is the monosaccharide for starch and glycogen ?

Alpha glucose

What kind of bonding is found in both starch and glycogen ?

1,4 and 1,6 glycosidic bonding

What kind of structure does 1,4 and 1,6 bonding lead to for starch and glycogen ?

Highly branched

Why is having a highly branched structure an adaptation for starch and glycogen ?

Many ends / greater surface area for faster hydrolysis / removal of glucose for respiration

Why is being helical an adaptation for starch and glycogen ?

Compact so lots can be stored in a cell

Why is being insoluble an adaptation for starch and glycogen ?

Does not affect the osmotic potential of the cell

Why is being large an adaptation for starch and glycogen ?

Cannot leave the cell

What is the monosaccharide for cellulose ?

Beta glucose

What 2 types of bonds are found in cellulose ?

1,4 glycosidic bonds and H bonding between separate strands

What is the only type of glycosidic bonding found in cellulose ?

Only 1,4 glycosidic bonding

Why does being in straight chains help cellulose ?

Allows H bonds to form between strands

Due to the presence of hydrogen bonding between different strands, what is formed in cellulose ?

Micorfibrils

The presence of microfibrils gives cellulose what characteristics ?

Rigidity and strength

What is a triglyceride made of ?

What reactions form a triglyceride ?

What bonds are found in triglycerides ?

What is an unsaturated triglyceride ?

What is a saturated triglyceride ?

How do we test for the presence of a triglyceride ?

What is a phospholipid ?

How do triglycerides and phospholipids react in water ?

What kind of bonding is found in both a triglyceride and a phospholipid ?

What molecule does a phospholipid contain that a triglyceride does not ?

Are phospholipids and triglycerides hydrophobic or hydrophilic ?

What is a similarity with both phospholipids and triglycerides ?

Describe an amino acid ?

How many different amino acids are there ?

How do we join 2 amino acids to form a dipeptide ?

What polymer do amino acids make ?

What bonds are formed between amino acids ?

What are 2 amino acids joined together called ?

How can we separate amino acids from each other ?

What characteristics do different amino acids have that allow them to be separated ?

What is the primary structure of a protein ?

How is the primary structure of a protein determined ?

What is the secondary structure of a protein ?

What is the tertiary structure of a protein ?

What is the quaternary structure of a protein ?

What is the role of an enzyme ?

What kind of biological molecule is an enzyme ?

What are the monomers in an enzyme ?

What is the test for a protein ?

How does an enzyme catalyse a reaction ?

What is the induced-fit model ?

What must both enzymes and their substrates be doing in order to reduce the activation energy ?

Describe the effect of increasing the temperature on enzyme activity

What is the optimum pH of an enzyme ?

How will increasing the concentration of enzyme affect the rate of reaction ?