Chapter 3 – Biological Macromolecules

A set of vocabulary flashcards based on Chapter 3 lecture notes covering biological macromolecules, including definitions related to organic molecules, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and energy carriers.

Organic Molecule

Molecules that contain carbon and hydrogen, usually larger than inorganic molecules, held together by covalent bonds.

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, providing energy and structural material.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugars that consist of a single chain or ring structure, such as glucose and fructose.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates formed from two bonded monosaccharides, examples include sucrose and lactose.

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates comprising long chains of monosaccharides, examples include starch and cellulose.

Lipids

Organic molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and often phosphorus, which are insoluble in water and serve various functions.

Triglycerides

A type of lipid composed of three fatty acids bonded to glycerol, functioning as an energy source.

Saturated Fat

Fat with fatty acid chains that have only single covalent bonds, typically solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fat

Fat with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms, usually liquid at room temperature.

Phospholipids

Fat molecules that contain two fatty acid chains and a phosphate group, crucial for cellular membranes.

Steroids

Flat molecules composed of four carbon rings, involved in cellular structure and hormone production.

Proteins

Organic molecules made of amino acids, serving structural, enzymatic, and regulatory functions in organisms.

Amino Acids

Building blocks of proteins, there are 20 different types used to create proteins.

Peptide Bonds

Covalent bonds that link amino acids together in a protein.

Nucleic Acids

Large molecules such as DNA and RNA, containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus, responsible for genetic information.

Nucleotides

The building blocks of nucleic acids, composed of a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The universal energy carrier in living systems, composed of adenine, ribose, and three phosphates.

Complementary Base Pairing

The specific pairing of nucleotide bases in DNA (A with T and C with G) that enables replication.