CAPE BIOLOGY Unit 1 MANUAL (1)

Why is water crucial for life?

Water comprises more than 70% of a cell's mass and plays key roles due to its properties, such as high specific heat capacity, being a universal solvent, and allowing mass flow.

What kind of bond is formed between the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in a water molecule?

A covalent bond.

What is a dipole in the context of water molecules?

A dipole refers to the uneven distribution of charges within a water molecule, resulting in partial positive and negative charges.

Explain the term 'hydrogen bonds' as they relate to water.

Hydrogen bonds occur due to the weak electrical attractions between water molecules caused by their polar nature.

What is the key structural difference between monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides?

Monosaccharides consist of one sugar unit, disaccharides consist of two sugar units, and polysaccharides consist of more than two sugar units.

What are examples of monosaccharides?

Glucose, fructose, ribose, galactose, glyceraldehyde.

How is sucrose formed?

Sucrose is formed from the glycosidic bond between alpha glucose and beta fructose.

What characterizes a reducing sugar?

A reducing sugar can donate electrons or reduce another molecule, often tested using Benedict's solution.

Describe the difference between amylose and glycogen.

Amylose is linear and spiral, while glycogen is also linear and spiral but has branches.

What is the role of cellulose in living organisms?

Cellulose provides structural support in cell walls.

What is a triglyceride and what role does it have?

A triglyceride is a lipid composed of three fatty acids attached to a glycerol molecule, serving as an energy reserve.

What is the significance of ester bonds in triglycerides?

Ester bonds form between the carboxyl groups of fatty acids and hydroxyl groups of glycerol, linking them together.

What defines saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

Saturated fatty acids have no double bonds between carbon atoms while unsaturated fatty acids have one or more double bonds.

Explain what hydrolysis and condensation reactions are.

Hydrolysis is the process of breaking covalent bonds using water, while condensation is the formation of a bond that releases a water molecule.

What type of bonds link glucose molecules in cellulose?

Beta 1-4 glycosidic bonds.

How do monosaccharides differ in structure from disaccharides?

Monosaccharides consist of single sugar units while disaccharides consist of two monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds.