IB biology: topic 2: molecular biology

what are the four major organic molecules?

proteins, fats, carbohydrates, nucleic acids

what is the monomer of protein?

amino acid

what are the monomers of fat? (2)

fatty acids and glycerol

what are the monomers of carbohydrates? (2)

glucose and ribose (and more)

what is the monomer of nucleic acid?

nucleotides

what do functional groups do?

give organic compounds their different properties

what is the functional group of hydroxyl?

OH-

what is the functional group of methyl?

CH₃

what is the functional group of carbonyl?

C=O

what is the functional group of carboxyl?

COOH

what is the functional group of amino?

NH₂

what is metabolidm?

the sum total of reactions within our cells

what is anabolism?

syntehsis of complex molecules (macromolecules) from simpler molecules (monomers) by condensation reaction

what is catabolism?

the break down of complex molecules (macromolecules) into simpler molecules (monoers) by hydrolysis

who was Friedrich Wohler?

the first person to artificially synthesise urea

what was Vitalism?

the belief that all organic compounds could only be formed by the presence of the Vital Principle (a mystic life force)

what was used as evidence to disprove Vitalism?

Friedrich Wohler's artificial synthesis of urea

what did disproving Vitalism tell us about life?

that it was just a series of chemical reactions

what is a key example of a condensation reaction?

peptide bond formation

what is a condensation reaction?

two molecules are joined together by a covalent bond with the loss of water

describe the formation of a peptide bond between amino acids

the covalent bond between the carboxyl end of one amino acid molecule is joined together with the amino acid end of another, many amino acids join together to form a polypeptide

what is hydrolysis?

the addition of water to break down a large molecule into smaller ones

what is an example of a hydrolysis reaction?

a polypeptide is broken down into amino acids/dipeptides

what is delta?

a little bit

in water, what is delta positive?

hydrogen

in water, what is delta negative?

oxygen

what is cohesion?

attraction between molecules of the same substance (water)

what is adhesion?

an attraction between molecules of different substances (water + other)