BIOL 1051 - Week 3 Carbohydrates & Lipids Vocabulary

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards generated from BIOL 1051 Week 3 study notes on Carbohydrates and Lipids.

Amphipathic

Having both a hydrophilic region and a hydrophobic region.

Carbohydrate

Biological molecule composed mainly of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically following a ratio of $1:2:1$, important in energy and structure.

Cellulose

Structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls that functions as dietary fibre for humans.

Chitin

Structural polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and fungal cell walls.

Dehydration synthesis

Reaction that joins smaller molecules while releasing water.

Disaccharide

Carbohydrate made of two monosaccharides joined together by a glycosidic bond.

Fatty acid

A long hydrocarbon chain with a carboxyl group; component of many lipids.

Fructose

Monosaccharide found naturally in fruits and as part of sucrose.

Galactose

Monosaccharide that combines with glucose to form lactose.

Glucose

Monosaccharide ($C_6H_{12}O_6$) that serves as an important cellular energy source during cellular respiration to support ATP production.

Glycerol

Three-carbon molecule forming the backbone of triglycerides and phospholipids.

Glycogen

Highly branched glucose-storage polysaccharide in animals, stored especially in the liver and skeletal muscle.

Glycosidic bond

Covalent bond linking monosaccharides together.

Hydrolysis

Reaction that breaks a covalent bond by adding water.

Hydrophilic

Interacts readily with water.

Hydrophobic

Does not mix readily with water; typically nonpolar.

Lactose

Disaccharide composed of glucose and galactose, commonly known as milk sugar.

Lipid

Hydrophobic biological molecule; major groups include fats/oils (triglycerides), phospholipids, steroids, and waxes.

Maltose

Disaccharide composed of two glucose units; produced during starch breakdown.

Monomer

Small building block that can be joined into a larger molecule.

Monosaccharide

Single sugar unit; the simplest carbohydrate and building block for larger carbohydrates.

Monounsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acid containing one carbon-carbon double bond ($C=C$).

Phospholipid

Amphipathic lipid containing glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate-containing group.

Polymer

Large molecule formed from repeating or related smaller units.

Polysaccharide

Large carbohydrate made of many monosaccharides linked together.

Polyunsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acid containing more than one carbon-carbon double bond ($C=C$).

Saturated fatty acid

Fatty acid with no carbon-carbon double bonds ($C=C$) in its hydrocarbon chain.

Starch

Plant glucose-storage polysaccharide that humans can digest.

Steroid

Hydrophobic lipid characterized by a structure of four fused carbon rings.

Sucrose

Disaccharide composed of glucose and fructose, commonly known as table sugar.

Triglyceride

Major energy-storage lipid made from one glycerol molecule and three fatty acids.

Unsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acid containing one or more carbon-carbon double bonds ($C=C$).

Cholesterol

Steroid that serves as an important component of animal cell membranes and a precursor used to make steroid hormones.

Cellulase

Enzyme required to break down cellulose, which humans lack.