biomacromolecuels 2

Biomacromolecule

A large biological molecule needed by living organisms.

Monomer

A small molecule that joins with other monomers to form a polymer.

Polymer

A large molecule made of many repeating monomers.

Carbohydrate Structure

Made mainly of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Functions of Carbohydrates

Provides energy, stores energy, and provides structural support.

Monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule and the simplest carbohydrate.

Polysaccharide

A carbohydrate made of many monosaccharides joined together.

Glucose

A simple sugar used by cells as a major source of energy.

Starch

A polysaccharide made of many glucose molecules that stores energy in plants.

Lipids Structure

Made mainly from glycerol and fatty acids.

Functions of Lipids

Long-term energy storage, insulation, protection, and cell membranes.

Proteins Structure

Chains of amino acids folded into specific shapes.

Functions of Proteins

Build structures, transport substances, defend the body, and act as enzymes.

Nucleic Acids Structure

Chains of nucleotides.

Functions of Nucleic Acids

Store and transmit genetic information.

Adenosine

A molecule made from adenine and ribose sugar; part of ATP.

Thymine

A DNA base that pairs with adenine.

Cytosine

A DNA and RNA base that pairs with guanine.

Guanine

A DNA and RNA base that pairs with cytosine.

Uracil

An RNA base that pairs with adenine.

Double helix

The twisted ladder shape of DNA.

Hydrolysis

Uses water to break a large molecule into smaller molecules.

Condensation polymerisation

Joins monomers together to form a polymer and releases water.

Glycosidic bond

A bond that joins sugar molecules.

Phosphodiester bond

A bond that joins nucleotides in DNA and RNA.

Peptide bond

A bond that joins amino acids together.

Cell membrane

A boundary around the cell that controls what enters and leaves.

Semi-permeable

Allows some substances through but blocks others.

Diffusion

Movement of particles from high concentration to low concentration.

Facilitated diffusion

Movement from high to low concentration through membrane proteins.

Osmosis

Movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

Active transport

Movement from low to high concentration using ATP.

Concentration gradient

The difference in concentration between two areas.

Solvent

A substance that dissolves another substance.

Solute

A substance that is dissolved in a solvent.

Hypotonic

A solution with a lower solute concentration than the cell.

Isotonic

A solution with the same solute concentration as the cell.

Hypertonic

A solution with a higher solute concentration than the cell.

Turgid

A plant cell that is swollen and firm because it has gained water.

Plasmolysis

When a plant cell loses water and its membrane pulls away from the cell wall.

Endocytosis

The process of bringing substances into a cell using the cell membrane.

Exocytosis

The process of moving substances out of a cell using vesicles.

Independent variable

The variable deliberately changed by the experimenter.

Dependent variable

The variable measured or observed.

Controlled variables

Variables kept the same to make the experiment fair.

Hypothesis

A testable prediction about what will happen in an experiment.

Limitation

A factor that restricts the accuracy or reliability of an experiment.

Precision

How close repeated measurements are to each other.

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the true value.

Random errors

Unpredictable errors that cause results to vary.

Systematic errors

Consistent errors that shift results in the same direction.

Outlier

A result that is very different from the other results.

Qualitative

Data described using words or observations.

Quantitative

Data represented using numbers.

Primary data

Data collected directly by the researcher.

Secondary data

Data collected by someone else.

Continuous data

Numerical data that can have any value within a range.

Discontinuous data

Data that can only have specific values.

Validity

How well an experiment actually tests what it is supposed to test.

Control group

A group used for comparison that does not receive the experimental treatment.

Experimental groups

Groups that receive the experimental treatment.

Reliability

How consistently an experiment produces similar results.

Phototrophs

Organisms that obtain energy from light.

Chemotrophs

Organisms that obtain energy from chemicals.

Autotrophs

Organisms that make their own food.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain food by consuming other organisms or organic matter.

Photosynthesis equation

Carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen.

Chloroplasts

Organelles where photosynthesis occurs.

ATP

A molecule that stores and transfers usable energy in cells.

Aerobic respiration equation

Glucose + oxygen → carbon dioxide + water + ATP.

Mitochondria

Organelles where most aerobic respiration occurs.

Anaerobic respiration

The release of energy from glucose without oxygen.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions without being used up.