Biological Molecules B1 Flashcards
What are polymers?
Polymers are large and complex molecules made up of long chains of monomers joined together (e.g. DNA, made up of nucleotide monomers)
What are monomers?
Monomers are small and basic molecular units.
What are lipids made from and state 2 other characteristics.
Lipids are made from glycerol and 3 other fatty acids, lipids are also broken down by the enzyme lipase and lipids are monomers.
What are carbohydrates made from and state 2 other characteristics.
Carbohydrates are made from simple sugars (e.g. glucose). Carbohydrates are polymers and are broken down by the enzyme carbohydrase.
What are proteins made from and state 2 other characteristics.
Proteins are made from amino acids. Protein are polymers and are broken down by the enzyme protease.
What elements do carbohydrate and lipid molecules contain?
Carbohydrate and lipid molecules contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
What elements do proteins contain?
Amino acids contain carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen.
What is emulsification?
Emulsification is where lipids need to be broken down into smaller droplets to make them more digestible.
Explain how polymers are broken down.
During digestion, polymers are broken down by enzymes into monomers (e.g. proteins are broken down by protease to form amino acids)
Why are biological molecules important?
Glucose from carbohydrates can be used in respiration. Amino acids from proteins can be used to make useful proteins (e.g. enzymes and hormones). Glycerol and fatty acids can be used to make useful lipids.
