2.1 Molecules to Metabolism

Question 1

What is an organic compound?

Answer 1

A compound that contains carbon and is found in living things.
except for carbides, carbonates, oxides of carbon, and cyanides

Question 2

What makes carbon so easy to bond with other atoms?

Answer 2

It can form four covalent bonds since it has 4 valence electrons (capacity of 8 electrons total).

Question 3

What are the four principle groups of carbon compounds?

Answer 3

Carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

Question 4

What is the structure and function of carbohydrates?

Answer 4

S—composed of C, H, O atoms, found in DNA+RNA
F—short-term energy storage, found in recognition molecules (ex. glycoproteins)

Question 5

What is the structure and function of lipids?

Answer 5

S—non-polar, hydrophobic molecules
F—major component of membranes found in phospholipids and cholesterol, long-term energy storage, signalling molecule (in steroids)

Question 6

What is the structure and function of nucleic acids?

Answer 6

S—genetic material of all cells
F—determines inherited features of an organism, DNA is master coder for protein assembly, RNA manufactures proteins

Question 7

What is the structure and function of proteins?

Answer 7

S—composed of C, H, O, and N atoms (some have S)
F—involved in catalysis bc all enzymes are proteins, cellular signalling in transduction pathways

Question 8

What is an inorganic compound?

Answer 8

A compound that does not contain carbon

Question 9

What is the relationship between monomers and polymers?

Answer 9

Monomers that make up carbohydrates, nucleic acids, and proteins are built into polymers through polymerisation to form organic molecules.
lipids do not contain monomers

Question 10

What are carbohydrates composed of?

Answer 10

Monomers called monosaccharides. They make up disaccharides (2) and polysaccharides (3+).

Question 11

What are lipids composed of?

Answer 11

They are composed of fatty acid chains, which are long chains of hydrocarbons.

Question 12

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated compounds?

Answer 12

Saturated compounds do not contain double bonds, where as unsaturated compounds do.

Question 13

What are proteins composed of?

Answer 13

They are composed of monomers called amino acids, that join to form polypeptide chains.

Question 14

What is the structure of an amino acid?

Answer 14

A central carbon connected to an amine group (NH2) and carboxyl group (COOH) and a variable group, denoted ‘R’.

Question 15

What are nucleic acids composed of?

Answer 15

They are composed of monomers called nucleotides that join to form polynucleotide chains.

Question 16

What is a nucleotide composed of?

Answer 16

A pentose sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Question 17

What are the 3 main types of lipids?

Answer 17

simple lipids (triglycerides), compound lipids (phospholipids & glycoplipids), and derived lipids (steroids).

Question 18

What is a dipeptide?

Answer 18

The fusion of two amino acids through peptide bonds.

Question 19

How are polypeptide chains formed?

Answer 19

Multiple dipeptide formations and bondings.

Question 20

How are polynucleotide chains formed?

Answer 20

Nucleotides form bonds between pentose sugar and phosphate groups.

Question 21

How is DNA formed?

Answer 21

2 complementary chains of polynucleotides will pair up through hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases to form double strands, which twists into a double helix.

Question 22

What are the functions of metabolic reactions?

Answer 22

The provide a source of energy for the cellular processes (MR. SHENG). They also enable synthesis and assimilation of new materials within the cell.

Question 23

What are condensation reactions?

Answer 23

When monomers are covalently joined in the presence of an enzyme to catalyze, and water is a byproduct.

Question 24

What is an anabolic reaction?

Answer 24

Metabolic reactions that use simple molecules to build up complex molecules through condensation reactions.

Question 25

What is an example of an anabolic reaction?

Answer 25

Amino acids are joined via peptide bonds to form polypeptide chains.

Question 26

What is a hydrolysis reaction?

Answer 26

The consumption of water molecules to break down polymer bonds in presence of an enzyme to catalyze.

Question 27

What is an example of a hydrolysis reaction?

Answer 27

-Starch (polysaccharides)–> glucose molecules
-Protein (polypeptides)–>amino acids
-Lipid (tryglycerides)–>fatty acids + glycerol molecules

Question 28

What is a catabolic reaction?

Answer 28

A set of metabolic reactions that break down complex molecules into simple molecules via hydrolysis reactions.

Question 29

What is an example of an catabolic reaction?

Answer 29

Glycolysis