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Biology 9700 > Biochemistry > Flashcards

Biochemistry Flashcards

(74 cards)

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1
Q

What are the three types of macromolecules?

A

Polysaccharides
Polypeptides
Polynucleotides

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2
Q

What is a polymer?

A

A giant molecule formed as a result of the joining together of many repeating subunits in a chain.

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3
Q

What is a monomer?

A

A simple molecule that forms the basic building block for the synthesis of a polymer

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4
Q

What type of bonds are involved in the formation of polymers from monomers?

A

Covalent bonds

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5
Q

What is a condensation reaction?

A

A chemical reaction that involves the joining of molecules together by the removal of water.

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6
Q

What is hydrolysis?

A

A chemical reaction which involves the breaking down of polymers by the addition of a water molecule.

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7
Q

What are the monomers of the three types of macromolecules?

A

Monosaccharides
Amino acids
Nucleotides

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8
Q

What is the general formula for a carbohydrate?

A

Cx(H2O)y

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9
Q

What is the general formula for a monosaccharide?

A

(CH2O)n

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10
Q

The main types of monosaccharides are classified according to what?

A

The number of carbon atoms in that molecule.

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11
Q

What are the three types of monosaccharides?

A

Trioses (3C)
Pentoses (5C)
Hexoses (6C)

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12
Q

Give examples of Pentoses.

A

Ribose
Deoxyribose

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13
Q

Give examples of Hexoses.

A

Glucose
Mannose
Sorbose
Galactose
Fructose

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14
Q

What is the minimum requirement of Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen for something to be considered a sugar?

A

It should have at least one carbonyl group (C=O) and at least 2 hydroxyl groups (C-OH)

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15
Q

What are isomers?

A

These are molecules with the same type and number of atoms but arranged in different ways.

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16
Q

What are the two types of isomerism?

A

Structural isomerism
Stereoisomerism

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17
Q

What is structural isomerism?

A

Have the same number and type of atoms in the molecules but the atoms are connected differently.

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18
Q

What is stereoisomerism?

A

Have the same number and type and sequence of bonding of the atoms in the molecule but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms in space.

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19
Q

What are aldehydes?

A

These are molecules with the carbonyl group at the end of the molecule.

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20
Q

What are ketones?

A

These are molecules with the carbonyl group away from the end of the molecule.

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21
Q

Do ketones and aldehydes react the same?

A

No

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22
Q

What are the two forms of glucose? (isomers of glucose)

A

Alpha glucose
Beta glucose

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23
Q

What results in the functional differences between carbohydrates?

A

The structural differences of alpha and beta glucose.

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24
Q

What is the sequence of the hydroxyl group in alpha glucose? (In terms of up and down)

A

Down
Down
Up
Down
Up

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25
What is the sequence of the hydroxyl group in beta glucose?
Up Down Up Down Up
26
What are the two major functions of monosaccharides?
Energy source Building block for larger molecules
27
Why are monosaccharides used as a source of energy?
They have a large number of C-H bonds that can be broken to release a lot of energy that is used to help make ATP from ADP plus phosphate in the process of respiration.
28
Are all monosaccharides reducing sugars or non-reducing sugars?
Reducing sugars
29
What is a disaccharide?
A sugar molecule made up of two monosaccharides joined together by a glycosidic bond in a condensation reaction
30
Give the three main disaccharides.
Maltose Sucrose Lactose
31
What is Maltose made up of?
Alpha Glucose + Alpha Glucose
32
What is Sucrose made up of?
Glucose + Fructose
33
What is Lactose made up of?
Glucose + Galactose
34
What occurs during the formation of a disaccharide such as maltose?
Two monosaccharide units of Alpha glucose line up next to each other such that they have -OH groups lined up next to each other as well. In a condensation reaction, the two hydrogens here and an oxygen from one of the glucose units combine to form water, leaving a bond to oxygen by both glucose units. This is called a glycosidic bond.
35
What is a glycosidic bond?
This a C-O-C bond formed between two sugar molecules formed by a chemical reaction called condensation.
36
What kind of link is formed between two alpha glucose units to form a disaccharide?
1a-4 glycosidic link
37
What is a polysaccharide?
This is a polymer whose subunits are monosaccharides joined together by glycosidic bonds in condensation reactions.
38
Are polysaccharides sugars?
No
39
Give four examples of polymers of glucose.
Starch Glycogen Cellulose Chitin
40
What isomer of glucose is Starch made up of?
Alpha Glucose
41
What isomer of glucose is Glycogen made up of?
Alpha Glucose
42
What isomer of glucose is Cellulose made up of?
Beta Glucose
43
Describe the breakage of the glycosidic bond present in sucrose by hydrolysis, with reference to the non-reducing sugar test and the reducing sugar test.
Sucrose is a non-reducing sugar that gives a negative result for the Benedict's test. When sucrose is heated with hydrochloric acid this produces the water that hydrolyses the glycosidic bond and results in two monosaccharide units. Because monosaccharides are reducing sugars, this will result in a positive result for the Benedict's test.
44
Why must glucose be stored in the right form?
If left simply as just glucose it will accumulate in cells and affect the osmotic potential of these cells. Additionally, glucose is also really reactive so it will be able to interfere with the chemical reactions taking place in the cell.
45
What is the form of glucose in: 1. Animals 2. Plants
1. Glycogen 2. Starch
46
What are the polymers that Starch is made up of?
Amylose Amylopectin
47
What are the characteristics of Amylose?
Made up from Alpha Glucose Has 1a-4 glycosidic bonds only Compact Small molecule Insoluble (But more soluble than Amylopectin as it has more accessible OH groups) Forms a straight chain with no branches Forms into a spiral helix Found around Amylopectin but in less abundance Turns blue/black in KI/I2
48
What are the characteristics of Amylopectin?
Made up of Alpha Glucose only Has 1a-4 and 1a-6 glycosidic bonds Branched with long chains Very compact Large molecule Insoluble Has more residues than Amylose Makes up most of Starch Turns red/violet with KI/I2
49
How does the structure of Starch impact its function?
1. Many alpha glucose units so it is a macromolecule- it has a large molecular mass so cannot come out of cells 2. Alpha glucose units linked by 1a-4 and 1a-6 glycosidic bonds- the links can be hydrolysed by amylase to free the glucose units 3. Folds into a spiral helix- has a compact shape thus maximising space for energy storage 4. Many OH groups are inaccessible to water- it is insoluble and osmotically inactive 5. Few OH groups for bonding- chemically unreactive so does not interfere with chemical reactions in the cell 6. Composed of only alpha glucose units- it is the chief respiratory substrate of cells 7. Many OH groups internally- allows for hydrogen bonding which stabilizes the structure
50
What are the characteristics of glycogen?
Made up of alpha glucose units only More branched with shorter chains Made up of 1a-4 and 1a-6 glycosidic bonds Branched/ brush-like Insoluble Large molecule Stored as granules Very compact Stored in liver and muscle cells
51
How does the fact that glycogen has shorter chains affect its hydrolysis?
They are faster to break down when energy in the animal is suddenly needed
52
Glycogen does not only exist in animal cells. Where else does it exist?
In fungal cells
53
What type of polysaccharides are Starch and Glycogen?
Storage polysaccharides
54
What type of polysaccharides are Cellulose and Chitin?
Structural polysaccharides
55
What makes up a lipid?
Fatty Acid + Glycerol = Lipid
56
In what states are fats and oils at room temperature?
Fats - solids Oils - liquids
57
What are the two main groups of lipids?
1. Phospholipids 2. Triglycerides
58
What group forms the head of a fatty acid?
Carboxyl group (COOH)
59
Usually, how many carbon atoms long is a fatty acid?
15/17
60
What does it mean to say a fatty acid is unsaturated?
In its chain it contains a double carbon-carbon bond so it does not have the maximum amount of hydrogen.
61
What does it mean to say a fatty acid is saturated?
In its chain it only contains single carbon-carbon bonds so it has the maximum amount of hydrogen.
62
What is the effect of a double carbon-carbon bond on the melting point?
It has a lower melting point
63
What is the effect of single carbon-carbon bonds on the melting point?
Higher melting point than those with double bonds
64
What do we call a tail with more than one double bond?
Polyunsaturated
65
What do we call a tail with only one double bond?
Monounsaturated
66
In what form do animal lipids occur?
Fats
67
In what form do plant lipids occur?
Oils
68
What causes the differences in the properties of different fats and oils?
The variation in the fatty acids
69
Why do polyunsaturated fatty acids have a low melting point?
They have multiple double bonds that kink. These kinks make it difficult for the chains to fit closely together, so this results in weak intermolecular forces.
70
What forms an ester?
Alcohol + Acid = Ester
71
Give an example of an ester.
A triglyceride
72
What do we need to form a triglyceride?
1. Acid - Three fatty acids 2. Alcohol - Glycerol
73
What type of bond is formed between the fatty acid tails and the glycerol?
Ester bond
74
Describe the solubility of triglycerides.
They are insoluble in water due to their non-polar and hydrophobic hydrocarbon tails. However, they are soluble in some organic solvents such as ethanol.

Biology 9700 (4 decks)

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