Biological molecules

Question 1

Condensation reaction

Answer 1

A reaction that occurs when two molecules are joined together with the removal of water.

Question 2

Hydrolysis reaction

Answer 2

A reaction that occurs when a molecule is split into two smaller molecules with the addition of water.

Question 3

Hydrogen bond

Answer 3

A weak interaction that can occur wherever molecules contain a slightly negatively charged atom bonded to a slightly positively charged hydrogen atom.

Question 4

Polar

Answer 4

where the charge is not evenly distributed across the particle

Question 5

Monomer

Answer 5

a small molecule which binds to many other identical molecules to form a polymer

Question 6

Polymer

Answer 6

a large molecule made from many smaller molecules called monomers

Question 7

covalent bond

Answer 7

Formed when electrons are shared between atoms. These bonds are very strong.

Question 8

solvent

Answer 8

a liquid that dissolves a solid, liquid or gaseous solute

Question 9

solute

Answer 9

a substance that can be dissolved in another substance

Question 10

glycosidic bond

Answer 10

a bond formed between two monosaccharide residues joined by a condensation reaction

Question 11

disaccharide

Answer 11

any of a class of sugars whose molecules contain two monosaccharide residues joined by a condensation reaction

Question 12

Polysaccharide

Answer 12

Polymers of monosaccharides that are made of hundreds or thousands of monosaccharide monomers bonded together.

Question 13

reducing sugar

Answer 13

A sugar that is capable of acting as a reducing agent (gives electrons to another molecule)

Question 14

Non-reducing
sugar

Answer 14

A sugar that is not capable of acting as a reducing agent.

Question 15

glycogen

Answer 15

The energy store in animals. Large Polysaccharide molecule made of many alpha glucose residues joined by condensation reactions. It has both alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 glycosidic bonds.

Question 16

amylose

Answer 16

A polysaccharide made up of between 100 to 1000 alpha glucose molecules. It is a constituent of starch (the energy store in plants). It only has 1,4-glycosidic bonds.

Question 17

Amylopectin

Answer 17

Another constituent of starch (the energy store in plants). It has both alpha 1,4 and 1,6-glycosidic bonds.

Question 18

Water potential

Answer 18

Measure of the tendency of water molecules to diffuse from one region to another.

Question 19

Macromolecule

Answer 19

A very large, organic molecule

Question 20

Triglyceride

Answer 20

A lipid consisting of glycerol and three fatty acids.

Question 21

Phospholipids

Answer 21

A lipid consisting of glycerol, two fatty acids and one phosphate group.

Question 22

Hydrophyllic

Answer 22

Attracted to water

Question 23

Hyrophobic

Answer 23

repelled by water

Question 24

Amino acids

Answer 24

monomers of all proteins. All amino acids have the same basic structure

Question 25

peptide bond

Answer 25

a bond formed when two amino acids are joined by a condensation reaction

Question 26

primary structure

Answer 26

sequence of amino acids found in a polypeptide chain

Question 27

secondary structure

Answer 27

the coiling or folding of an amino acid chain, which arises often as a result of hydrogen bonding forming between different parts of the chain. The main forms of secondary structure are the alpha helix and beta pleated sheet

Question 28

tertiary structure

Answer 28

the overall 3D shape of a protein molecule. Its shape arises due to interactions including hydrogen bonding, disulfide bridges, ionic bonds and hydrophobic/hydrophyllic interactions

Question 29

quaternary structure

Answer 29

protein structure where a protein consists of more than one polypeptide chain

Question 30

conjugated protein

Answer 30

a protein associated with a non-protein component (prosthetic group)

Question 31

prosthetic group

Answer 31

a non-protein component that is covalently bound to a protein

Question 32

colorimeter

Answer 32

an intrument for measuring the absorbance of different wavelengths of light in solution