Chapter 1.2 - Biologically Important Molecules Flashcards
(38 cards)
What is a polymer?
It is a large molecule composed of repeating units of smaller molecules.
What is a macromolecule?
It is a large, complex molecule, usually composed of repeating units of smaller molecules covalently linked together.
What is a monomer?
It is the smallest repeating unit of a polymer.
What is a carbohydrate?
A biological macromolecule that contains carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio.
What is a monosaccharide?
It is a carbohydrate composed of between three to seven carbon atoms.
What is an isomer?
It is one of two or more molecules with the same number and type of atoms, but different structural arrangements.
What is a disaccharide?
A carbohydrate composed of two monosaccharides joined by a covalent bond.
What is the glucose formula?
C6H12O6
What is the covalent bond formed between monosaccharides called?
A glycosidic linkage.
What is a polysaccharide?
A carbohydrate polymer composed of many monosaccharides joined by covalent bonds between particular atoms.
What are lipids?
It is a biological macromolecule composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms with a high proportion of non-polar carbon-hydrogen bonds.
What is a triglyceride?
It is a lipid molecule composed of a glycerol molecule and three fatty acids linked by ester bonds.
What is a fatty acid?
A hydrocarbon chain ending in a carboxyl group.
What is a phosphollipid?
A lipid composed of a glycerol molecule bonded to two fatty acids and a phosphate group with an R group.
What is a lipid bilayer?
A structure with hydrophilic “heads” of phospholipids directed toward the aqueous environment and hydrophobic “tails” directed towards the centre, interacting with each other.
Are fatty acids saturated or unsaturated?
They can be both.
Saturated - no double bonds between carbon atoms.
Unsaturated - one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.
What is a steroid?
It is a lipid composed of four attached carbon-based rings.
What does testosterone do?
It regulates sexual function and aids in building bone and muscle mass.
What does estrogen do?
Regulates sex functions in females, acts to increase the storage of fats.
What does steroids do in medicine?
They are used to reduce inflammation.
What is wax?
Wax is a lipid composed of long carbon-based chains that are solids at room temperature.
What does wax do in plants?
It covers the surface of leaves, preventing wager and solutes from escaping and helping to repel insects.
What is wax in animals?
Wax is found on the skin, fur and feathers of many animals and in the exoskeleton of insects.
What is a protein?
It is a biological macromolecule composed of amino acid monomers linked by covalent bonds.
