Chapter 3 - The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

Question 1

carbon

Answer 1

• Fundamental to life
• Bonds with C or other molecules
• Can form up to 4 covalent bonds
• Reduced C stores energy
• Can be bonded to functional groups with specific properties

Question 2

hydrolysis

Answer 2

The breakdown of large molecules by the addition of water.

Polymers broken down into monomers.

Question 3

dehydration synthesis

Answer 3

Formation of large molecules by the removal of water.

Monomers joined to form polymers.

Question 4

denaturation (defn and causes)

Answer 4

• The change in the shape of a protein, usually causing loss of function, such as complete unfolding.
• Caused by pH, temperature, salt concentration

Question 5

amino (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 5

• Functional group: one N single-bonded to two H in “bent” shape, on end of molecule
• Found in: proteins, nucleic acids

Question 6

carboxyl (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 6

• Functional group: one C double-bonded to one O (above) and single-bonded to one OH (below) in “bent” shape, on end of molecule
• Found in: proteins, lipids

Question 7

carbonyl (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 7

• Functional group: One C double-bonded to one O, in middle of molecule
• Found in: carbohydrates, nucleic acids

Question 8

methyl (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 8

• Functional group: one C single-bonded to 3 H, on end/outside of molecule
• Found in: proteins

Question 9

hydroxyl (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 9

• Functional group: one OH single-bonded to end of molecule

* Found in: carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, lipids

Question 10

phosphate (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 10

• Functional group: one P double-bonded to one O and single-bonded to 3 more O in tetrahedryl(?) shape, on end of molecule
• Found in: nucleic acids

Question 11

sulfhydryl (structure and macromolecules found in)

Answer 11

• Functional group: one S single-bonded to one H, on end of molecule
• Found in: proteins

Question 12

amino acid

Answer 12

• Monomer that composes the polymers that are proteins.
• There are 20 different kinds.
• Joined by peptide bonds (covalent)
• Structure: a central C bonded to one amino group, one carboxyl group, one H, and an R group (which determines the unique character of the 20 different amino acids).

Question 13

protein (defn and functions)

Answer 13

Polymers of amino acids. (shape and specific order of amino acid monomers determines the structure and function)
Functions:
* enzyme catalysts
* defense (anti-bodies)
* transport (iron in living things, bind O)
* support (can be structural, connective tissue, ligaments)
* motion (muscles contracting)
* regulation (turn on/off other processes)
* storage (of amino acids)

Question 14

fatty acid

Answer 14

Long hydrocarbon chains that can be saturated, unsaturated, or polyunsaturated.

Question 15

trigylceride

Answer 15

• A lipid.
• One glycerol and 3 fatty acids.
• Excellent energy storage, used by animals.
• Stores twice as much fat as carbohydrates.
• Saturated - solid at room temperature

Question 16

enzyme

Answer 16

A protein catalyst - speeds up specific chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Question 17

peptide bond

Answer 17

Links amino acids together in proteins through dehydration synthesis (covalent).

Question 18

nucleotide (defn and composition)

Answer 18

• Monomer of nucleic acids.
• Consists of a 5-carbon sugar (either ribose or deoxyribose), phosphate, and a nitrogenous base (either a purine or pyrimidine).

Question 19

nucleic acid

Answer 19

• A polymer of nucleotide monomers, connected with phosphodiester bonds
• Primarily either RNA, or DNA.

Question 20

DNA

Answer 20

• Deoxyribonucleic acid
• double-stranded in a double helix, connected by H bonds.
• Nitrogenous bases consist of adenine, guanine, thymine, and cytosine.
• Mostly for information storage (built up). Read to build proteins. Also, genetic information stored in the sequence of nucleotides.

Question 21

RNA

Answer 21

• Ribonucleic acid, single-stranded.
• Nitrogenous bases consist of adenine, guanine, uracil, and cytosine.
• Mostly for info retrieval (broken down). Reads DNA for protein construction (directs their synthesis) and genetic information.

Question 22

lipid

Answer 22

• Fats (triglycerides) and phospholipids
• Hydrophobic (caused by high proportion of C-H bonds)
• symmetrical

Question 23

phospholipid (defn and composition)

Answer 23

• Basis of biological membranes, with a polar “head” and non-polar “tails”.
• Composed of
• 1 glycerol
• 2 fatty acids
• a phosphate group

Question 24

saturation

Answer 24

In fats, the maximum number of hydrogen atoms possible are bonded to internal carbons.

Question 25

carbohydrate

Answer 25

* Molecules with a 1:2:1 ratio of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen * Good energy storage molecules (C-H bonds hold lots of energy) * Ex: sugars, starch, glucose

Question 26

monosaccharide

Answer 26

* A single 6-carbon sugar * Very important in energy storage * Ex: glucose, fructose

Question 27

disaccharide

Answer 27

* 2 monosaccharides linked together (by dehydration synthesis). Used for sugar transport or energy storage. * Ex: sucrose, lactose

Question 28

polysaccharide

Answer 28

* Long chains of sugars, used for energy storage. * Plant form is starch; animal form is glycogen. * Used for structural support; plants use cellulose, animals use chitin.

Question 29

fructose

Answer 29

A structural isomer of glucose (same molecular formula). The "fruit" sugar.

Question 30

sucrose

Answer 30

A disaccharide of one glucose and one fructose. (table sugar) The form most plants use to transport glucose.

Question 31

maltose

Answer 31

A disaccharide, used in grain for glucose storage.

Question 32

starch

Answer 32

A polymer of glucose monosaccharides for storage, such as in chloroplasts.

Question 33

cellulose

Answer 33

A polymer of glucose monosaccharides. Substance of cell walls in plants.

Question 34

glycogen

Answer 34

A polymer of glucose monosaccharides for energy storage in animals. Stored in a branching structure (like a bush) to quickly store or release sugar molecules.

Question 35

chitin

Answer 35

A polymer of a version of glucose (N-acetylglucosamine). Substance found in arthropods (like lobster shells) and fungi cell walls.

Question 36

primary structure

Answer 36

Amino acid sequence in proteins. Backbone is always N-C-C repeating.

Question 37

secondary structure

Answer 37

Protein structure when you add H bonding to a primary structure (alpha helix or beta pleated sheet).

Question 38

tertiary structure

Answer 38

Final 3D shape of a protein with regions of different secondary structures. Shape determines its activity (proteins need a tertiary structure in order to function)

Question 39

quaternary structure

Answer 39

The final structure of a protein, when multiple polypeptides are involved in tertiary structure.

Question 40

alpha helix

Answer 40

Coiled shape of a protein in secondary structure, bonded in shape by H bonds.

Question 41

beta pleated sheet

Answer 41

Bend-and-folded shape of a protein in secondary structure, bonded in shape by H bonds.

Question 42

adenine

Answer 42

Purine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.

Question 43

guanine

Answer 43

Purine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.

Question 44

cytosine

Answer 44

Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found in both DNA and RNA.

Question 45

uracil

Answer 45

Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found only in RNA.

Question 46

thymine

Answer 46

Pyrimidine type nitrogenous base element in a nucleotide. Found only in DNA.

Question 47

monomer

Answer 47

The smallest unit of a polymer.

Question 48

polymer

Answer 48

A molecule composed of many similar or identical molecular subunits (monomers).

Question 49

isomer

Answer 49

One of a group of molecules identical in atomic composition but differing in structural arrangement; for example, glucose and fructose.