Macromolecules

Question 1

1. What are monomers and polymers?

Answer 1

Monomers are small molecular subunits; polymers are chains of monomers

Question 2

What is polymerization?

Answer 2

The process of linking monomers to form polymers

Question 3

What type of reaction forms polymers?

Answer 3

Dehydration reactions (water is removed).

Question 4

What type of reaction breaks down polymers?

Answer 4

Hydrolysis (water is added)

Question 5

What is an example of a dehydration reaction in biology?

Answer 5

e.g. The formation of peptide bonds in proteins

Question 6

What is an example of hydrolysis in biology?

Answer 6

Breakdown of glycosidic bonds.

Question 7

Why does breaking down polymers release energy?
Because bonds store energy, and breaking them releases it

Answer 7

Because bonds store energy, and breaking them releases it

Question 8

How does ATP relate to polymerization?

Answer 8

ATP provides energy for assembling macromolecules.

Question 9

Why are hydrolysis reactions essential in digestion?

Answer 9

They break down food macromolecules into absorbable monomers.

Question 10

What are the four types of macromolecules?

Answer 10

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Question 11

What is the primary function of carbohydrates?

Answer 11

They provide and store energy.

Question 12

What are the main functions of lipids?

Answer 12

Energy storage, cell membranes, and signaling molecules.

Question 13

What is the main role of proteins?

Answer 13

Enzymatic activity, structure, transport, and communication.

Question 14

What is the role of nucleic acids?

Answer 14

DNA stores genetic information; RNA helps in protein synthesis.

Question 15

Which macromolecule is the most diverse in function and why?

Answer 15

Proteins, because of the diversity of amino acids and the different levels of structure that depend on amino acid sequence.

Question 16

What macromolecule primarily composes cell membranes?

Answer 16

Phospholipids (a type of lipid).

Question 17

Which macromolecule acts as hormones?

Answer 17

Some lipids (e.g., steroids) and some proteins (e.g., insulin).

Question 18

What is the basic unit of nucleic acids?

Answer 18

Nucleotides.

Question 19

Why are macromolecules essential for life?

Answer 19

They perform all fundamental biological functions.

Question 20

What is the monomer of carbohydrates?

Answer 20

Monosaccharides (e.g., glucose, fructose).

Question 21

What is the function of starch and glycogen?

Answer 21

They store energy in plants and animals, respectively.

Question 22

What is the function of cellulose and chitin?

Answer 22

They provide structural support.

Question 23

What is a disaccharide?

Answer 23

Two monosaccharides linked together (e.g., sucrose = glucose + fructose).

Question 24

How are polysaccharides formed?

Answer 24

Through glycosidic linkages in dehydration reactions.

Question 25

What type of glycosidic bond is in starch?

Answer 25

α-glycosidic bonds (easily digestible).

Question 26

Why can’t humans digest cellulose?

Answer 26

It has β-glycosidic bonds, which human enzymes cannot break.

Question 27

How do herbivores digest cellulose?

Answer 27

They have gut bacteria that have the right enzymes.

Question 28

What is the function of glucose in cells?

Answer 28

It is the primary source of cellular energy.

Question 29

How do carbohydrates contribute to cell recognition?

Answer 29

Glycoproteins and glycolipids act as cell markers/tags to identify cells.

Question 30

What are the three main types of lipids?

Answer 30

Fats, phospholipids, steroids.

Question 31

What makes lipids hydrophobic?

Answer 31

Their long hydrocarbon chains.

Question 32

What are triglycerides made of?

Answer 32

Three fatty acids and one glycerol.

Question 33

What is the function of phospholipids?

Answer 33

They form cell membranes.

Question 34

What is an example of a steroid?

Answer 34

Cholesterol, testosterone, estrogen.

Question 35

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?

Answer 35

Saturated fats have no double bonds; unsaturated fats have one or more double bonds.

Question 36

Why do unsaturated fats remain liquid at room temperature?

Answer 36

The kinks from double bonds prevent tight packing.

Question 37

What is the function of cholesterol in membranes?

Answer 37

It regulates membrane fluidity.

Question 38

What are proteins made of?

Answer 38

Amino acids.

Question 39

What determines a protein’s function?

Answer 39

Its 3D shape.

Question 40

What type of bond links amino acids?

Answer 40

Peptide bonds.

Question 41

What is an example of a structural protein?

Answer 41

Collagen.

Question 42

What is an example of a transport protein?

Answer 42

Hemoglobin.

Question 43

What causes protein denaturation?

Answer 43

Heat, pH changes, and chemical exposure.

Question 44

What role do chaperone proteins play?

Answer 44

They help fold proteins correctly.

Question 45

What are enzymes?

Answer 45

Proteins that catalyze reactions.

Question 46

How do mutations affect protein function?

Answer 46

They can alter the amino acid sequence and disrupt function.

Question 47

What is an example of a misfolded protein disease?

Answer 47

Sickle cell disease.

Question 48

What are the two main types of nucleic acids?

Answer 48

DNA and RNA.

Question 49

What is the monomer of nucleic acids?

Answer 49

Nucleotides.

Question 50

What are the three components of a nucleotide?

Answer 50

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

Question 51

What is the difference between DNA and RNA?

Answer 51

DNA contains deoxyribose and is double-stranded, while RNA contains ribose and is single-stranded.

Question 52

Which nitrogenous bases are purines?

Answer 52

Adenine (A) and Guanine (G).

Question 53

Which nitrogenous bases are pyrimidines?

Answer 53

Cytosine (C), Thymine (T) (in DNA), and Uracil (U) (in RNA)