Module 1

Question 1

That you are able to utilize the biomolecular building blocks from a grapefruit to create biomolecules within your body reflects what

Answer 1

The unity of biochemistry

Question 2

Geometric isomers emerge as a consequence of:

Answer 2

Double bonds

Question 3

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states:

Answer 3

that there is a natural tendency towards increasing disorder

Question 4

The bioavailability of which chemical element is most limiting to human population growth?

Answer 4

Nitrogen

Question 5

A new drug is being evaluated in test tube experiments. This is called an ____ experiment.

Answer 5

In vitro

Question 6

Which category of biomolecules involves aggregates rather than polymers?

Answer 6

Lipids

Question 7

What is the unity of biochemistry

Answer 7

all organisms use a common repertoire of building blocks to create common categories of biomolecules

Question 8

What are the common repertoires of building blocks

Answer 8

proteins
Nucleic acids
polysaccharides
lipids

Question 9

What are the 4 elements that make up 98% of most organisms

Answer 9

carbon
oxygen
hydrogen
nitrogen

Question 10

All known life forms are ____ based

Answer 10

Carbon

Question 11

Who figured out how to produce more food even with the nitrogen issue ?

Answer 11

Fritz Haber

Question 12

why is life carbon based?

Answer 12

> Carbon is extremely versatile in terms of the number and variety of chemical bonds that it can form
It enables creation of a wide array of complex molecules.

Question 13

what is the “next best” candidate as a chemical foundation for life

Answer 13

Silicon

Question 14

Why are we carbon based rather than silicon ? 3

Answer 14

> carbon to carbon bonds are stronger (more stable)
more energy released on combustion of carbon carbon bonds
combustion products of carbon are soluble and remain active in biosphere

Question 15

what is in an aldehyde group

Answer 15

C double bonded to O and single bonded to H

C–H
II
O

Question 16

What is a Ketone group ?

Answer 16

C double bonded to O

C = O

Question 17

Whats in a carboxyl group?

Answer 17

C double bonded to an O and single bonded to an O

C = O
I
O

Question 18

what is a hydroxyl group?

Answer 18

O-H

Question 19

What’s an amino group ?

Answer 19

N - H
I
H

Question 20

What is an amido group ?

Answer 20

C - N - H
II I
O H

Question 21

what does a change in confirmation mean?

Answer 21

a flexible spatial arrangement of atoms within a molecule (can be changed without breaking covalent bonds)

used the example of a hand and how he can move his hands without breaking his bones

Question 22

what does a change in configuration mean ?

Answer 22

fixed spatial arrangement of atoms that requires breakage of covalent bonds

Question 23

what is a geometric isomer

Answer 23

they have the same chemical formula but differ in the configuration of groups with respect to a non rotating double bonds

Question 24

what does cis groups mean?

Answer 24

on the same side of the double bond

Question 25

what does trans groups mean?

Answer 25

on opposite sides of the double bond

Question 26

What is required to go from an opposite side trans to a same side cis ?

Answer 26

the breakage of a double bond

Question 27

What is a chiral carbon?

Answer 27

a carbon that has 4 different substituents attached

Question 28

What is stereospecific?

Answer 28

A reaction in which the stereochemistry of the reactants controls the outcome of the reaction

Question 29

Describe the 3 advantages of constructing biologicals as polymers

Answer 29

Simplicity - there is a single unified system to be able to produce all the proteins, to be able to break them down and make new ones Recycling - proteins can get turned over into something new Diversity - multiple different possibilities

Question 30

What is protein?

Answer 30

linear polymers of amino acids

Question 31

what is the purpose of protein folding?

Answer 31

to get the hydrophobic molecules away from the water

Question 32

What are nucleic acids involved in?

Answer 32

aspects of storage and utilization of genetic information

Question 33

what are lipids ? like why are they different from the others ?

Answer 33

they are aggregates of building blocks instead of defined polymers

Question 34

What do lipids do?

Answer 34

energy storage, formation of membranes, and signalling

Question 35

what are possible ways to influence the microbiota (3)

Answer 35

diet, pro and prebiotics, and fecal transplants

Question 36

What is in vitro vs in vivo

Answer 36

in vitro is glass in vivo is in the living

Question 37

What is the first law of thermodynamics ?

Answer 37

total amount of energy In the universe remains constant

Question 38

what is the second law of thermodynamics

Answer 38

the total disorder of the universe is continually increasing

Question 39

what does spontaneous mean in chemical terms ?

Answer 39

it means that something will occur without the input of energy

Question 40

What does the structure of a protein dictate?

Answer 40

its biological activity

Question 41

what dictates the structure of a protein?

Answer 41

amino acid sequence