Unit 3 List 1 Macromolecules

Question 1

Macromolecule

Answer 1

a large, complex polymeric molecule formed by the repetitive linking of smaller chemical units called monomers.

Question 2

Organic

Answer 2

compounds containing carbon, the basis of all known life forms, and the focus of the field of organic chemistry.

Question 3

Monomer

Answer 3

a small, basic molecule that can chemically bond with other similar molecules to form a larger, more complex molecule called a polymer.

Question 4

Polymer

Answer 4

a large molecule (macromolecule) composed of many repeating, smaller units called monomers, linked together by chemical bonds.

Question 5

Carbohydrates

Answer 5

organic molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, primarily serving as a source of energy and structural components, often found in sugars, starches, and fibers.

Question 6

Lipids

Answer 6

a diverse group of hydrophobic (water-insoluble) organic compounds that include fats, oils, waxes, and steroids, playing crucial roles in energy storage, cell structure, and hormone signaling.

Question 7

Fatty acids

Answer 7

the building blocks of the fat in our bodies and in the food we eat. During digestion, the body breaks down fats into fatty acids, which can then be absorbed into the blood. Fatty acid molecules are usually joined together in groups of three, forming a molecule called a triglyceride.

Question 8

Protein

Answer 8

a complex molecule made of amino acids, essential for life, playing crucial roles in the structure, function, and regulation of tissues and organs, and involved in various biological processes.

Question 9

Amino acids

Answer 9

organic compounds, specifically the building blocks of proteins, characterized by having both an amino group and a carboxyl group attached to the same carbon atom, with a variable side chain (R group) that distinguishes each amino acid.

Question 10

Enzymes

Answer 10

a protein that acts as a biological catalyst, speeding up chemical reactions within living organisms without being consumed or altered in the process.

Question 11

Catalyst

Answer 11

a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the process by lowering the activation energy required for the reaction to occur.

Question 12

Nucleic acids

Answer 12

large biomolecules, primarily DNA and RNA, that store and transmit genetic information, playing crucial roles in cellular processes like protein synthesis and inheritance.

Question 13

Nucleotide

Answer 13

the fundamental building block of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), composed of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), and a phosphate group.

Question 14

Hormone

Answer 14

chemical substances that act like messenger molecules in the body. After being made in one part of the body, they travel to other parts of the body where they help control how cells and organs do their work.

Question 15

Steroids

Answer 15

Any of a group of lipids (fats) that have a certain chemical structure. Steroids occur naturally in plants and animals or they may be made in the laboratory. Examples of steroids include sex hormones, cholesterol, bile acids, and some drugs.

Question 16

Dehydration synthesis

Answer 16

a chemical process where two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, with the simultaneous removal of a water molecule.

Question 17

Hydrolysis

Answer 17

a chemical reaction where a molecule is broken down by the addition of a water molecule, resulting in the formation of two or more smaller molecules.