Unti 2: The Big Four Flashcards
(39 cards)
Inorganic molecules
Def.- substances that do not contain carbon
+ exceptions (CO, CO2, CO2-)
3
Organic molecules
Def.- any molecule that contains carbon
Exceptions- CO (carbon monoxide)
CO2 (carbon dioxide)
CO2- ( carbonate)
3Polymers
Smaller organic molecules join into long chains
Monomers
Individual unit that builds up polymers
Macromolecules
Very large molecules
Dehydration synthesis
A reaction that removes molecules of water to form polymers and monomers
Hydrolysis
The reaction that adds water to polymers to separate them to their individual monomers
The big four
- macromolecules of life
- lipids(fats)
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- nucleic acids(DNA and RNA)
Carbonhydrates
Def.- molecules that form from atoms in 1C:2H:1O ratio
-monomers= monosaccharide(simple sugars)
Monosaccharides
- usually sweet, white powdery substances(fructose, glucose) that form rings of carbon atoms
- function= serve as a direct, quick source of energy for living organisms during cellular respiration, and building blocks of polymers
- glucose
- fructose
Disaccharide
- two monosaccharide molecules combine by dehydration synthesis to form disaccharides z
- important sources of energy when broken down into the body
- lactose(found in milk sugar)
- maltose(in grains)
- sucrose( table sugar)
Polysaccharides
Def.- many(tens to hundreds) units of monosaccharides combine by dehydration synthesis
- separate into monosaccharides by hydrolysis
- starch= many glucose units, storage of energy polysaccharide in plants
- glycogen= important storage polysaccharide in animals
- cellulose= many glucose units, ridged structure in plant cell walls
- chitin= some nitrogen containing monosaccharides, solid structure of arthopods and fungi
Indicators of carbonhydrates
- Lugol’s solution—> originally brown—> in starch turn black/blue
- Benedict solution—> originally blue—> monosaccharides turn it yellow/orange
Lipids
Def.- diverse group of molecules that are no polar and generally do not dissolve in water
- they mostly contain carbon, hydrogen, very few molecules of oxygen atoms, but some also have phosphorous
- simple lipids
- phospholipids
- sterols
Simple lipids
Def.- very large molecule that form 2 different kinds of monomers by dehydration synthesis
- 3 fatty acids(long chains of carbon with oxygen at the end*saturated or unsaturated) and 1 glycerol(smaller 3-carbon compound)
- storage materials
- mechanical protection
- insulation
- dissolve vitamins A,D,E,K
Phospholipids
Def.- a lipid that contains phosphate
- their monomers= 1 glycerol, 2 fatty acids(saturated or unsaturated), phosphate<— dehydration synthesis
- form borders of all cell membranes
- participate in forming many cell organelles
- partially polar, partially nonpolar*
Sterols
Def.- highly nonpolar(hydrophobic) group of molecules. Formed from 4 rings of carbon atoms. One ring is made up of five carbons,cthe other three rings are made up of six carbons
- cholesterol= important component of cell membrane
- sex hormones= normal development of sexual functions, muscle and body hair formation
- vitamin D= normal bone formation, immune functions
- digest fats
Indicators of lipids
- Sudan III indicator—> dark red/brown—> in lipids turns bright red
- brown bag test–> if lipids are dropped on a brown paper bag they stain the bag
- emulsion–> lipids+alcohol shaken together and mixed with water, thy form a white emulsion
Proteins
- monomers= amino acids
- made of three groups Carboxyl functional group, amino acid functional group, R group
R group
- the R group can be 20 different kinds of side chains, so we have 20 different types of amici acids in our body
- the R group determines the characteristics of the amino acid
Amino acids
- some are essential( our body cannot make them so we need to take them in with food) while other are nonessential(we can make these)
- two amino acids can combine at their amino and Carboxyl ends by dehydration synthesis. They form a peptide bond together
- the product of this reaction is a dipeptide(2 amino acids), polypeptide(many amino acids)
Primary structure of a protein
Once the proper number of amino acids combine by peptide bond, we get a polypeptide chain( the number and types of amino acids combined to form a polypeptide that eventually folds into a protein)
Secondary structure of a protein
- alpha helix= if the H-bonds form within the polypeptide chain, a spiral staircase shape is formed
- beta pleaded sheet= if the H-bonds form between longer stretches of polypeptide chains a long fan shape is formed
Tertiary structure
All kinds of chemical bonds(covalent, ionic, disulfide bridge, H-bond, van der waals attraction, dipole-dipole interactions) are used to from the 3 dimensional structure of the polypeptide chain. If the protein is made up of only one polypeptide chain than this is the final structure of the protein.
