Biochemistry

Study Questions

1.         What element is found in all organic compounds?

2.         Describe charge distribution in a polar compound.

3.         Compare hydrolysis and condensation reactions.

4.         Why is the condensation reaction also known as a dehydration reaction?

5.         Which monosaccharide is the main source of energy for living organisms?

6.         Which polysaccharides provide energy storage in plants and animals?

7.         Describe the peptide bond.

8.         How do enzymes speed up chemical reactions?

9.         Why do enzymes only affect certain reactions?

10.       How do steroids differ from other lipids?

11.       How does the polarity of water produce unique properties essential to life?

12.       Describe the three types of saccharides.

13.       What determines the shape of proteins?

14.       Describe the three types of structure in proteins.

15.       How are lipids able to store energy more efficiently?

16.       Compare the opposite ends of a fatty acid.

17.       Compare triglycerides, waxes, and steroids.

18.       What are nucleotides?

19.       What is AMP and why is it important?

20.       What are two nucleotide polymers and why are they important?

21.       Describe the structure of amino acids and proteins.

22.       Why are carbon compounds able to exist in many forms?

23.       What is cohesion?

24.       What is adhesion?

25.       How do cohesion and adhesion interact to produce capillarity?

26.       How does the cohesion between molecules affect temperature changes in water? Why is this necessary for life?

27.       The polar bonds in water raise its boiling point> Why is this important to life?

28.       Define functional group and give an example.

29.       Describe the structure of water molecules.

30.       How do polar and nonpolar molecules differ?

31.       What happens when ionic compounds are dissolved in water?

32.       What is the difference between hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials?

33.       What is cellulose?

34.       What are enzymes?

35.       Draw a diagram of a nucleotide and label its parts.

36.       Draw a diagram of an amino acid and label its parts.

37.       What are isomers? Give an example.

38.       Why are waxes important to living things?

39.       What is the role of phospholipids in cells?

40.       What are the two structural differences between DNA and RNA?

41.       What is produced by the hydrolysis of proteins?

42.       What bases always bind together in DNA?

43.       What bases always bind together in RNA?