Monomers & Polymers
What are the building blocks (monomers) of proteins?
Amino acids
What is the main function of carbohydrates?
Short-term energy
Which indicator detects reducing sugars and what color indicates a positive result?
Benedict’s → orange/red (after heating)
What elements are found in all organic macromolecules?
Carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
How do carbs & lipids both supply energy?
Contain C-H bonds broken for ATP
Which reaction links monomers to form polymers by removing water?
Dehydration synthesis
What is the main function of lipids?
Long-term energy storage, insulation, cell membranes
Which indicator detects starch, and what color shows positive?
Iodine → blue-black
What elements make up carbohydrates?
C, H, O (1:2:1 ratio)
Which two macromolecules store information and energy in the long term?
nucleic acids and lipids
Which reaction breaks polymers apart using water?
Hydrolysis
What is the main function of proteins?
Enzymes, structure, transport, signaling
Which indicator detects protein, and what color shows positive?
Biuret → violet/lavender
What elements make up all proteins?
C, H, O, N
Predict test results for an unknown food containing starch and protein.
Iodine → blue-black; Biuret → violet
What are the monomers of carbohydrates?
Monosaccharides (simple sugars like glucose)
What is the function of nucleic acids?
Store and transmit genetic information
What test detects lipids, and what is the result?
Sudan III (or IV) --- dark red layer/clump
What elements make up nucleic acids?
C, H, O, N, P
Evaluate: A student’s sample turns orange in Benedict’s and blue-black in iodine. What does this show about complex foods?
They can contain multiple macromolecules (e.g., sugar and starch present)
Name the 3 parts of a nucleotide.
Sugar, phosphate group, nitrogen base
Give each of a carbohydrate, lipid, protein, and nucleic acid monomer.
monosaccharide, triglyceride, amino acid, and nucleotide
Sample X: turns violet with Biuret and Orange with Benedict. Sample X contains _______ and ___________.
Protein and simple sugar
What structural feature makes carbon ideal for forming large molecules?
It has 4 valence electrons (forms 4 covalent bonds)
List the indicators for all four macromolecules
protein - biuret
complex carb - iodine
simple carb - benedicts
lipids - sudan iii