Organic Chemistry & Macromolecule Basics
What is a monomer?
A small molecular subunit that can bond with other subunits to form a larger molecule.
BONUS! Give 2 examples of monomers for 100 pts.
Name one example of a monosaccharide.
Glucose, fructose, or galactose. Ribose and deoxyribose are also monosaccharides.
BONUS! Name a disaccharide for extra 100pts!
What does it mean if a substance is hydrophobic?
It does not mix well with or dissolve in water.
What are the monomers of proteins?
Amino acids.
BONUS! Who are the three rappers of BTS? All 3 names = +50 pts.
What is an enzyme?
A biological catalyst, usually a protein, that speeds up a chemical reaction.
Name the four major biological macromolecule groups.
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
What is the main energy-storage carbohydrate in plants, and what is the main energy-storage carbohydrate in animals?
Starch in plants and glycogen in animals.
Bonus! What molecule is important for providing energy to the cell? Hint: related to nucleic acids. 50pts!
Name two examples of lipids.
Fats, oils, or waxes. Steroids and phospholipids are also examples.
What is denaturation?
A change in a protein's shape that can cause it to lose its function.
BONUS! What are two conditions that can cause a protein to denature? High ___________ and changes in ____. 50pts!
What is the name of the region of an enzyme where the substrate binds?
The active site.
Bonus! Rock, paper, scissors with another team. Win and steal 100pts, lose and they steal 100pts.
Match each macromolecule to its building block: carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Carbohydrates — monosaccharides; proteins — amino acids; nucleic acids — nucleotides.
BONUS! Rock, paper, scissors with another group! Win and steal 100pts, lose and they steal 100pts.
What carbohydrate provides structural support in plant cell walls?
Cellulose
BONUS! Who is the oldest member of BTS? +50pts.
What are the components of a triglyceride?
One glycerol molecule and three fatty acids.
Bonus! Draw this in 10 seconds for 50pts!
What is the function of keratin, and what type of protein is it?
Keratin provides structural support and protection in structures such as skin, hair, and nails. It is a fibrous protein.
What happens to the activation energy of a reaction when an enzyme catalyzes it?
The enzyme lowers the activation energy required for the reaction.
BONUS! What year did BTS debut? Correct year = +50pts.
In the Miller-Urey experiment, what did electrical sparks represent, and what did the heated water help simulate?
Electrical sparks represented lightning, and heated water helped simulate conditions associated with Earth's early atmosphere and water cycle.
Give three differences between DNA and RNA.
DNA is double-stranded; RNA is single-stranded; DNA contains the sugar deoxyribose; RNA contains the sugar ribose; DNA contains thymine; RNA contains uracil instead of thymine; DNA primarily stores genetic information; RNA helps use genetic information, including in protein synthesis.
An unknown lipid is liquid at room temperature and has fatty acid chains containing double bonds. Is it more likely saturated or unsaturated? Explain.
Unsaturated. Its fatty acid chains contain one or more double bonds, and unsaturated fats are often liquid at room temperature.
BONUS! Rock, paper, scissors with another group. Win and steal 100pts, lose and they steal 100pts.
List three different functions proteins perform in living organisms.
Any three of the following: structural support, movement, transport, buffering, metabolic regulation, catalysis by enzymes, hormonal coordination, or defense by antibodies.
Explain why a reaction may occur more slowly at a low temperature.
Molecules have less kinetic energy and move more slowly, so effective collisions between enzymes and substrates occur less frequently.
After the Miller-Urey experiment ran for about two weeks, what types of organic molecules were reported in the materials produced?
Molecules including amino acids, sugars, and nucleic acids.
BONUS! Guess the song title after 5 seconds -- guess right and win 100pts, guess wrong and lose 100pts!
Draw and label a nucleotide, showing all three of its components.
drawing with a phosphate group connected to a five-carbon sugar, which is connected to a nitrogenous base. Labels must identify all three components.
What structural feature is shared by steroid molecules? Name one example of a steroid.
Steroids have four interconnected carbon rings. Examples include cholesterol, testosterone, cortisol, and estrogen.
Two proteins contain the same number of amino acids, but the amino acids are arranged in different sequences. Could the proteins have different shapes and functions? Explain why.
(hint: interactions between amino acids)
Yes. Different amino acid sequences can cause proteins to fold into different shapes, which can give them different functions. Shapes come from hydrogen bonds, ionic attractions, and hydrophobic/hydrophillic interactions.
Bonus! Listen to this song for 10 seconds. Guess wrong, lose 100pts. Guess right, get 100pts.
What is a competitive inhibitor, and where does it bind?
A molecule that competes with the substrate for the enzyme's active site, reducing substrate binding.
Bonus! Listen to this song for 10 seconds and guess the name. Right = +100, wrong = -100.