What are the basic units of starch, glycogen, protein and lipid?
Reveal answer
Starch and glycogen: glucose (simple sugar); protein: amino acids; lipid: fatty acids and glycerol.
Key words: glucose · amino acids · fatty acids · glycerol
2(c) BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES · RECALL
2.8 Large molecules and their basic units
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What is meant by the term monomer?
Reveal answer
A small molecular unit that can join repeatedly to form a polymer.
Key words: monomer
What is meant by the term polymer?
Reveal answer
A large molecule formed from many repeating monomer units.
Key words: polymer
What is meant by the term polysaccharide?
Reveal answer
A carbohydrate polymer made from many monosaccharide units.
Key words: polysaccharide
What is meant by the term amino acid?
Reveal answer
A small molecule used as a building block of proteins.
Key words: amino acid
What is meant by the term fatty acid?
Reveal answer
A molecule with a hydrocarbon chain and acid group; a basic unit of many lipids.
Key words: fatty acid
What is meant by the term glycerol?
Reveal answer
A three-carbon alcohol that joins with fatty acids in triglycerides.
Key words: glycerol
From basic units to larger molecules: for Starch, give the smaller basic units and the biological significance.
Reveal answer
Smaller basic units: Many glucose units. Biological significance: Plant carbohydrate store.
Key words: Starch
From basic units to larger molecules: for Glycogen, give the smaller basic units and the biological significance.
Reveal answer
Smaller basic units: Many glucose units in a highly branched arrangement. Biological significance: Animal and fungal carbohydrate store.
Key words: Glycogen
From basic units to larger molecules: for Protein, give the smaller basic units and the biological significance.
Reveal answer
Smaller basic units: A specific sequence of amino acids. Biological significance: Enzymes, receptors, antibodies and structural materials.
Key words: Protein
From basic units to larger molecules: for Triglyceride lipid, give the smaller basic units and the biological significance.
Reveal answer
Smaller basic units: One glycerol and three fatty acids. Biological significance: Long-term energy store, insulation and membrane-related roles.
Key words: Triglyceride lipid
True or false, and why? “Starch is made from amino acids.”
Reveal answer
False. Starch is a polysaccharide made from glucose units; proteins are made from amino acids.
True or false, and why? “Lipids are polymers just like proteins.”
Reveal answer
False. A triglyceride forms from glycerol and three fatty acids, not a chain of repeating monomers.
True or false, and why? “All glucose polymers have the same properties.”
Reveal answer
False. Bonding and branching differ, producing starch, glycogen and cellulose with different properties.
True or false, and why? “Digested proteins are absorbed as protein chains.”
Reveal answer
False. Digestion breaks proteins into amino acids small enough for absorption.