Biological Molecules Knowledge Questions:

Biological Molecules

1. Fully explain the diagram above.

2. Draw and explain how a hydrogen bond in water occurs
3. Explain why the following properties of water are so important:
a. It being a liquid at room temperature.
b. Its density decreasing below 4oC
c. It being a solvent
d. It having high cohesion
e. It having a high Specific Heat Capacity
f. It having a high latent heat of vaporisation
4. Explain how Hydrogen bonds account for each of the above.
Carbohydrates:
5. Explain how two sugar molecules form a disaccharide.
6. What sugars make the following disaccharides:
a. Maltose
b. Sucrose
c. Lactose
d. Cellobiose
7. How does RNA and alpha glucose differ?
8. Why is starch and glycogen a good energy store (4 reasons)?
9. Describe the structure of starch (amylose and amylopectin).

10. How are two Beta glucose molecules bonded to make cellulose what extra happens?
11. Why is cellulose so strong?
12. Why do cellulose cell walls need to be so strong?
13. What structural polysaccharide makes bacterial cell walls and exoskeletons of insects?

Lipids:
1. Why are lipids not classed as polymers?
2. Describe the basic structure of a triglyceride.
3. Explain how a glycerol molecule joins with three fatty acid molecules.
4. What bond is formed?
5. What are the functions of triglycerides?
6. How does the structure of a triglyceride and phospholipids differ?
7. What are the functions of phospholipids?
8. Why do they form natural bilayers (link to behaviour in water)?
9. Describe the structure of cholesterol.
10. What is the function of cholesterol?
11. What is made from cholesterol?

Biological Molecule Tests:

1. Describe the test and positive result for starch.
2. Describe the test and positive result for reducing sugars.
3. Give an example of a reducing sugar.
4. What is a non reducing sugar?
5. What is the non reducing sugar test?
6. Describe the test and positive result for lipids.
7. Describe the test and positive result for proteins?
8. Which test does not require heating reducing sugar or protein?

9. What is the difference between a qualitative and a quantitative test?

10. How do you carry out a quantitative test for reducing sugars?
11. How do you use a colorimeter?
12. Describe how to create a calibration curve to identify an unknown concentration of reducing
sugars?
13. What is a biosensor used for and how does it work?

Thin Layer - Chromatography:

1. What is the main aim of chromatography?
2. What is the stationary phase?
3. What is the mobile phase?
4. Describe how to carry out a chromatography practical.
5. What is the Rf value and how is it calculated?
6. What 3 ways can we use to see where the stain is?
7. How does the process work?
8. Where is chromatography used?