Honors Chemistry Summer 2015
Biochemistry
Answer these questions in ways that show your understanding. Do your best to avoid simply
copying sentences from your notes or text. Most questions can be answered from the notes or
text, but a few require further research. A few are for you to figure out on your own!
You may type on this document and send it back to me, or you may create your own new
document with just your answers.
A reminder: as you work on questions that require Internet research, be very careful that you do
not copy & paste information. That would be plagiarism. Read about the topic and work on
understanding it. Then write answers in your own words, reflecting your own new knowledge.
Section 1: Carbon Compounds
1. How do inorganic and organic compounds differ?
2. How do carbon’s bonding properties contribute to the existence of a wide variety of
biological molecules?
3. What role is played by functional groups in molecules?
4. How are monomers, polymers, and macromolecules related to each other?
5. How is polymer broken down into its subunits (monomers)?
6. Condensation reactions are also referred to as dehydration synthesis. Explain how
the name dehydration synthesis fits this process. (Consider the name and the meanings
of the individual words.)
Section 2: Molecules of Life
Carbohydrates:
1. Why is the word “carbohydrate” a good name for molecules like glucose?
2. Compare the structure of monosaccharides, disaccharides, & polysaccharides, and
give an example of each.
3. Explain how the term isomer relates to monosaccharides.
4. For the three simple sugars listed in your notes, look up where they are found and list
them here.
Proteins
1. How do amino acids differ from one another?
2. Two different examples of simple R-groups were given in your notes. Look up some
diagrams of other amino acids and notice the variety of R-groups. Write three more
names and the R-groups of some more complicated amino acids. (Do your best to type
the elements of the R group. In this case, you may copy a picture of the R-group, in
addition to your typing.)
3. The bonding of amino acids into a long chain is just the first step in the formation of a
protein. The simple chain of amino acids is called the “Primary Structure.” Do some
research to summarize what happens as the protein structure becomes more complex:
Primary structure: the sequence of amino acids.
Secondary structure:
Tertiary structure:
Quaternary structure: two or more protein molecules bond to each other to form a
larger complex.
4. When a protein is made in a living cell, the folding into secondary structures etc
happens spontaneously. However, conditions such as heat, or mechanical forces can
change those structures. For example, this is what happens to the protein in the white of
an egg when it is cooked. Here is a list of events in which the structure of a protein
changes, although the sequence of amino acids remains the same. Choose one of
them to explain. (Do some research. Contact me ahead of the due date if you are
stuck, and I can direct you to some helpful websites.)
 The white of an egg solidifies when it is heated.
 The white of an egg thickens when it is beaten (as when making meringue.)
 Substances in egg yolk can allow oil and water to mix.
 Heat from a curling iron curls hair.
 Chemicals in a perm can hold curls in hair.
5. When you eat foods high in starch and/or protein, why do you need plenty of water to
digest those nutrients?