Chapter 2 (Part II) Reading Study Guide
Human Biology (BIOL 164)
I. Chapter 2 Part II (pp. 24-36): A. Important Terms
Macromolecules
Triglycerides/Fats
Enzymes
Cytosine - C
Polymers
Glycerol
Activation energy*
Complementary base
pairs
Monomers
Fatty acids
Nucleic acids
Double helix
Dehydration synthesis Saturated fatty
(aka condensation)
acids
DNA
ATP
Hydrolysis
RNA
ADP
Unsaturated fatty
acids
Carbohydrates
Phospholipids
Nucleotide
ATP/ADP cycle
Monosaccharides
Nonpolar
Deoxyribose
--
Polysaccharides
Polar
Ribose
--
Glucose
Hydrophobic
Nitrogen-containing
bases
--
Starch
Hydrophilic
Adenine (A)
--
Glycogen
Proteins
Guanine (G)
--
Cellulose
Amino acids
Thymine (T)
--
Lipids
Denaturation
Uracil (U)
* See the StudyMate activities for definitions of these terms.
--
B. Figures: 2.15-2.29 (Make sure you study these figures! I will not ask you to draw specific
structures, but you will be expected to recognize the following: monosaccharides, triglycerides,
fatty acids, phospholipids, amino acids, and nucleotides.
C. Tables: 2.4
D. Highlighting the Concepts (p. 34): Major Molecules of Life
E. Reviewing the Concepts (p. 35): 8-14 and 17-23
F. Biology of Humans Web Site Resources:
1. Web Activity: Lipid Structure and Function
2. Web Activity: Monomers and Polymers
3. Web Activity: Nucleic Acids
4. Web Activity: Protein Structure
5. Practice Quizzes (Only questions dealing with this portion of chapter 2).
G. Additional Study Questions
1. Distinguish between monomers and polymers/macromolecules. What are the four categories
of biologically important macromolecules/polymers discussed in the chapter?
2. Be able to recognize the chemical structure of the following functional groups: hydroxyl,
carboxyl, amino, and phosphate (Video clip question).
3. Distinguish between dehydration synthesis/condensation and hydrolysis reactions. In which
reaction is water a product? Which reaction leads to the formation of polymers (i.e. groups of
monomers chemically joined together)?
4. What is the general chemical composition of carbohydrates (i.e. what elements are present
and what are their respective ratios)? Think about the chemical formula for glucose to answer
this question.
5. What is the monomer unit (i.e. unit molecule) of all carbohydrates? (Note: I am NOT asking
for the elements found in carbohydrates.)
6. What is the chemical formula of glucose?
7. Distinguish between the following polysaccharides: glycogen, starch, and cellulose. Which
is/are synthesizes in plants and what is/are their function? Which one is synthesized in humans
and what is its function? Which is/are digested by humans? Which is/are digested by cows,
which are ruminants?
8. If humans don't digest cellulose effectively, why is it (cellulose/fiber) said to be part of a
balanced diet?
9. Where are the two major storage sites of glycogen? Why is it useful for glycogen to be
stored in these areas?
10. What are the monomer units of triglycerides?
11. What are physiological functions of fats (i.e. triglycerides)?
12. Distinguish chemically between a saturated and unsaturated fat. What are trans fats?
13. What are phospholipids, what is their chemical composition, and in what cellular structures
are they found?
14. Distinguish between hydrophilic and hydrophobic. What part of the phospholipid is
hydrophilic? Hydrophobic?
15. Distinguish between polar and nonpolar. What part of a phospholipid is polar? Nonpolar?
16. What is the monomer of proteins? How are the monomer units chemically joined together?
17. What is denaturation and how does it affect a protein?
18. What are enzymes and what is their general function?
19. What is the function of the active site of an enzyme?
20. What is activation energy and how do enzymes affect it?
21. What are two types of nucleic acids? What is the monomer unit of nucleic acids?
22. What are the three chemical components of a nucleotide?
23. How are the two classes of nucleic acids similar? How are they different?
24. What is the function of DNA? What phrase is used to describe the physical structure of
DNA?
25. What is the function of ATP, a specific type of nucleotide?
26. How (chemically) does ATP differ from ADP?
27. What is the ATP/ADP cycle? Where does it occur in your body?
28. Explain the significance of the phrase "A to T and G to C" to the structure of DNA. (Hint:
Look at the nitrogenous bases that pair on opposite strands of DNA in a double helix on figure
2.26. and listen to the video clip of this figure). What type of chemical bond holds the two
strands of the double helix together?