Name ______________________________Date________Per____
BioQuest
All living things share the same chemical building blocks and depend on chemical processes for
survival. Life without carbon (C) would be as likely as life without water.
Other than water, most molecules of a cell are carbon-based.
The “biomolecules” are composed of a backbone or carbon atoms bonded to one another.
Atoms of other elements such as hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P)
and Sulfur (S) may branch off of this carbon backbone. This basic structure is the foundation
for the different groups of biomolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids.
The monomers (building blocks) of all carbohydrates are called monosaccharides or simple
sugars.
Ratio of Elements
Sugar 1
Sugar 2
C ____ H ____ O ____
C ____ H ____ O ___
Simplest Whole
Number Ratio
MODEL 1
1.
Use a yellow marker to mark all of the C (carbon) atoms in Sugar 1. Count and record your
answer in the blank next to the C (carbon) in the row labeled ratio of elements.
2.
Use a green marker to mark all of the H (hydrogen) atoms in Sugar 1. Count and record your
answer in the blank next to the H (hydrogen) in the row labeled ratio of elements.
3.
Use a blue marker to mark all of the O (oxygen) atoms in Sugar 1. Count and record your
answer in the blank next to the O (oxygen) in the row labeled ratio of elements.
4.
Repeat steps 1, 2 and 3 for Sugar 2.
CRITICAL THINKING QUESTIONS: Write your answers to the following questions below.
1.
What are the only three elements that are found in monosaccharides (simple sugars)?
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2.
What is the simplest whole number ratio for each of the above simple sugars?
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Straight Chain
H
Ring Form
O
Glucose
C
C H 2 OH
H C OH
O
H
HO C H
H C OH
HO
H C OH
H C OH
H
H
OH
H
H
OH
OH
H
CH 2 OH
Fructose
O
H
H
OH
HO
HO
H
C H 2 OH
Model 2
3.
Glucose is an example of a monosaccharide. List 3 differences between glucose and fructose
using Model 2 as your guide. _________________________________________________
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Carbohydrates can be “simple” monosaccharides, or they can be combined into disaccharides
(two sugars) or even polysaccharides (many sugars). Polysaccharides are sometimes called
complex carbohydrates. When monosaccharides are put together, water is a byproduct.
Monosaccharides are the monomer, and disaccharides and polysaccharides are the polymer.
H
H
H C OH
C H 2 OH
H
HO
O
H
OH
H
H
OH
CH 2 OH
H
OH
H
O
+
H
H
OH
HO
HO

C
HO
H C OH
C
H
OH
C
O
H
H
C
H
OH
C
H
O
C
O
H
H
OH C
C
C
HO
H
+
H2O
H C OH
C H 2 OH
sucrose
H
4.
What two sugars are being combined in the picture above to form sucrose?___________________
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5.
What is the name of the biomolecule that is formed when 3 or more monosaccharides are
combined? ______________________________________________________________________
6.
What chemical is also produced when sugars are combined? _______________________________
Polysaccharides
Starch
Structure
Information
CH2OH
CH2OH
CH2OH
CH2OH
O
O
O
O
O
O
O
OH
O
OH
Cellulose
OH
Found in plants
Used for structure (cell walls)
Glycogen
OH
Found in plants
Energy storage
a.k.a. amylose
Found in animals and fungi
Used for energy
7.
Look at starch and cellulose carefully. How are they different? How are they the same? _______
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8.
Humans can digest starch and glycogen but not cellulose. Looking at the structural differences,
what is preventing our enzymes from being able to break down cellulose? __________________
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9.
Animals can move quickly and plants move slowly. Suggest a reason for the branched structure of
glycogen and the straight structure of starch based on this information. ___________________
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Monosaccharides
Glucose
Fructose
10.
Disaccharides
Sucrose
Lactose
Polysaccharides
Amylose
Cellulose
Look at the table with names of carbohydrates. What is the pattern in the way they are named?
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