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Biology 12 Introduction to Biochemistry Study Guide
1. List 5 characteristics of living things. b) Using this list, explain whether a Forest Fire is alive or non-living.
What characteristics would indicate that it is alive? What characteristics would indicate that it is not alive?
2. Which characteristic of living things above is most responsible for the formation of entirely new species.
Explain.
3. What do we mean when we say "Scientific Method"? What is the importance of the scientific method?
4. What is the difference between a hypothesis and a theory? Give two examples.
5. What is a CONTROL? Give an example. Explain the role of control(s) in an experiment.
6. Your pharmaceutical company thinks it has a great new headache medicine called PainDrain®. Design a
proper scientific experiment that would effectively test the efficacy of PainDrain®. This must be detailed,
logical, specific, and use the scientific method.
7. Define homeostasis and describe at least three examples.
8. What is meant by negative feedback in biological systems? Give two examples of homeostatic control
through negative feedback in human systems.
9. What is meant by positive feedback in biological systems? Give one example of homeostatic control
through positive feedback in human systems.
10. What is an atom?
11. Fill in the following table:
Subatomic Particle
Proton
Neutron
Electron
Location in atom
Charge
12. Elements can combine using different types of bonds. Explain the differences between the following types
of bonds: a) ionic b) covalent c) hydrogen
Give an example of each type of bond.
13. Draw a labeled diagram of a water molecule. What characteristic of the water molecule endows water
with so many qualities essential to life?
14. In what specific ways does the polar nature of water promote the maintenance of life?
15. Make a copy of the pH scale into your notes and fill in the following information.
0
14
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What is an acid? Give two examples. What pH’s do acids have?
What is a base? Give two examples. What pH’s do bases have?
Is pure water an acid or a base? Explain.
Sea water has a pH of about ____, while pure water has a pH of about ____. Which is more
acidic?____________ Which is more basic?____________________How much more basic is sea water
compared to pure water?
How much more basic is sea water compared to rain water?
Some acid rain has a pH of 2. How much more acidic is this than natural rainwater?
Why is the maintenance of pH crucial to biological systems?
What is a buffer? Why are buffers significant to biological systems?
Two common buffer systems in biological systems are carbonic acid-bicarbonate ion (H2CO3, HCO3-) in
blood and acetic acid-acetate ion (CH3COOH, CH3COO-) in some cells. Using the example of the carbonic
acid-bicarbonate ion system, show what happens when this system encounters: a) H+ ions b) OH- ions
What is the difference between organic and inorganic in biochemistry? What is so special about the
element carbon that makes it so important in biological molecules?
What is a polymer? Give 4 examples of polymers.
List the major functions of proteins.
Which elements are found in proteins? Which one is most characteristic of proteins?
What are the building blocks (monomers) of proteins?
a) Draw the generalized formula for an amino acid, and label the groups. b) How many amino acids are
found in nature? c) In what way do these amino acids differ from each other?
Using the formation of a bond between two amino acids as an example, explain what is meant by the
following terms: a) dehydrations synthesis b) hydrolysis Use a labeled diagram and a careful
description to assist your explanation.
What do we call the type of bond that forms between amino acids?
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What is the difference between a polypeptide and a protein?
Describe the 4 levels of organization in proteins.
What determines the function of a protein?
What has happened to a protein that has become denatured? Using examples, list 3 things that cause a
protein to become denatured.
Define carbohydrate and give the general formula for a carbohydrate.
List the main functions of carbohydrates in living organisms.
What are isomers? Give some examples.
Draw diagrams of the pentose monosaccharide ribose, and the hexose monosaccharide glucose. b) What
do I mean when I say "pentose" and "hexose"? c) What do monosaccharide names have in common?
What is the formula for glucose? What is glucose used for?
a) Differentiate between monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides and give examples of
each. b) How do disaccharides form from monosaccharides?
What are the major differences in structure and function among the common polysaccharides glycogen,
starch, and cellulose?
In vertebrates like humans, where do we find rich stores of glycogen?
a) What are lipids? b) What are their functions in the human body? c) Are they soluble or insoluble in
water? d) List the three major types of lipids.
What is the difference between a polar molecule and a non-polar molecule? Give two examples of polar
molecules and two examples of non-polar molecules.
What is the meant by hydrophobic and hydrophyllic? Relate hydrophobic and hydrophyllic to polar and
non-polar molecules.
a) What are Neutral Fats formed from? b) What is another name for neutral fats? c) What is the primary
function of neutral fats in the human body?
Draw a molecule of glycerol combining with 3 fatty acids to form a neutral fat. What is the name for this
type of reaction?
a) What is the difference between a saturated fatty acid and a non-saturated fatty acid? b) Which types
of fats are liquid at room temperature? c) Which type of fat are solid at room temperature? d) Which types
of fat are associated with high blood pressure, cancer and heart disease?
What are the functions of Phospholipids? b) Describe and sketch the structure of phospholipids. How
do they differ from neutral fats? c) sketch a picture of a "phospholipids bilayer. d) What sorts of molecules
would be able to easily pass through a lipid bilayer?
a) What are steroids? b) What are their functions in the human body? c) What is the name of the
molecule from which steroids are derived? d) Draw a molecule of cholesterol. e) Is cholesterol inherently
bad? Why or why not? f) What is the source of excess cholesterol in human beings?
Why do fat and oil molecules not normally not disperse in water?
Define emulsification.
List the major functions of nucleic acids. What are the two different types of nucleic acids?
Describe the structure and draw labeled diagrams of the two basic types nucleotides (purines & pyrimidines).
Clearly label the constituent parts.
Draw a molecule of DNA to show how the nucleotides are connected.
Draw and describe the general structure of Adenosine Triphosphate. b) What is the function of ATP? c)
Where is the energy in ATP bonds stored?
Fill in the following table of the most important biological polymers, and the unit molecules which make
them up.
Polymer
Summary of Functions
Unit Molecule
Sketch of Unit Molecule
a.
Protein
b.
Starch
c.
Glycogen
omit
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d.
Cellulose
e.
DNA
Date:
omit
60. Below is a minimally detailed drawing of a section of an important biological molecule in plants.
61. Identify it and describe its structure. b) How did the bonds between each subunit form?
O
O
O
O
O
62. Below is a detailed drawing of certain type of molecule. a) Identify precisely what type of molecule this is
and describe its structure. b) Where would you find this type of molecule?
O
CH3
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2 CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH
CH2
CH
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2 CH2 CH2
CH2
CH2
CH2
C
O
CH2
C
O
CH
O
C
H2
O
O
P
O
CH2
CH2
O-
CH3
N+ CH3
CH3
63. This is a dipeptide. Circle the peptide bond.
H H O H H
O
H N C C N C C
O H
R
R
64. a) To what class of molecules does the molecule below belong? b) Why are these molecules grouped with
lipids? c) What are the functions of these types of molecules?
HO
The DNA Double Helix
65. Explain these diagrams.
P
N
N
N
N
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
P
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