Biochemistry & The Science of
Food
By: Heidi Hisrich
Set up your notes
Take a piece of paper and create a 4
flap shutter fold. Label the flaps:
Polymers
Monomers
Dehydration Synthesis
Hydrolysis
What is in our food?
Food is made of
macromolecules.
Macromolecules are HUGE
molecules (polymers), made
of much smaller building
blocks (monomers). Add
notes about what a polymer is
and what a monomer is
(including a SKETCH) to your
foldable
Monomer
• Literally means “one part” (mono=one, mer=part)
• Stick together to make bigger molecules,
POLYMERS
Add notes to your
foldable. Look back
at your
macromoelcule
notes & find at least
3 monomers
(building blocks) to
record under your
monomer flap.
Polymer
• Literally means “many parts” (poly=many, mer=part)
• Made up of building blocks MONOMERS
Add notes to your foldable.
Look back at your
macromoelcule notes & find
3 polymers
(macromolecules) to record
under your polymer flap.
Please note that lipids are
NOT technically polymers,
but all other
macromolecules are
What are the building
blocks of each lipids?
Lipids are made up of fatty
acid chains, stuck to a “head”
of some sort. They are NOT a
true polymer because the
parts vary quite a bit.
What are the building
blocks of proteins?
Proteins are true polymers
because they are simply a
chain of subunits all linked
together. In the case of
proteins, the monomers are
the amino acids. Check that
proteins are in your notes
under polymers and amino
acids under monomers.
What are the building
blocks of carbohydrates?
Carbs are true polymers
because they are simply a
chain of subunits all linked
together. In the case of
carbohydrates, the monomers
are the monosaccharides
(usually glucose). Check that
polysaccharides
(starch/fiber/glycogen) are in
your notes under polymers
and monosaccharides (sugars)
under monomers.
What are the building
blocks of nucleic acids?
Nucleic acids are true
polymers because they are
simply a chain of subunits all
linked together. In the case of
nucleic acids, the monomers
are the nucleotides.
Check that nucleic acids (DNA
& RNA) are in your notes
under polymers and
nucleotides under monomers.
Build a monomer
• To build a monomer, you must add hydrogens
and oxygens to the places it can form bonds
– Everybody build a monomer using the carbs or
proteins pieces
– Get checked
Build a polymer
• To build a polymer, you must break off the
some hydrogens and oxygens.
– Everybody build a polymer by putting your
monomers with your teammates’
– Now take the extra Hs and Os. What can you
make??
Putting it together
• When you put monomers together, a WATER
molecule forms (for every 2 monomers joined,
ONE water molecule forms!)
What IS dehydration synthesis?
De “remove”
hydra “water”
ation “act of”
syn “together”
sis “condition of”
Removing water
to put together a
polymer!
Add this to your notes—including a SKETCH!
Where does dehydration synthesis
take place?
It takes place in the tissues of GROWING things.
GROWING is putting molecules TOGETHER. Add
this to your notes!
How does dehydration synthesis relate
to energy?
• Building bonds REQUIRES energy!
How does dehydration synthesis relate
to monomers and polymers?
• It BUILDS monomers INTO polymers
– Amino acids into
• Proteins (muscles, skin, hair, blood cells, hormones)
– Monosaccharides into
• Polysaccharides (only in plants—we’re made of protein)
– Glyerol and fatty acids chains into
• Lipids (when we lay around and eat and watch tv)
– Nucleotides into
• DNA (so we can pass on our genes)
What IS hydrolysis?
Hydro “water”
Lys “break”
Sis “condition”
Using water to break bonds in
polymers—leaving behind monomers!
Take apart that polymer
• To take apart a polymer, you must use water
molecules to break it
– Everybody break your polymers using water!
– Note that the Os and Hs from the water become
part of the monomers you are left with
Where does hydrolysis take place?
It takes place in our DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
Breaking down molecules is what our digestive
system does! Add this to your notes!
How does hydrolysis relate to energy?
• Breaking bonds RELEASES energy!
• ATP breaks into ADP, giving off energy
How does hydrolysis relate to
monomers and polymers?
• It breaks polymers INTO monomers
– Proteins into
• Amino acids
– Carbs into
• Monosaccharides
– Lipids into
• Glycerol and fatty acid chains
– Nucleic acids into
• Nucleotides
Check yourself!
• Do the 2.2.3. Quizlet learn to review:
http://quizlet.com/29233269/learn. Make
SURE you are logged in first
• THEN, take the 2.2. checkpoint quiz.
https://pltw.instructure.com/courses/180655/
quizzes/141093