Biological Molecules: What are the building blocks of life?

From the smallest single-celled organism to the tallest tree, all life depends on the properties and reactionsof four classes of organic (carbon-based) compounds—carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleicacids. These organic molecules are the building blocks of all living things, and are responsible for most ofthe structure and functions of the body, including energy storage, insulation, growth, repair, communica-tion, and transfer of hereditary information. Simple organic molecules can be joined together to form allthe essential biological molecules needed for life. Model 1: Molecules of Life Using the information from model 1, the atom types (elements) present in carbohydrates are C, H, and O.Some C's and H's are visible in the model. However, if you forgot your basic organic chemistry from earlier in high school, organic compounds can be drawn as a "stick" structure. In "stick" structures, where there is an angle, there is a C attached to a varying number of H's. If you look at the image for glucose, on the left side, there is an "H" on top and an "HO" on the bottom, where the lines for those two meet, is an unrepresented "C". This will apply to all of the organics we need to use. We will use stick structures as often as possible. 1A: Using the image from model 1, identify which atom types (elements) are present in Lipids 1B: Using the image from model 1, identify which atom types (elements) are present in Proteins. 1C: Using the image from model 1, identify the atom types (elements) present in nucleic acids. 2: Which type of molecule from model 1 includes a part with a long-chain carbon backbone (zig-zag)? 4: Which molecule has a central carbon atom with four different components around it? 5: Which molecule has a sugar, nitrogenous base, and phosphate group? 7: There are 20 naturally-occurring amino acids, and each one only varies in the structure of theR side chain. Two amino acids are shown in Model 1. What are the R side chains in each? Molecules and Energy During chemical reactions, the bonds in molecules are continually broken and reformed. To break abond, energy must be absorbed. When bonds are formed, energy is released. If more energy is releasedthan absorbed during a chemical change, the process can be used as a source of energy. A general rule forprocesses such as respiration is the more carbon atoms there are in a molecule, the more energy thatmolecule can provide to the organism when it is used as food. 8: Using the information from above, is a carbohydrate or a lipid more likely to be a good source ofenergy for an organism? Make sure to make a rough estimate of the "energy producing" carbons present. Model 2: Biochemical Reactions 9: What are the reactants (starting material) and products (finishing material) for reaction "A"? 10: Each of the reactants in reaction A is a single sugar molecule, also called a monosaccharide. Whatprefix before saccharide would you use to describe sucrose? Since it has two individual parts combined, think of a prefix meaning two. 11: What are the reactants for reaction "B"? 12: When the two molecules in reaction B are joined together, what other two molecules are produced? 13: What product do all three reactions in Model 2 have in common? Remember, product comes "after" the arrow. Dehydration Synthesis These reactions are all referred to as dehydration synthesis or condensation reactions. With yourgroup develop an explanation for why these terms are used to describe these reactions. 15: These reactions can also be reversed, breaking the single large molecule into its individual molecules.What substance would need to be added in order to reverse the reaction? For example, if you started with sucrose and wanted to produce glucose and fructose, what other molecule would you require? 15: Lysis means to split or separate. What prefix would you add to lysis to mean separate or splitusing water? Think of any prefix for water. And Finally...A Real Thinker of a Question.17: We store excess food in our body either in the form of carbohydrates (in muscles and the liver)or as fat (adipose tissue). When our body needs additional energy it uses the carbohydrate sourcefirst as a source of “quick” energy, then the fat. Why do you think carbohydrates are used as asource of quick energy rather than fat? Use complete sentences and scientific terminology in yourresponse. Think about the concept of "nutrient density" for this question. Because it would be awesome if we could "burn the fat" quicker, but the body is still a piece of evolutionary machinery and doesn't know that in many parts of the world, food is easily obtained.