Naturally Occurring Polymers-Polypeptides,DNA,+Carbohydrates

• What are naturally occurring polymers?

  Polymers that exist naturally in the environment
• What are polymers made of?

  Long chains of smaller molecules called monomers
• Name three examples of naturally occurring polymers.

  Polypeptides, DNA, carbohydrates
• What are polypeptides made of?

  Lots of amino acids
• What is DNA made of?

  Nucleotides
• What are carbohydrates made of?

  Sugars
• How do polypeptides become proteins?

  By folding or combining with other polypeptides
• What roles do proteins play in the body?

  Catalyzing reactions and providing structure
• What are the important functional groups in amino acids?

  Carboxyl group and amino group
• What is the central atom in an amino acid structure?

  Central carbon
• What is the R group in amino acids?

  A group that varies among different amino acids
• What type of reaction joins amino acids to form polymers?

  Condensation reactions
• What do the carboxylic acid group and amino group produce when they react?

  Water molecule
• What is another name for the bond formed between amino acids?

  Peptide bond
• What is the general formula for the reaction of amino acids forming a polymer?

  Amino acid + H2O → Repeat unit
• What are the monomers of DNA called?

  Nucleotides
• How many types of bases are there in DNA?

  Four
• What do nucleotides contain that is crucial for DNA?

  A base
• What letters represent the four bases in DNA?

  T, A, G, C
• What structure does DNA form to keep its codes intact?

  Double helix
• What are carbohydrates made of?

  Carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
• What are polysaccharides?

  Polymers made from monosaccharides
• Name three examples of polysaccharides.

  Starch, cellulose, glycogen
• What are monosaccharides commonly referred to as?

  Sugars
• How can we create polysaccharides from monosaccharides?

  By combining glucose molecules
• What are the key points about naturally occurring polymers?

  • Exist naturally in the environment
  • Made of long chains of monomers
  • Examples: polypeptides, DNA, carbohydrates
• What are the structures and functions of amino acids?

  • Contain carboxyl and amino groups
  • Central carbon atom
  • R group varies among amino acids
  • Join through condensation reactions
  • Form peptide bonds
• What are the structures and functions of DNA?

  • Made of nucleotides
  • Contains four bases: T, A, G, C
  • Forms a double helix structure
  • Codes for genes
• What are carbohydrates and their components?

  • Made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen
  • Polysaccharides: starch, cellulose, glycogen
  • Monosaccharides: glucose, fructose