Biological Molecules

• Carbohydrates


  Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen made by plants by photosynthesis. Their primary function is to supply energy. Up to 50% of all the energy we need comes from Carbohydrates. They are commonly found in bread, potatoes, pasta and fruit.
• Monosaccharides and disaccharides


  Simple sugars
• Complex carbohydrates


  Long chains of simple sugar units bonded together
• Monosaccharides


  • Glucose, fructose and galactose
• Lipids


  Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen. They are insoluble in water. They provide concentrated sources of energy, and 40% of the energy we need comes from Lipids. They act as insulators, and are important components of the cell membrane, as hormones and in your nervous system.
• Lipids


  Found in butter, cream, oil, meat and cheese. They are made up of 3 fatty acid molecules and glycerol. The glycerol is always the same but the fatty acids can vary. It is also the fatty acid that determine whether the fat is saturated or unsaturated. Fats are used as energy when we run out of glucose, and it is the glycerol we use as energy. Lipids are fats and oils and are the most efficient energy store in the body.
• Proteins


  Composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. Foods that are rich in protein are meat, fish, cheese, milk and bread. The subunits of protein are amino acids, and a chain of more than 50 amino acids is a protein. The chains are linked with peptide bonds. There are 20 different amino acids, and different arrangements of different amino acids can give different proteins. They are important for growth and can repair damaged tissue, and they can act as hormones, antibodies and enzymes. The body does not use proteins directly but breaks them down into amino acids which it can absorb and then use as building blocks to make the proteins it needs.
• Iodine Drops


  • Starch
• Heated Blue Biuret

  • Proteins
• Blue Benedict Solution


  • Glucose
• Ethanol and Water


  • Fat
• Carbohydrates


  • Composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen made by plants by photosynthesis
  • Their primary function is to supply energy
  • Up to 50% of all the energy we need comes from Carbohydrates
  • Commonly found in bread, potatoes, pasta and fruit
• Types of carbohydrates


  • Monosaccharides
  • Disaccharides
• Monosaccharides and disaccharides


  Referred to as simple sugars
• Complex carbohydrates


  Long chains of simple sugar units bonded together
• Monosaccharides


  • Glucose
  • Fructose
  • Galactose
• Lipids


  • Composed of Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
  • Insoluble in water
  • Provide concentrated sources of energy
  • 40% of the energy we need comes from Lipids
  • Act as insulators
  • Important components of the cell membrane, as hormones and in your nervous system
• Lipids


  • Made up of 3 fatty acid molecules and glycerol
  • Glycerol is always the same but the fatty acids can vary
  • Fatty acids determine whether the fat is saturated or unsaturated
  • Fats are used as energy when we run out of glucose
  • Glycerol is used as energy
• Proteins


  • Composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
  • Foods rich in protein are meat, fish, cheese, milk and bread
  • Subunits of protein are amino acids
  • A chain of more than 50 amino acids is a protein
  • Chains are linked with peptide bonds
  • There are 20 different amino acids
  • Different arrangements of different amino acids can give different proteins
  • Important for growth and can repair damaged tissue
  • Can act as hormones, antibodies and enzymes
  • Body breaks them down into amino acids which it can absorb and then use as building blocks to make the proteins it needs
• Tests for biological molecules

  • Iodine Drops (Starch)
  • Heated Blue Biuret (Glucose)
  • Blue Benedict Solution(Protein)
  • Ethanol and Water (Fat)