BIOCHEM important

    Cards (75)

    • What is isomerism in organic chemistry??
      two compounds - same molecular formula but - different structure - resulting in different properties.
    • What are the main types of isomerism??
      Structural isomerism and stereoisomerism.
    • Structural Isomerism?
      Same molecular formula, different connectivity.
    • Stereoisomerism?









      same molecular formula and sequence of bonded atoms, but differ in the three-dimensional orientations of their atoms
    • Optical Isomerism?
      Isomers are mirror images same structal and molecular formula
    • What are the main classes of carbohydrates??
      Monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides.
    • What are monosaccharides??
      Monosaccharides are the simplest form of carbohydrates that cannot be hydrolyzed into simpler sugars. Examples include glucose, fructose, and ribose.
    • What are disaccharides and give examples??
      Disaccharides are carbohydrates composed of two monosaccharide units. Examples include maltose, lactose, and sucrose.
    • What are polysaccharides and their types??
      Complex carbohydrates; starch, glycogen, cellulose.
    • D and L Sugars?
      D sugars have the -OH on the right; L sugars have it on the left, on the asymmetric carbon farthest from the aldehyde/ketone group.
    • OILRIG?
      oxidation is loss of electrons
      reduction is gain of electrons
    • What is hydrolysis

      hydrolysis is break down of a molecule into smaller units by the reaction of water
    • What is a dehydration reaction?
      Dehydration is the joining of two units to form a bigger molecule by the concomitant release of water (AKA condensation).
    • What are examples of dehydration synthesis?
      amide bond formation (condensation)
      amide bond breakage to single amino acids (hydrolysis)
    • What is REDOX reactions?
      reduction is the gain of electrons
      oxidation is the loss of electrons
    • What is a reducing agent?
      A reducing agent is a substance that donates electrons and causes another substance to be reduced.
    • Why do fats have a higher energy potential than proteins and carbohydrates?
      Fats have the highest hydrocarbon content, providing 9 Cal/g, while proteins and carbohydrates have lower energy potential (4 Cal/g) due to more heteroatoms in their structures.
    • Which types of alcohols can undergo oxidation?
      -Primary and secondary alcohols can be oxidized.
      -Primary alcohols oxidize to aldehydes and can further oxidize to carboxylic acids
      --
      -secondary alcohols oxidize to ketones. Tertiary alcohols cannot be oxidized.
    • How does methanol toxicity affect the human body?
      Methanol is oxidized in the liver to formaldehyde, then to formic acid and formate, causing hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, and other disturbances.
    • What are the steps involved in ethanol metabolism in the liver?
      Ethanol is oxidized to acetaldehyde, which is then oxidized to acetic acid. Acetaldehyde accumulation from chronic alcohol use can lead to liver cirrhosis.
    • What happens to aldehydes during oxidation?
      Aldehydes are oxidized to carboxylic acids
    • Describe the role of ATP in cellular functions.
      ATP provides energy for neuron function, muscle contraction, and other metabolic processes. It is recycled from ADP using energy from food molecule oxidation in the mitochondria.
    • Explain the process of oxidative phosphorylation.
      In oxidative phosphorylation, food molecules are oxidized to CO2, releasing energy to convert ADP to ATP. Electrons and protons from food molecules drive proton pumps in the mitochondria, creating a proton gradient used by ATP synthase to generate ATP.
    • What is the significance of the proton gradient in mitochondria?
      The proton gradient stores potential energy, which is used to synthesize ATP when protons flow back through ATP synthase, causing it to turn and join ADP and phosphate to form ATP.
    • How are aldehydes and ketones reduced?
      Reduction of aldehydes results in primary alcohols, and reduction of ketones results in secondary alcohols. This process involves the addition of hydrogen from a reducing agent.
    • What role do electrons play in the electron transport chain?
      Electrons from oxidized food molecules are transported to the mitochondrial inner membrane, driving proton pumps to create a proton gradient. The electrons eventually reduce oxygen to water, allowing continuous electron transport and ATP production
    • What occurs during the hydrolysis of ATP?
      Hydrolysis of ATP to ADP and phosphate releases energy used for various cellular functions. ADP is then recycled back to ATP using energy from food molecule oxidation.
    • How do mitochondria contribute to ATP recycling?

      Mitochondria perform oxidative phosphorylation, using energy from food molecule oxidation to recycle ATP from ADP, providing continuous energy for cellular functions.
    • How are monosaccharides categorized?
      Monosaccharides are categorized based on the number of carbon atoms (trioses, tetroses, pentoses, hexoses) and whether they are aldoses or ketoses.
    • What distinguishes D sugars from L sugars?
      The spatial orientation of the hydroxyl group on the carbon atom farthest from the aldehyde or ketone group determines whether a monosaccharide is a D sugar (right) or an L sugar (left).
    • What are anomers?
      Anomers are isomers that differ in configuration only at the carbonyl carbon, which becomes an anomeric carbon in the cyclic form.
    • What is chitin and where is it found?
      Chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in most fungi, some algae, and many mollusks and arthropods. It is a homopolymer of N-acetyl-β-D-glucosamine.
    • What test differentiates pentoses from hexoses?
      Bial’s test differentiates pentoses (which form blue-colored compounds) from hexoses (which form green-colored compounds) based on their reaction with orcinol in the presence of hydrochloric acid.
    • What is the result of the Benedict's test for carbohydrates?
      Benedict’s test detects reducing sugars. Reducing sugars (e.g., monosaccharides, maltose, lactose) form a red precipitate of cuprous oxide, while non-reducing sugars (e.g., sucrose) do not react.
    • What is the role of glycoproteins?
      Glycoproteins, which have covalently attached oligosaccharide or polysaccharide chains, play roles in cellular protein distribution, cell adhesion, and cell recognition.
    • What are some important reactions of monosaccharides?
      oxidation to acidic sugars
      reduction to sugar alcohols
    • what is the structure and significance of ribose?
      Ribose is a pentose sugar that is a key component of RNA, ATP, and DNA, existing mainly in a five-membered cyclic form.
    • What are monosaccharides?
      Monosaccharides are the simplest carbohydrates that cannot be hydrolyzed into simpler sugars. Examples include glucose, fructose, and ribose.
    • What is the Iodine test used for?
      To differentiate polysaccharides from other carbohydrates, identifying starch, dextrin, and glycogen by color changes.
    • What does Benedict's test detect?
      Reducing sugars, which form a red precipitate of cuprous oxide, while non-reducing sugars do not react.
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