BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES

CHAPTER 4
 OVERALL BREAKDOWN
• CARBON CONTAINING MOLECULES
• STRUCTURES OF CARBOHYDRATES, PROTEINS
AND FATS
• ROLE OF WATER
• STRUCTURE OF DNA
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES
• CARBON is an element that is found in all
biological molecules (Oxygen and Nitrogen are
found in some)
• CARBON atoms can join together to form:
1. Chains
2. Rings
• This means that biological molecules can be
very large.
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES
• Another name for a large molecule is called a
MACROMOLECULE (‘Macro’ means large)
• Biological molecules are constructed by
repeating units that join together to form a
large molecule.
• The small repeating units are called
monomers (‘mono’ means one)
• The resulting large molecule is called a
polymer (‘poly’ means many)
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES
• Here is a list of Polymer-Monomer groups you
are required to know:
MONOMER POLYMER

GLUCOSE STARCH

GLUCOSE GLYCOGEN

GLUCOSE CELLULOSE

AMINO ACIDS PROTEIN

FATTY ACIDS AND GLYCEROL FATS AND OILS

BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES
• Monomers often contain different properties
from their polymers. This makes them more
suitable for specific functions in living things.
For example:
GLUCOSE (Monomer)  Soluble but weak
THIS SUITABLE FOR TRANSPORTATION
CELLULOSE (Polymer)  Insoluble but strong
THIS MAKES IT SUITABLE FOR SYNTHESIS OF
PLANT CELL WALLS
 WE SHALL EXAMINE THREE MAJOR
BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES
1) CARBOHYDRATES
2) PROTEINS
3) FATS
CARBOHYDRATES
Elements: CARBON, HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN
Monomers: Simple Sugars / Monosaccharide
(‘Mono’ means one)
Monomers X 2 : Complex Sugar / Disaccharide
(‘Di-’ means two)
Polymer: Polysaccharide (‘Poly’ means many)
An example

Monosaccharide: GLUCOSE
Disaccharide: MALTOSE
Polysaccharide: STARCH

Two glucose molecules = MALTOSE

More than 20 glucose molecules = STARCH

To make this easier for you to remember, just picture these molecules as:
1) Singles
2) Pairs
3) Groups
SIMPLE SUGARS/MONOSACCHARIDES:
PROPERTIES:
• SMALL
• SOLUBLE IN WATER
• TASTES SWEET
SIMPLE SUGARS/MONOSACCHARIDES:
TEST FOR REDUCING SUGARS:
What are reducing sugars?
• Reduction or being reduced refers to the gain
of electrons.
• Glucose is an example of a reducing sugar, it
gains electrons and as a result causes a change
in color when placed in Benedict’s Solution.
• You can use this property to determine if an
unknown food substance contains glucose.
SIMPLE SUGARS/MONOSACCHARIDES:
TEST FOR REDUCING SUGARS:
1) Take the unknown food substance (if its solid, add a few
drops of water to make a suspension) and place in a test
tube
2) Add 3-4 drops of Benedict’s solution.
3) Heat this mixture (Place in a beaker of boiling water or
directly in the flame but this should be placed in and out
at intervals to prevent the liquid from splashing out)
4) If a reducing sugar is present, it will gain electrons from
the Benedict’s solution and cause a change in color.
CHANGE IN COLOR:
LIGHT BLUE  CLOUDY GREEN  YELLOW BRICK-RED
 CHANGE IN COLOR:
LIGHT BLUE  CLOUDY GREEN  YELLOW
BRICK-RED
COMPLEX SUGARS / DISACCHARIDES:
PROPERTIES:
• SMALL
• SOLUBLE IN WATER
• TASTES SWEET
POLYSACCHARIDES:
• When many (>20) simple sugar molecules join
together, the resulting molecule is called a
polysaccharide.
For example, starch (made from glucose
molecules)
STARCH GLYCOGEN

Glucose Molecules are arranged in a linear

manner

Starch is an energy storage molecule for plants

Glucose Molecules are arranged in a branched
Manner

Glycogen is an energy storage molecule for

animals
CELLULOSE
Glucose Molecules are arranged in a helical manner

Cellulose forms a crisscross pattern which makes it strong.

Therefore, it is used in the synthesis of plant cell walls.
POLYSACCHARIDES:
PROPERTIES:
• LARGE
• INSOLUBLE IN WATER
• DOES NOT TASTE SWEET
POLYSACCHARIDES:
Test for starch:
1) Take the unknown food substance (if its solid,
add a few drops of water to make a
suspension) and place in a test tube
2) Add 3-4 drops of iodine solution
3) If starch is present, the iodine solution will
undergo a color change.
CHANGE IN COLOR:
ORANGE-RED  BLUE-BLACK
PROPERTIES OF CARBOHYRATES:
• Carbohydrates are required by the body for
providing energy
• 1g of a carbohydrate = 17kJ of energy

How many grams of a carbohydrate are

required to produce 119kJ of energy?