915 Assignment 1: Monomers & Macromolecules

NAMES: ________________________________________________________________________

To complete this assignment, you will need to refer to the textbook & the PPT lectures on Macromolecules.

One goal of this assignment is to help you understand the link b/w the structure of molecules/macromolecules
& their funcEon. You must absolutely memorize some of the structural components of the macromolecules &
understand the link between structure & func=on.

1. Which 2 elements form ALL organic molecules? ___ & ___

2. Match the structures to the terms. Use the LETTERS ONLY. There can be more than 1 choice per term
(it’s indicated) & some choices may be used more than once.

________ Cis/Trans isomers (2) ________ Amino acid

________ Contains carboxyl (COOH) group(s) ________ Contains (organic) phosphate
________ Hydrophilic (4) ________ Contains amine (NH3+) group(s)
________ Hydrocarbon (2) ________ Contain carbonyl (C=O) group(s) (2)

A. B. C.

D. E. F.

3. Provide the 2 uses of the macromolecules ingested in your diet.

i. ____________________________________________________________
ii. ____________________________________________________________

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 4. Fill in the following table regarding polar & non-polar molecules by USING A CHECK MARK (√) to
indicate the correct proper=es that characterize each type. Not all choices need to be checked off.
Remember: polar molecules are not always charged.

POLAR NON-POLAR
Presence of covalent bonds
Equal sharing of electrons (é)
Contains O &/or N, the 2 most electronegative
elements found in organic molecules
Hydrophilic
Hydrophobic
ALWAYS having a NET electrical charge (i.e.,
above or below 0)

5. CIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER & fill in the blanks when appropriate.
When atoms gain or lose one or more é, they are no longer electrically neutral; they are therefore
called ______________. An atom that has gained one or more é, specifically, is called an
___________________. If it has gained only one (1) é, it displays a net (CIRCLE) posi=ve OR nega=ve
electrical charge. An atom that has lost one or more é, specifically, is called a ________________. If it
has lost only one (1) é, it displays a net (CIRCLE) posi=ve OR nega=ve electrical charge. These types of
atoms can form bonds, created by electrical interac=on, called __________________ bonds. The
compounds that result (CIRCLE) can OR cannot interact with water (dissolve in water), & are therefore
(CIRCLE) hydrophilic OR hydrophobic.

6. Define the term “precursor” molecule.

____________________________________________________________________

7. Define the term “essenEal” molecule.

____________________________________________________________________

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 8. Fill in the following table regarding dehydra=on synthesis & hydrolysis by USING A CHECK MARK (√) to
indicate the correct proper=es that characterize each type.

Dehydration Hydrolysis Anabolic Catabolic

Synthesis
H2O is a reactant
H2O is a product
Monomers are products
Polymers are synthesized

9. Match the words in the le` column with the defini=ons in the far-right column by inser=ng the correct
leaer in the column in between. LETTER ONLY.

Word CORRECT Definition

MATCHING
LETTER

Catabolic A. Speeds up a reaction without being modified itself – a catalyst.

Products B. What you start with in a chemical/physiological reaction.
Anabolic C. A metabolic reaction that requires enzymes & releases energy;
an e.g., is hydrolysis.
Reactant D. What you end up with in a chemical/physiological reaction.
Enzyme E. A metabolic reaction that requires both enzymes & energy; an
e.g., is dehydration synthesis.

10. Complete the following table by lis=ng the 4 major macromolecules in ascending order of the # of
elements always present, in each of them.

Elements always Element(s) sometimes present Name of Biomolecule

present
C, H P (in phospholipids) Lipid
Very little O
Not applicable

S Protein

Not applicable

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 11. Fill in the following table regarding macromolecules by USING A CHECK MARK (√) to indicate the
correct proper=es that characterize each type.

Carbs Triglycerides Phospholipids Proteins Nucleic Acids

Always contain P

Generally contain little

or no P
Always contain N Some do
some
don’t
Generally contain no N

Can contain S

12. Fill in the following table regarding the monomers & bonds that form macromolecules.

Monomer(s) Name of bond b/w monomers

T r i g l y c e r i d e 1.
(specifically) 2.
Glycogen Glucose
Enzyme
Nucleic acid

13. A. IdenSfy the EXACT MONOMER below. This is __________________.

B. Circle the part of this molecule that gives it high potenEal energy.

C. Fill in the blanks. When this monomer passes on some of this poten=al energy, in the form of a(n)
________________________________, to a reactant in a chemical reac=on, the reactant is now said to
be ________________________________.

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 14. A. IdenSfy the EXACT MONOMER to the right below. This is __________________.

B. Give one (1) example of a polymer which is made up of a repea=ng series of this specific
monomer. ___________________

C. What is the name of the process in which this specific monomer plus O2 are used to
make ATP? ___________________________________

15. A. IdenSfy each part of this molecule using the

LETTERS ONLY:
Saturated FA: ________ A.
Unsaturated FA: ________
Glycerol: ________ B.

B. Circle all the carboxyl funcEonal groups in this

molecule.

C. Check the correct answers:

Is this molecule POLAR? Y___ N____
Is the double bond in a CIS conforma=on?
C.
Y___ N___

16.Fill in the blanks.

A. All lipids are hydrophobic. However, phospholipids assume a dis=nc=ve configura=on in an aqueous
(water-based) solu=on because of their ___________________ nature, meaning that one end of a
phospholipid is hydrophilic while the other is hydrophobic.
B. The ______________ structure of all proteins is the par=cular 3D shape of the polypep=de chains
required for all proteins to be func=onal.
C. The sequence of amino acids of a polypep=de is determined by DNA. This chain of amino acids forms
the ________________ structure of the polypep=de chain. This level is NOT affected by denatura=on.

17. A. Name the type of macromolecule

component.
__________________________

B. Name this EXACT essential monomer.

__________________________

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18. Use the figures of various molecules A. to G. below to fill in the accompanying table. USE A CHECK MARK
(√) to indicate the correct descripSon(s) that characterize each molecule. Don’t be “in=midated” by their
structure: look for the elements they contain!

R-group

A. B. R-groups C.

D. CH3(CH2)5CH=CH-(CH2)7COOH O
E.
CH3-CH2-- CH2- CH2- CH2- CH2- CH2- CH2- CH2-C-OH
-
F.
- G.

A B C D E F G
Carb
Fatty acid MONOMER
Lipid NOTE: to determine
whether an AA or a
Amino acid MONOMER stretch of protein is
polar, charged or non-
Protein polar look at the R-
GROUP(s) ONLY.
Nucleic acid
Polar
Non-polar
Hydrophobic
Hydrophilic
Saturated
Unsaturated

Net electrical charge

(indicate the charge, e.g.
“+3”)
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 19. Using the le\ered choices, fill in the accompanying table by selecSng all the descripSons that
correspond to the monomers or polymers. LETTER(S) ONLY.
A. Biological catalyst
B. Animal storage carbohydrate
Molecule Letter(s)
C. The material that makes up genes
D. A steroid Cholesterol (2)
E. Disaccharide
F. A nucleic acid containing the nitrogenous DNA
base U & the sugar ribose Enzyme
G. An important precursor
Note: a precursor is NOT just a reactant in a Glycogen
chemical process, nor is it just a monomer. It can Cortisol
have its own funcEon(s) as well as act as a
necessary “building block” for other metabolically Maltose
important molecules. RNA

Molecule (# of Letter(s)
answers) 20. Using the le\ered choices below, fill in the
accompanying table by selecSng all the
ATP (3) descripSons that correspond to the monomers
Nucleotides (2) or polymers. Le\ers can be used more than
once (examples given). LETTER(S) ONLY.
Carbohydrates (1)
Steroids (3) E, G, K
Phospholipids (3)
Proteins
Monosaccharides (2)
Fatty acids (3)
Lipids (3) E, G, K
Amino acids (2)
Nucleic acids (1)
A. Monomers of carbohydrates I. Contain P in addi=on to C, H with some O
B. Monomers of proteins J. Contain P in addi=on to C, H, O & N
C. Most important energy molecule in cells K. Cholesterol is one such macromolecule
D. Amphipathic L. Monomers of triglycerides, along with
E. Always hydrophobic glycerol, & of phospholipids & cholesterol
F. Contain C, H & O in ra=o CH2O M. Monomer(s) of nucleic acids
G. Contain C & H but rela0vely li3le O
H. Contain N in addi=on to C, H & O

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21. The 20 amino acids which are known (so far) to make up the diverse proteins in our body differ in the
chemical proper=es of their side chains (R groups).
A. Indicate how the R GROUPS (the “backbone” of the AA would be a3ached to the CH2 of the R group
in each case) would be at physiological pH;
B. Then, use the R GROUPS at physiological pH to fill in the accompanying table. Use a CHECK MARK
(√) to indicate the correct descripSon(s) that characterize each R group.
*REMEMBER: at physiological pH (in general) COOH is found in the form of COO- & NH2 is found in
the form of NH3+
Note: charged molecules can be considered polar; but no all polar molecules are charged.

R group attached to At physiological A. B. C. D.

“backbone” pH this R group
Would act as a
would be:
proton (H+)
A . acceptor
Would act as a
proton (H+)
B . donator
(Overall) Neutral

C.
Polar
( O v e r a l l )
Charged
D .
Non-polar
Hydrophobic
Hydrophilic

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22. A globular (func=onal) protein that is func=ons in aqueous (water-based) solu=ons, such as blood, has the
4 amino acids indicated below as part of its primary structure:
C D

A B

Once the protein has folded into its func=onal 3D structure, indicate which AAs would be found (use the
le\ers ONLY):
A. In the interior por=on of the ter=ary structure of the protein: ____ & ____
B. On the outside of the protein: ____ & ____

H O H O H
│ ║ │ ║ │
23. This is the structure of a par=cular protein at pH7.2. +H3N─C─C─N ─C ─ C─N ─C─COO-
│ │ │ │ │
What is its net charge at pH 7.2? _______ CH2 H H H CH2
│ │
If you raise the concentra=on of H+ ions from 10-7 CH2 CH2
(the concentra=on of H+ in pure water) to 10-5, │ │
what is the new pH of this solu=on? ____ CH2 CH2
│ │
NH3 + NH
│
C ═ +NH2
│
NH2
24. CIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER & fill in the blanks when appropriate.
Fever denatures protein because it causes an (CIRCLE) ↑ OR ↓ of ______________ energy. This then
(CIRCLE) ↑ OR ↓ the movement of molecules to the point where the bonds that make up the
__________________ & ___________________ structures of the protein break.
The ___________________ structure, made of strong ___________________ bonds, called
_______________________________, is NOT affected however.

25. CIRCLE THE CORRECT ANSWER & fill in the blanks when appropriate.
A change in pH can denature protein because the protein can act as a physiological ______________. It
can (CIRCLE) accept OR donate H+ if the concentra=on of H+ is too high in a solu=on (in other words if
the pH of that solu=on is (CIRCLE) ↑ OR ↓ ). Conversely, It can (CIRCLE) accept OR donate H+ if
the concentra=on of H+ is too low in a solu=on (in other words if the pH of that solu=on is (CIRCLE) ↑
OR ↓ ). In this way, it aaempts to bring the pH back to its normal level.
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