CHAPTER 1:BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES

SHORT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1:Why water molecules are called amphoteric in

nature?
Answer:Water molecules are called amphoteric in nature
because water molecules act both an acid and a base thus
it is an amphoteric molecule
Acidic condition : In acidic condition water gives up H+
ions
Basic condition: In basic condition it gain electrons to
form OH- ions
Suitable medium: Due to this property it acts as best
suitable medium for chemical processes in living cell.

Q2:Why amino acids are named so?

Answer: Amino acids are so named because they contain
one amino group (-NH²) at one side which work as a base
and a carboxylic acid group (-COOH) on other side which
serves as a base.Both the groups are chemically bonded to
asymmetric carbon
(structure on pg no 13)

Q3:How monosaccharides are classified?

Classification of Monosaccharides:
Answer: Monosaccharides are classified in three main
ways, according to the number of carbon atoms present in
their structure
 Monosaccharides containing three carnon atoms are
referred as trioses. E.g, glycerose
 Monosaccharides having four carbon in their
structure are called tetroses. E.g, erytherose
 Monosaccharides with five carbon atoms are called
pentoses, etc. E.g, ribose

Q4: Enlist bio-elements make 98% of living system.

Answer: The bio-elements involved in the synthesis of
biomolecules are as following
 Carbon
 Hydrogen
 Oxygen
 Nitrogen
 Phosphorus
  Sulphur
They form approximately 98% of living system

Q5: Why fats provide more energy than carbohydrates?

Answer: Fats provide more energy than carbohydrates
because fats (lipids) are made up of C,H and O like
carbohydrates but contain much lesser ratio of oxygen
than carbohydrates e.g, Stearin. Due to high amount of
Carbon and Hydrogen, they contain almost double
amount of energy than carbohydrates . It is estimated that
a person of average size contain approx; 16 Kg of fats
which contain 144*10³ Kcal of energy.

Q6: How many steps involved in nuleotide formation?

Answer: Formation of nucleotides:
Formation of nucleotide takes place in two steps.
First step:
At first step the nitrogen combines with pentose
sugar at its first carbon to form nucleotide.
Second step:
At the second step the phosphoric acid combines
with 5th carbon of pentose sugar to form a nucleotide.
(Draw structure of nucleotide from pg no 20)

REASONING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Q1: What is heat of vaporization? Why water have a high
heat of vaporization?
Answer:The amount of heat required to change liquid
state into vapour state is called the heat of vaporization.
Water has very high heat of vaporization due to presence
of strong hydrogen bonding between water molecules.
Q2: What is specific heat? Why water have high specific
heat?
Answer: Specific heat of a substance is the amount of
heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gm of
that substance by 1°C.The specific heat of water is high
due to its polar nature and hydrogen bonding.
Q3:Why glycolipids are called cerebrosides?
Answer: Glycolipids are the conjugate molecules of
lipids and carbohydrates. They are also called
cerebrosides because they are present in the mylein sheath
of nerve fiber and in white matter of brain i.e, cerebrum.
Q4:Why is artificial sweetener not harmful to diabetic
patient?
Answer: The artificial sweetener are not harmful to
diabetic patient because these sugars are usually left
handed i.e, have same mass and same sugar but zeeo
calories. These sugars remain undigested in our body
because all our enzymes are right handed which are
responsible for the breakdown of right handed sugars only
thus left handed won’t fit into catalytic site which will
results in no breakdown and no metabolism of these
sugars.
Q5: Why carbohydrates are called hydrated carbon?
Answer: It is a group of organic compounds having
carbon,oxygen and hydrogen in which oxygen and
hydrogen are mostly found in the same ratio i.e 2:1 as in
water thus called so.
Q6: Why monosaccharides are called simple sugars?
Answer: These are called simple sugars because they
cannot be hydrolysed further into simple sugars. Their
general formula is CnH2n0n e.g Cellulose ( C6H1206) and
ribose ( C5H10O5) etc.
Q7: Why butter solidify at room temperature but not
mustard oil?
Answer: Because butter contains saturated fatty acid i.e,
they do not contain any double bond between carbon
atoms and mustard oil contain unsaturated fatty
acids.i.e,they contain one or more than one double bonds
between carbon atoms.
NON- REASONING QUESTION-ANSWERS
Q1: Differentiate between condensation and
hydrolysis.
Answer: Differences between condensation and
hydrolysis:
Condensation Hydrolysis
It is the synthesis of a It is the breakdown of large
complex molecule from reactant molecules into
small reactant molecules smaller one in water
preserve.
Reactants are small Reactants are complex
molecules. molecules.
Products include complex Products include small
molecules along with a fragments or molecules
small molecule. from which the complex
molecules is made of .
Produce water as a by- Does not produce water as
product. a by-product.
Synthesis water. Consume water.

Q2: Difference between DNA and RNA.

Answer: Differences between DNA and RNA
DNA RNA
It is double stranded. It is single stranded.
It contains It contains Ribose
deoxyribose sugar sugar( C5H10O5).
( C5H10O5).
It is hereditary It is protien
material. synthesis.
It is located in the It is located in the
nucleus. cytoplasm.
It contains thymine in It contains traid
its nitrogenous bases. instead of thymine.

Q3: Define terpenoids.

Answer: Book pg no 19.
Q4: Write four important functions of carbohydrate.
Answer: Functions of carbohydrates:
 Carbohydrates are the potential source of energy,
which is utilized in body metabolism.
 Carbohydrates act as a storage food molecules.
 They also work as an excellent building, protective
and supporting structure e g cellulose.
 They also form conjugated molecules.
Q5: Distinguish between saturated acyl glycerol and
unsaturated acyl glycerol.
Answer:
Saturated acyl glycerol Unsaturated acyl glycerol
Saturated acyl glycerol is a Unsaturated acyl glycerol
lipid molecule composed of is a lipid molecule
glycerol and fatty acids, composed of glycerol and
with all Carbon-carbon fatty acids that contains
bonds in the fatty acids one or more double bonds
chains being single bonds . betweeen carbon atoms in
the fatty acids chains.
All carbon atoms in the There are one or more
fatty acids chains are double bonds in the fatty
linked by single bonds, acids chains.
resulting in a fully
saturated structure.
Have a higher degree of Have a lower degree of
saturation . saturation.
Generally solid or semi Usually lipid or oily at
solid at room temperature room temperature.
as their saturated fatty
acids are tightly packed.

Q6: What are reducing and non-reducing sugars?

Answer: Reducing Sugar:
The reducing sugar is any carbohydrate which is capable
of being oxidized and causes the reduction of other
substances without hydrolysis.It is due to the presence of
free aldehyde or ketone group. Example: maltose and
lactose
Non-reducing sugars:
The non-reducing sugars are carbohydrates which are
unable to be oxidized and do not reduce other substances.
It is due to absence of free aldehyde or ketone groups.
Example: sucrose or refinose etc.

Q7:Name any two aldohexose and ketohexose isomers.

Answer: Aldohexose isomers:
It is defined as a chemical compounds which have
aldehyde group attached at one side of hexose,and have
same molecular formula but different chemical structures.
Some aldohexose isomers are as follows
Glucose and galactose.
Ketohexose isomers:
A monosaccharide having a ketone group attached at
hexose is called ketohexose isomer.
Some of ketohexose isomers are as follows
Fructose, sorbose and psicose.
Q8: Define starch.
Answer: Starch:
 Presence
It is the most abundant and reserve food
material of higher plants found in cereals, legumes,
tubers and other vegetables .
 Structure
Amylose: Starch is made up of many glucose
molecules joined together in a straight chain called
amylose which is soluble in hot water.
Amylopectin: The second constituent of starch is a
branched chain called amylopectin. It is insoluble in
hot and cold water
 Color to iodine
It gives blue color to iodine.
Q9: Define glycogen.
Answer:Glycogen:
 Presence
It is mainly found in bacteria, fungi, in
animals mainly found in liver and muscles.
 Structure
It is a polymer of glucose. Its molecular
structure is similar to starch but found in animals
therefore called animal starch.
  Color to iodine
It gives red color to iodine.
Structure on pg no 10
Q10: What is sickle cell anemia?
Answer: Sickle cell anemia:
It is defined as an abnormality in
hemoglobin due to change in ine amino acid out of 574
amino acids. One glutamic acid is replaced by valine at
6th position. Due to this little change hemoglobin fails
to carry sufficient O² which leads to death of the
person, it may also block arteries.(As amino acids are
very specific in their positioning thus a minor change
causes the cell to behave abnormally.)
Draw figure 1.10 from book pg no 14.
Q11: Classify proteins on the basis of shapes.
Answer: Classification of Proteins:
On the basis of shapes proteins are classified into two
groups;
 Fibrous Protein
 Globular Protein
(i).Fibrous Protein:
  Shape:
These are long fibers of proteins.
 Structure:
The secondary protein (spiral chains)
intertwine with each other’s they are consist of more
polypeptide chains in the form of fibrils
 Nature:
These proteins are insoluble in water,non-
crystalline and elastic in nature.
 Functions:
They perform structural and role in cells and
organisms e.g, silk, spider web, myosin in muscles, fibers
and clothing, keratin of nails and hairs,etc.
(ii). Globular Protein:
 Shape:
These are spherical or ellipsoidal due to theee
dimensional fold of secondary protein.
 Structure:
These are either tertiary or quaternary in
structure.
 Nature:
They are soluble in salt, acid or base
containing aqueous medium or alcohol. They can be
crystallized.
  Functions:
These proteins work as enzymes, antibodies,
hormones and hemoglobin.
Q12: list the structural proteins.
Answer: Table 1.4
Q5: Define types of functional proteins with examples
and functions.
Answer: Table 1.5

Long Question and Answers:

Q1:What are lipids? Define acyl glycerol and waxes
breifly.
Answer:Lipids:
Biomolecules which are insoluble in water
and soluble in organic solvents like ether and amd alcohol
etc are called lipids. These compounds are made up of
C,H and O like carbohydrates but contain much lesser
ratio of oxygen.
Example: stearin is a fat and has molecular formula
C₅₇H₁₁₀O₆.
Acyl glycerol:
 These are the condensation products of glycerol
and three fatty acids commonly called fats and oils.
 Esterification: Ester is the bond or linkage found
between alcohol and organic acid by removing water
,this reaction is called esterification
(Draw structure from pg no 16)

 Structure of Acyl glycerol:

Glycerol is a trihydroxy alcohol made ,made up of three
carbon atom each contain one OH- group, while a fatty
acid is a type of organic acid containing one carboxylic
acid group with long hydrocarbon chain. When three fatty
acid combine with glycerol each at one OH- group., they
form three ester bonds. A compound called triglycerol is
formed.
 Types of Acyl glycerol:
There are two types of Acyl glycerol.
 Saturated acyl glycerol
 Unsaturated acyl glycerol

 Saturated acyl glycerol:

They contain saturated fatty acid i.e,do not
contain any double bond between carbon atoms of
hydrocarbon chain e.g, stearin
(structure of stearic acid pg no 17)

 Unsaturated acyl glycerol:

They contain unsaturated fatty acids i.e
contain one or more than one double bonds betwehn
carbon atoms of hydrocarbon chains. They are
usually found at liquid state at ordinary temperature.
E.g,linolin found in seed
(structure of linoleic acid on pg no 17)

Waxes:
They are esters of long chain mono alcohol and long
chain fatty acids.
Occurrence:
These are simple lipids and found as Protective
coating on stems ,stocks,leaves , furs, feathers, fruits etc
Nature:
They are water repellant. These are chemically inert
and non- reactive due to its non polar nature i.e
hydrophobic compounds
Types of waxes:
There are two types of waxes
 Natural waxes i.e bee’s wax
 Synthetic waxes i.e derived from petroleum or
polyethylene.
Importance:
Waxes are of considerable commercial importance
because they act as superior machine lubricants. Sperm
whales were tge principle source of these waxes
(structure on pg no 18)
Q2: What are carbohydrates? Explain their
classification.
Answer: book pg no 8