Biochemistry Study Guide: Synthesis and Hydrolysis

Questions and Answers

What does the word synthesis mean?

The combining of separate parts to make a new whole.

Compare and contrast the processes of dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis. Be sure to include the role of water in these processes.

Dehydration synthesis is the opposite of hydrolysis. Dehydration synthesis starts with 2 monomers and hydrolysis starts with a polymer and water.

What role does dehydration synthesis play in the creation of advanced organic molecules?

Dehydration synthesis creates the polymers.

What are the products of hydrolysis?

The products of hydrolysis are two new monomers. Signup and view all the answers

The following is what type of reaction: C2H5OH + C2H6 → C4H10 + H2O?

Dehydration synthesis. Signup and view all the answers

Suppose you were stranded on a desert island with no food or water. You are allowed to choose a machine that conducts either dehydration synthesis or hydrolysis for your utilization. Which do you choose and why?

Dehydration synthesis because it would create water instead of combining it to form a new monomer. Signup and view all the answers

What does the word lysis mean?

Splitting. Signup and view all the answers

Would you use hydrolysis or dehydration synthesis to break a larger molecule into two smaller molecules? Support your answer.

Hydrolysis because it takes water and adds it to a polymer to create two monomers. Signup and view all the answers

Polymers can be broken down into two new molecules through what process?

Hydrolysis. Signup and view all the answers

What are the reactants in a hydrolysis reaction?

Polymer and water. Signup and view all the answers

The following is what type of reaction: C6H14 + H2O → C5H11OH + CH4?

Hydrolysis. Signup and view all the answers

What does hydrophobic mean?

Repels water. Signup and view all the answers

When in the presence of water, how does a phospholipid orient itself? What property of water initiates this reaction?

The head of the phospholipid would go toward the water and the tail would go away from it. Signup and view all the answers

What relationship exists between phospholipids and cell membranes?

Phospholipids make up the cell membranes and act as a barrier to protect them. Signup and view all the answers

Within early cells, what more complex molecules were able to form?

Macromolecules. Signup and view all the answers

In baseball terminology, a '5-tool player' is a player who can execute 5 skills extremely well. RNA may be described as a '3-tool' molecule. Explain this comparison and identify the '3 tools.'

RNA's '3 tools' are replication, metabolism, and catalyzation. Signup and view all the answers

Why is it significant that RNA can accomplish the three specific tasks you identified in the previous question?

Moved the evolution up. Signup and view all the answers

What does hydrophilic mean?

Negative head is attracted to water and can bond to hydrogen. Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of phospholipids causes them to always orient themselves in the same direction?

They have a positive and negative side, and the negative attracts the positive and the positive attracts the negative. Signup and view all the answers

The special alignment of phospholipids in an aqueous environment led to the formation of what?

Bilayer sheet. Signup and view all the answers

Scientists hypothesize that Earth's early atmosphere contained substances such as...

Ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following was probably not present in the atmosphere of the primitive Earth?

Oxygen Signup and view all the answers

How did the cooling of Earth influence the presence of liquid water on its surface?

If the Earth's surface didn't cool, every liquid would have evaporated because of how hot it was. Signup and view all the answers

A water molecule may be accurately compared to a magnet. Explain the properties that a water molecule and magnet share.

Both a magnet and water molecule have a positive and negative side. Signup and view all the answers

Draw a water molecule and identify the charges that exist on the molecule.

Signup and view all the answers

Compare and contrast cohesion and adhesion.

Cohesion is when a water molecule is attracted to another water molecule. Adhesion is when a water molecule is attracted to another molecule. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Synthesis and Reactions

Synthesis involves combining separate parts to create a new whole, similar to building with legos.
Dehydration synthesis creates polymers from monomers, while hydrolysis breaks down polymers into monomers using water.
Reactants of hydrolysis include a polymer and water; its products are two new monomers.
In dehydration synthesis, a water molecule is produced as larger molecules form.

Phospholipids

Phospholipids consist of a hydrophilic (water-attracting) head and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail.
When exposed to water, phospholipids orient themselves by placing their heads in water and tails away from it, forming a bilayer sheet.
Phospholipids are essential for building cell membranes, creating a protective barrier.

RNA and Early Cells

RNA is described as a "3-tool" molecule, performing replication, metabolism, and catalyzation effectively.
The ability of RNA to perform these tasks may have accelerated the process of evolution.
Early cells developed more complex molecules known as macromolecules.

Earth's Early Atmosphere

The primitive Earth's atmosphere likely contained ammonia, methane, carbon dioxide, but lacked oxygen.
The cooling of Earth allowed for the presence of liquid water, as higher temperatures would have caused evaporation.

Water Properties

Water molecules share similar properties with magnets, having distinct positive and negative sides.
Cohesion refers to water molecules attracting each other, while adhesion refers to water's attraction to other substances.

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Description

This study guide covers key concepts in biochemistry, focusing on dehydration synthesis, hydrolysis, phospholipids, and RNA. It includes flashcards to help reinforce understanding of these processes, their definitions, and the role of water in biochemical reactions.