Biomolecules and Elements

What is the general formula for monosaccharides?

What is the term for sugars that are classified according to the number of carbon atoms?

Which of the following is a function of glucose in the body?

What is the name of the molecule that forms the building block of plant cells?

What is the term for reducing sugars?

Which pentose sugar is a constituent of DNA?

What is the CO2 acceptor in photosynthesis?

What is the function of glucose in the brain?

What is the term used to describe the compounds required by living organisms to survive?

What is the smallest unit that makes up a cell?

How many elements are involved in producing and maintaining life on our planet?

What are the 4 most common elements in living organisms, in order?

What is the process of forming biomolecules by joining many small units together?

What is the general formula for carbohydrates?

Why are carbohydrates an important source of energy for living organisms?

What determines the chemistry of carbohydrates?

Biomolecules

Living organisms require biomolecules to survive, which are composed of 13 essential elements.
The 6 most common elements in biomolecules are carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S).

Organic Compounds

Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen chemically bond together to form 4 large units of organization: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
Biomolecules are formed through synthesis, which involves joining small units together to form a long chain, often removing a water molecule (dehydration synthesis).

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates contain the elements C, H, and O, with a general formula Cx(H2O)y.
Carbohydrates are a good energy source for living organisms and are divided into three main classes: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides are single sugar units, classified according to the number of carbon atoms (e.g., trioses, tetroses, pentoses, hexoses, and heptoses).

Monosaccharides

Monosaccharides are the smallest functioning units of carbohydrates, with a general formula (CH2O)n.
Glucose is a common monosaccharide, a six-carbon sugar used by cells for various purposes, such as energy production, brain function, and synthesis.

Importance of Glucose

Glucose is important for brain cells, synthesized by green plants, and used as a food by others.
It is a constant source of energy for cellular activity, stored in the liver or muscles, and forms cellulose, the building block of plant cells.

Learn about the biomolecules that make up a cell and the elements involved in producing and maintaining life. Discover how these elements combine to give a cell its unique structure and internal activity.