Biological Molecules Lesson Plan PDF

At the end of the discussion, the learner’s will be able to; 1. Describe what biological molecules is; 2. State the different types of biological molecules; and 3. Appreciate the importance of each biological molecules.  Biological molecules are important cellular components and perform a wide...

At the end of the discussion, the learner’s will be able to; 1. Describe what biological molecules is; 2. State the different types of biological molecules; and 3. Appreciate the importance of each biological molecules.  Biological molecules are important cellular components and perform a wide array of functions necessary for the survival and growth of living organisms. The four major classes of biological molecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.  ¢ Organic compounds made by living things Also called biochemicals Some are very large There are thousands of different biomolecules, but are separated into 4 categories.   Comes from the fact that these compounds have many carbon atoms bonded to hydroxide (OH) groups. The simplest biomolecules Contain 3 elements: — Carbon — Hydrogen Oxygen  Serve 2 main functions: 1. Source of chemical energy for cells in many living things. 2. Part of the structural material of plants Come in all sizes, from small rings to long chains.  SUGAR Break down quickly in the body Provide a quick burst of energy or a “sugar rush” Glucose is the most important & simplest sugar on Earth. Used in cells & created by photosynthesis It comes in many forms  S T A RC H Long chains of simpler sugars joined together These big molecules are called macromolecules Also called polysaccharides or polymers Slower to break down in the body & provide energy for a longer period of time than regular sugars. Marathon runners, tri-athletes, cyclists like Lance Armstrong, and other endurance runners eat carbohydrates for weeks leading up to a big event. They call it “carbo-loading”. Even high school athletes occasionally have “pasta feeds” the night before a big game. What’s the point? As the athletes consume massive amounts of starch and pasta, the energy begins to store up in their body, saving itself for use during the event.  Fats Oils Most lipids are made of just carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. But unlike carbohydrates, fats are more complex & take much longer to break down. So, fats are high-energy molecules that plants and animals use to store energy in reserves for longer periods.  Plants store energy in oils, like olive oil, corn oil, or peanut oil. An oil is a fat that is liquid at room temperature  Fats & oils store energy super- efficiently, 1 gram of fat contains about twice the energy as 1 gram of carbohydrate. A fat molecule has a 2-part structure. The first part is called glycerol. Attached to the glycerol are 3 long chains called fatty acids  Saturated fats Unsaturated fats only single bonds in the one or more double bonds in carbon chain the carbon chain Most animal fats Most oils from plants “bad” fats “good” fats  Cholesterol is another lipid in cell membranes It is also needed to make hormones like adrenaline Your body makes the cholesterol that it needs, but it is also found in many foods that come from animals, like meat and eggs. Although you need cholesterol, eating too much of it can block arteries and lead to heart disease.  Proteins are big molecules called macromolecules Made of smaller molecules called amino acids Made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, & some other elements There are at least 100,000 proteins in your body Each has a different structure that gives it a specific job. There are 4 types of structure, including coils & curls. Think of proteins as being like a word. Amino acids are the letters in that word. Rearranging the letters makes words with different meanings. There are 20 amino acids required for human life to exist. 12 amino acids are made in our bodies, but the other 8 must be obtained by eating foods that contain them.  Some proteins curl up into a shape like a ball of enzymes. An enzyme is a special protein & a catalyst for a chemical reaction in living things. Catalysts speed up the rate of a reaction. Enzymes are needed for many chemical reactions in your body. Without them, these reactions would occur too slowly to keep you alive. It’s important to have lots of protein in your diet! Proteins in foods such as meats, soybeans, & nuts are broken down into amino acids. Without protein, your body can ’ t function perfectly.. This is why it’s important for vegetarians to find protein from non-animal sources.  Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is needed for several important processes in your brain & nervous system. Scurvy results from a lack of vitamin C in your diet. It causes of spotting on the skin, spongy gums, and bleeding membranes, and can eventually lead to death.  Largest & most complex biomolecule Includes: DNA RNA Contain information that cells use to make proteins Made of: Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen Nitrogen  Every cell in your body has a complete set of nucleic acids. The process of making proteins from amino acids is called protein synthesis  Deoxyribonucleic acid One of the largest molecules A single DNA molecule has more than 1 million atoms. Occur in matched sets: Adenine (A) to Thymine (T) Cytosine (C) to Guanine (G) The order of the bases in DNA is the way in which DNA stores instructions for making proteins. Each of the 20 amino acids is represented by a series of 3 DNA bases. For example, the sequence T-A-C is the code for the amino acid tyrosine. Directions: Define the following terms below: Carbohydrates Glycerol Lipids Protein Synthesis Nucleic acid Cholesterol Protein Saturated fats Scurvy Unsaturated fats Starch Amino acids Sugar DNA RNA