*

What are biological molecules comprised of?

Do Now
• Complete the ‘Prior Knowledge Check’
• Complete ‘Table 1’ by drawing the dot and cross, displayed
formula and ball and stick model diagrams. Then, define the
term ‘covalent bond’.

Do Next: Complete Biozone 52 – Organic molecules.

Keywords: α-glucose ; β-glucose ; monosaccharide ; disaccharide ; glycosidic bond;
condensation; hydrolysis; peptide bond; monomer; polymer; ; amino acid; polypeptide;
hydrogen bonding

DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?

Where would condensation occur?
Prior Knowledge – self assess
1) Converted into insoluble starch, To produce fat for storage, To produce cellulose for cell
walls, To produce proteins
2) Glucose + Oxygen Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy
3) Amino acids
4) Muscles, hormones, antibodies, enzymes
5) Biological catalysts – to increase the rate of chemical reactions
6) Alter the shape of the enzyme – denaturing them
7) The chemical reactions that happen in our bodies
8) Protons and neutrons in the nucleus , Electrons orbit the nucleus in shells
9) Different forms of the same element with the same number of protons but a different
number of neutrons
10) A charged atom – loss or gain of electrons
11) Hydrogen
12)
13) 14.3
Prior Knowledge
Important Biological Molecules
 What is a covalent bond?
Non-metal elements usually just need one or two electrons
to fill their outer shells. So how do they form a bond?

incomplete
Cl Cl
outer shells

The two non-metal atoms cannot form a bond by transferring

electrons from one to another. Instead, they share electrons.

Each atom now

Cl Cl has a full, stable
outer shell.
The shared electrons join the atoms together.
This is called a covalent bond.
 How is a covalent bond drawn?
A covalent bond consists of a shared pair of electrons.

Cl Cl
covalent bond
Only outer shells of electrons are involved in bonding, so the
inner shells do not always have to be included in diagrams.
Two common ways to represent a covalent bond are:

simplified Cl –Cl
dot and solid
cross Cl Cl line Cl – Cl
diagram
 Covalent bonding in water
Compounds can contain more than one covalent bond.
Oxygen (2.6) needs 2 more electrons, but hydrogen [1] only
needs 1 more. How can these three elements be joined by
covalent bonding?
The oxygen atom shares 1
electron with 1 hydrogen
atom, and a second electron O
with another hydrogen H H
atom.

What is the name of the molecule that is formed?

H2O (or H–O–H) is water.

What are simple covalent structures?
Covalent molecules that contain only a few atoms are
called simple covalent structures.
Most substances that contain simple covalent molecules
have low melting and boiling points and are therefore liquids
or gases at room temperature, e.g. water, oxygen, carbon
dioxide, chlorine and hydrogen. Why?
The covalent bonds within these molecules are strong but
the bonds between molecules are weak and easy to break.

weak bonds
strong bonds
between
within
molecules
molecules
Important Biological Molecules
 Do Next – self assess

DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?

Where would condensation occur?
 Learning objectives
• Describe the chemical elements that make up biological
molecules
• Describe what monomers and polymers are and identify
some biological polymers, and the monomer from which
they are made.

DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?

Where would condensation occur?
 Life Based on Carbon
Carbon atoms readily form bonds with other carbon
atoms. This allows a sequence of carbon atoms of
different lengths to be built up. These form a
‘backbone’ along which other atoms can be attached.

Know your prefixes!

Prefix Number
Mono 1

Di 2

Tri 3
Tetra 4
Penta 5
DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the
Hexa 6 human body?
Poly Many Where would condensation occur?
 Monomers and Polymers
Monomer – one of many small molecules that combine to form
a larger one (a polymer)
Polymer – large molecule made up of small repeating units
(monomers)

In carbohydrates, the basic monomer is sugar – otherwise known as

a saccharide.

What would a single monomer be called?

Monosaccharide
What would a pair of monomers be called?
Disaccharide
What would a large chain of monomers be called?
Polysaccharide
 Monosaccharides
Monosaccharides are sweet-tasting, soluble substances
with the general formula (CH20)n where ‘n’ can be any
number between one and seven.
Examples – glucose, galactose and fructose
Glucose is a hexose sugar – what does this mean?

C6H1206
What would the formula be for a
pentose sugar?
DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?
Where would condensation occur?
 Biological Polymer Monomer Elements Example in organisms
macromolecule

Carbohydrate

Lipid

Protein

Nucleic acid

Monosaccharide Polysaccharide Lipid

Fatty acids Cell membranes,
CHO
and glycerol
steroid hormones
Polypeptide CHONP Amino acids
CHONS DNA

CHO Nucleotide Cellulose / starch /

glycogen
Enzymes, hormones RNA, DNA, ATP
Biological Polymer Monomer Elements Example in organisms
macromolecule present
Carbohydrate Monosaccharide
CHO Cellulose / starch /
Polysaccharide
glycogen
Fatty acids
Lipid Cell membranes,
Lipid
and glycerol CHO
steroid hormones
Polypeptide Amino acids C H O N S Enzymes, hormones
Protein
DNA Nucleotide CHONP RNA, DNA, ATP
Nucleic acid

EXT: Which of the following biological macromolecules is not actually

considered a polymer (and its constituents would not be considered a
“monomer”?)

DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?

Where would condensation occur?
 Plenary - Do you like really, really know it?

Task 1: Complete the Power Ticket provided without looking back at your notes.
Task 2: Discuss your answers with your peer and add any additional information
into your book in purple pen.

1) Atoms form bonds with each other when pairs of electrons are shared (1)
according to the bonding rules (1).
2) A cation is an ion with a net positive charge (1), i.e. it has lost one or more
electrons (1). An anion is an ion with a net negative charge (1), i.e. it has
gained one or more electrons (1).
3) Water – one oxygen atom binds to two hydrogen atoms (1), oxygen can form
two bonds, each hydrogen can only form one bond (1). Carbon dioxide – one
carbon atom and two oxygen atoms (1), carbon can form four bonds, each
oxygen atom can form two bonds, therefore carbon forms a double bond
with each oxygen atom (1).
4) Monomer - single unit that can be combined to form a larger unit (polymer),
Polymer - large molecule made of small repeating units (monomers)
 Plenary - Do you like really, really know it?

5)

6) Lipids are not polymers as they are not made of repeating units (of a single type of
monomer).
1) Draw the general structure of an
Task
amino acid, ensuring you label the
structure. Then, describe the 4) In the reaction in Q2, the dipeptide
general structure. (4 marks) can be broken down into its constituent
monomers. Explain the role of water in
2) Glycine and alanine can react this hydrolysis reaction.
together in a condensation
reaction to form a dipeptide. Draw 5) Hydrogen bonds often form between
a diagram showing the reaction adjacent amino acids in a protein.
and the two possible dipeptides Explain why (2 marks). Draw a diagram
that could form. to show where these hydrogen bonds
would form.

3) What type of bond joins these DTC: How does hydrolysis

amino acids together? Circle this occur in the human body?
bond in the dipeptide above.
Where would condensation
occur?
 Self assess - Q1 - 3

● Amino group on one side of the

central carbon
● A carboxyl group on the other side
of the carbon Peptide bond joins amino acids together.
● R group below the central carbon
Glucose → Glycosidic bond
Protein → Peptide bond

DTC: How does hydrolysis occur in the human body?

Where would condensation occur?
 Self assess - Q4 & 5
Q5)
● Amino acids contain oxygen
and hydrogen atoms (1)
● A hydrogen bond forms
between an oxygen atom on
one amino acid and a
hydrogen atom on another
amino acid (1)

OH H
Plenary - do you really, really know it?
Complete the Power Ticket - do what you can
without looking in your book.

Then, use your books and add any additional

information using purple pen.
Self assess your answers - Q1 - 3
3
1) Monomer - single unit that can be
combined to form a larger unit
(polymer), Polymer - large molecule
made of small repeating units
(monomers)
2)

● Amino group on one side of the

central carbon
● A carboxyl group on the other
side of the carbon
● R group below the central
carbon
 Self assess your answers - Q4 - 6
4) Glycosidic bonds are formed between two monosaccharide in a
condensation reaction. A hydroxyl group is lost from one monosaccharide and
a hydrogen atom is lost from the other monosaccharide
5) Both are condensation reactions (1), both release a molecule of water (1),
glycosidic bonds are between