Download UNIT 2 TEST SPRING 2016 Big Ideas and Basic Facts You Need to

Big Ideas and Basic Facts You Need to Know to Slam Dunk the Unit 2 Exam
This unit focused on the major molecular groups that are found in all living things – water,
carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. We learned that all organic molecules
contain carbon atoms . We studied what the common characterisitics (types of atoms,
structure) of molecules in each category have in common. To understand their role in living
things we focused on how their molecular structures provide them the ability to build body
structures and support life processes.
Within each category of compounds there are many different types of molecules – we
looked at several examples like glucose (a carbohydrate), keratin (a protein), DNA/RNA
(nucleic acids) and cholesterol (a lipid). We studied the relation between monomers and
polymers as well as the anabolic process of building new molecules through dehydration
synthesis as well as the catabolic process of breaking apart larger molecules into smaller
ones through hydrolysis.
Finally we studied how enzymes, which are in the protein molecule category, have the
ability to speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy which ensures that
chemical reactions will occur at a rate needed for the body to function properly. We
looked at how certain variables, such as temperature and pH affect how well an enzyme
works due to their action on the enzyme’s shape.
So having said all that …what do you need to know and do:
Know
Vocabulary!
 How how oxygen’s high electronegativity relative to hydrogen’s causes water to be a
polar molecule which, in turn, allows for it to hydrogen bond with both other polar
molecules (including water itself) and ions. Know how this structure of water,
AND SPECIFICALLY HYDROGEN BONDING, allows it to have many properties
such as adhesion, cohesion, lower density at freezing temps, great dissolver, high
heat capacity, hydrophobic affect. Know what these properties are and how they
help to support life.
 Know that water can hydrogen bond to other charged ions and polar molecules but
not to molecules that do not have a charge (nonpolar) such as fats, waxes , oil and
sterols (lipids).
 The structure of the carbon atom and how its ability to form strong covalent bonds
with itself and other atoms gives it the ability to form over 2 million compounds.
 Know the 4 major categories of organic compounds, what molecules in each group
have in common and what the compound group’s function in supporting life is. For
each, identify the monomers and polymer(s) in the category. You will be given
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pictures of the molecular structures which you will have to identify what group they
are in.
Be sure to know the specific functions of glucose, fructose, collagen, cholesterol,
cellulose, starch. Know that glucose is the ONLY monomer for cellulose, starch and
collagen but that the reason these isomers are different is because the glucose
molecules are joined together differently in each one.
Know what activation energy is and what it is needed for.
Know how enzymes work on substrates to reduce or lower activation energy in order
that chemical reactions can go fast enough to support life.
Know what suffix most enzyme names end in.
Know how temperature and pH can affect enzyme function.
Be able to interpret graphed data to determine the effect of temperature and pH
on the rate of an enzyme catalyzed reaction.
Know the difference between dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis – be able to
identify this process by looking at an illustration of a chemical reaction.
Know what an acidic, basic and neutral solution are. Know the pH scale.