Download Chemistry Group 1: Nucleic Acids

Name: _______________________________________________
Period: _______
Chemistry
Problem: What are living things made of? There may be as many as 10,000
different kinds of molecules in living things. But, are there a few common
patterns?
Part 1: Classifying
1. Look at your molecule cards. What do they all have in common?
2. What differences do they have?
Part 2: Interpreting Molecular Structure
3. Sort out all of the cards that have nitrogen (N). Take this pile and sort out
those that contain phosphorous (P). How many cards do you have that
contain both nitrogen and phosphorous?
Group 1: Nucleic Acids
4. Nucleic acids contain DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic
Acid). Where in living systems is DNA found?
5. What is DNA’s function for the cell?
6. Each nucleic acid contains 3 parts: a nitrogen base, a phosphate group, and a
5 carbon sugar. Make a drawing like the figure below and circle these 3
parts in your drawing.
7. Which of the CHONPS elements are found in nucleic acids?
8. List 2 differences between your nucleic acid cards.
Thornburg 2014
Name: _______________________________________________
Period: _______
Group 2: Amino Acids – Building Blocks of Proteins
9.
Proteins are molecules that play many important roles in living organisms;
muscle structure, hormones, antibodies, hemoglobin for carrying oxygen,
transport molecules across cell membranes, chemical messengers in the
nervous system, and enzymes to control chemical reactions. Each amino acid
contains an amino group: NH3 and a carboxyl group: COOH or COO-. Draw
an amino acid from your cards. Circle the amino group and put a square
around the carboxyl group.
10. How many amino acids do you have in your set?
11. Which of the CHONPS elements are contained in all amino acids?
Group 3: Carbohydrates
12. Sugars are literally hydrates of carbon, having the general formula
Cn(H2O)n . Sugars are burned or “oxidized” in what cellular process?
13. If “n” = 6, how many carbons are there? How many hydrogens? How many
oxygens?
14. Take your non- nitrogen pile and sort out those cards that have 3 or more
OH groupings within the molecule. These are your carbohydrates. How
many are there?
15. Study your carbohydrates cards. How could you divide your carbohydrates
into 2 categories?
16. Which of the CHONPS elements are found in carbohydrates?
17. Sugars can be joined together in long chains called starch, cellulose and
glycogen. Starch and glycogen are easily broken down into simple sugars to
release energy. Cellulose, on the other hand, which is made in plants, can
only be broken down by a few organisms in the world (primarily the bacteria
in the guts of termites). What happens to the cellulose (fiber) you eat?
Group 4: Lipids – contain 2 subgroups: Fatty Acids and Steroids
Subgroup 1: Fatty Acids
18. Fatty acids are long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group at one end.
How many fatty acids did you find?
19. Fatty acids that contain no double bonds between carbon atoms are
saturated. An unsaturated fatty acid contains at least 1 double bond
between 2 of its carbon atoms. How many saturated fatty acids did you
find?
Thornburg 2014
Name: _______________________________________________
Period: _______
Subgroup 2: Steroids
If you have 3 remaining cards, you have been successful in classifying molecules.
These 3 remaining cards are steroids, which are part of the cell membrane and
used as chemical messengers.
20. Which of the CHONPS elements are found in lipids?
Organize your information on this table:
Group
monomer
polymer
CHONPS
Elements
Characteristics
Cellular function
Nucleic Acids
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Lipids: Fatty Acids
(Triglycerides &
Phospholipids)
Lipids: Steroids
Conclusion: Write a paragraph (4-5 sentences summarizing the patterns you
see as a result of classifying these molecules.
Thornburg 2014