Download Unit 1 LE - SchneiderSBI4U

SBI4U
LEARNING EXPECTATIONS - UNIT 1
THE CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
You should be able to:
1.1
explain the meaning of the following chemical terms as they relate to the chemical basis of life: atom, molecule,
isotope, isomer, valence, electronegativity and polarity of a molecule; hydrophilic vs. hydrophobic properties,
functional groups, monomer, polymer;
1.2
describe the formation of the following bonds between atoms: covalent, polar covalent, hydrogen;
1.3
explain the importance of water to life here on Earth, and why it is thought as a prerequisite to the existence of
extraterrestrial life;
1.4
define hydrocarbon and distinguish between straight-chain (long vs. short) and ring forms of hydrocarbon with
respect to such properties as solubility, “electron-mobility” and relative stability with the presence of double- and
triple-bonded carbons within their structures;
1.5
construct simple hydrocarbons given their formulas;
1.6
describe, using representative examples and structural formulas, the general features, the key functional groups and
related linkages;
1.7
distinguish between dehydration (condensation) synthesis and hydrolysis involving the linkages such as ether, ester,
and amide (peptide);
1.8
list the main functions in living organisms of each of the four main “families” of biochemicals - the carbohydrates, the
lipids, the proteins, and the nucleic acids;
1.9
classify carbohydrates as monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides and list examples of each class,
describe their respective molecular structures, and their general biological roles;
1.10
draw the full structural formula of glucose and short-hand structural representations for fructose, sucrose, starch and
cellulose;
1.11
distinguish between stereoisomers and structural isomers with reference to glucose as an example;
1.12
state the component molecular units for sucrose, maltose, and lactose, as well as for starches, including glycogen, and
cellulose, and show how ether linkages are formed between sugars in di- and polysaccharides;
1.13
explain the difference between starch and cellulose with respect to the glucose-glucose linkage;
1.14
explain why glucose and sucrose are considered quick food energy, whereas starches are considered better as
temporary energy storage molecules;
1.15
state the structure and function(s) of other carbohydrates such as deoxyribose, ribose, and chitin;
1.16
state five different kinds of lipids and functions for each kind (with examples);
1.17
show the dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis of a typical fat molecule, using full structural formulas (given the
molecular formula for a specific fatty acid), and showing the ester linkage between the fatty acids and the glycerol
molecule;
1.18
explain why saturated fats have approximately twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates;
1.19
distinguish between saturated, unsaturated (incl. monounsaturated vs polyunsaturated) fatty acids (and fats);
1.20
distinguish between a triglyceride, a diglyceride, and a monoglyceride and explain the production of each of these in
the step-by-step digestion of a fat molecule;
Revised June 25, 2017
1.21
distinguish between HDL and LDL with respect to molecular structure (general) and risk factors associated with
arteriosclerosis;
1.22
compare a typical fat molecule with a phospholipid molecule in molecular structure;
1.23
explain the properties of phospholipids with respect to their molecular structure, especially their ability to form
bilayered cell membranes;
1.24
describe the general structure of steroid molecules and their various roles in the cells and tissues of the human body;
1.25
state and briefly describe the molecular structure and biological roles of two other lipids - waxes and terpenes;
1.26
state several kinds of proteins and their respective functions;
1.27
draw a general structural formula of an amino acid and then be able to show how two or more amino acids link
together via a peptide bond to make a protein; (and show how a short polypeptide may be hydrolysed);
1.28
distinguish between the primary, secondary, and tertiary structures of a protein, and the significance of each level of
structure with respect to the functioning of the protein and explain the meaning and significance of denaturation;
1.29
describe the basic nucleotide structure and distinguish between ATP, NAD+, DNA, and RNA as members of the
nucleic acid family;
1.30
show how the molecular components of a nucleotide are assembled and how nucleotides are linked together via the
phosphate-sugar "backbone" and, as well, the H-bonding between base-pairs;
1.31
state and explain the base-pairing rule in DNA and RNA;
1.32
compare DNA and RNA with respect to their structures, (shapes, sizes, varieties, base-pairing), their functions ( in
general), and their locations in cells;
Revised June 25, 2017