ACS Biochemistry Exam Question and Answer
2026 | Updated Notes with Detailed
Explanations | A+ Verified
• What is the L configuration of a sugar in a Fisher projection? -✓✓hydroxyl on left
• What is the difference between glycogen and amylopectin? -✓✓glycogen- has
branches about every 10 residues (more highly branched)
amylopectin- has branches about every 25
• What is amylose made up of? -✓✓glucose
• What makes up starch? -✓✓amylose
amlyopectin
• What is a glycosidic bond? -✓✓links two monosaccharides together at points 1 and 4
• What is the difference between an alpha(1-4) and beta(1-4) linkage? -✓✓alpha: when
the oxygen is pointed down in a glycosidic bond
beta: when the oxygen is pointed up in a glycosidic bond
• What is the definition of a carbohydrate? -✓✓all have hydroxyl and carbonyl functional
groups
• Difference between aldose and ketose -✓✓aldose has an aldohyde
ketose has a ketone
• What makes up sucrose? -✓✓fructose and glucose monosaccharides
• What makes up lactose? -✓✓glucose and galactose monosaccharides
• What makes up mannose? -✓✓two glucose monosaccharides
• What are lipids? -✓✓soluble in other nonpolar solvents (not water)
• What are triglycerides composed of? -✓✓glycerol and three fatty acids
• What is saponification? -✓✓base hydrolysis of a triglyceride or other fat
, strong base is added
breaks ester linkages to release hydroxyls and form glycerol
• What has a higher level of unsaturation -- oils or fats? -✓✓oils
liquid at room temperature
• What is the structure of the plasma membrane? -✓✓hydrophylic head
hydrophobic fatty acid tails
proteins span the phospholipid bilayer
• Why type of amino acid is present in the plasma membrane among the fatty acid tails?
-✓✓hydrophobic/nonpolar
• What is passive transport (simple diffusion)? -✓✓no energy required
no protein required
move from high concentration to low concentration
water, gases, ethanol (small nonpolar) can pass through
• What is facilitated diffusion? -✓✓requires protein
no energy required
molecules are two large to go through on their own
• What is active transport? -✓✓energy is required
moves from low to high concentration
• How many carbon atoms do most fatty acids have? -✓✓even number
• What bond holds nucleotides together? -✓✓phosphodiester bond
• What base pairing exists in nucleic acids? How many hydrogen bonds between them?
-✓✓G--C (3 hydrogen bonds)
A--T (2 hydrogen bonds)
• What is the first amino acid always placed in a protein? -✓✓methionine (Met)
start codon
• What 3 things make up a nucleotide? -✓✓nitrogen base
phosphate group
pento-sugar (ribose or deoxyribose)
• What are the 3 main differences between DNA and RNA? -✓✓RNA single strand
2026 | Updated Notes with Detailed
Explanations | A+ Verified
• What is the L configuration of a sugar in a Fisher projection? -✓✓hydroxyl on left
• What is the difference between glycogen and amylopectin? -✓✓glycogen- has
branches about every 10 residues (more highly branched)
amylopectin- has branches about every 25
• What is amylose made up of? -✓✓glucose
• What makes up starch? -✓✓amylose
amlyopectin
• What is a glycosidic bond? -✓✓links two monosaccharides together at points 1 and 4
• What is the difference between an alpha(1-4) and beta(1-4) linkage? -✓✓alpha: when
the oxygen is pointed down in a glycosidic bond
beta: when the oxygen is pointed up in a glycosidic bond
• What is the definition of a carbohydrate? -✓✓all have hydroxyl and carbonyl functional
groups
• Difference between aldose and ketose -✓✓aldose has an aldohyde
ketose has a ketone
• What makes up sucrose? -✓✓fructose and glucose monosaccharides
• What makes up lactose? -✓✓glucose and galactose monosaccharides
• What makes up mannose? -✓✓two glucose monosaccharides
• What are lipids? -✓✓soluble in other nonpolar solvents (not water)
• What are triglycerides composed of? -✓✓glycerol and three fatty acids
• What is saponification? -✓✓base hydrolysis of a triglyceride or other fat
, strong base is added
breaks ester linkages to release hydroxyls and form glycerol
• What has a higher level of unsaturation -- oils or fats? -✓✓oils
liquid at room temperature
• What is the structure of the plasma membrane? -✓✓hydrophylic head
hydrophobic fatty acid tails
proteins span the phospholipid bilayer
• Why type of amino acid is present in the plasma membrane among the fatty acid tails?
-✓✓hydrophobic/nonpolar
• What is passive transport (simple diffusion)? -✓✓no energy required
no protein required
move from high concentration to low concentration
water, gases, ethanol (small nonpolar) can pass through
• What is facilitated diffusion? -✓✓requires protein
no energy required
molecules are two large to go through on their own
• What is active transport? -✓✓energy is required
moves from low to high concentration
• How many carbon atoms do most fatty acids have? -✓✓even number
• What bond holds nucleotides together? -✓✓phosphodiester bond
• What base pairing exists in nucleic acids? How many hydrogen bonds between them?
-✓✓G--C (3 hydrogen bonds)
A--T (2 hydrogen bonds)
• What is the first amino acid always placed in a protein? -✓✓methionine (Met)
start codon
• What 3 things make up a nucleotide? -✓✓nitrogen base
phosphate group
pento-sugar (ribose or deoxyribose)
• What are the 3 main differences between DNA and RNA? -✓✓RNA single strand
