Name: ______________________________ Date: __________________ Per________
STUDY GUIDE: BIOCHEMISTRY
I. Organic Compounds
a) Carbohydrates
1. What are the basic building blocks of carbohydrates?
The basic building blocks of carbohydrates are monosaccharides.
2. What 3 elements make up carbohydrates, and in what ratio?
Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio.
3. Carbohydrates are sugars. Name 3 sugars:
Fructose, sucrose, glucose
b) Lipids
1. Determine the different structure between unsaturated fats and saturated fats. Then, tell
me why saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and unsaturated fats are liquid at room
temperature:
Saturated fats have no C to C double bond in their structure, causing them to have more hydrogen
atoms than other fats. They are solid at room temperature because they contain all C to C single
bonds, which results in straight molecules that will pack together tightly.
Unsaturated fats have double bonds among the carbon atoms, reducing the number of hydrogen
atoms. Less hydrogen atoms and double bonds make the molecule more “kinked” and unable to pack as
tightly, resulting in a liquid state.
c. Proteins
1. What are the building blocks of proteins? Amino Acids
2. Proteins are made out of amino acids. Explain how there are thousands of different kinds
of proteins, yet only 20 different amino acids.
The type of protein depends on the sequence and number of the amino acids in the
polypeptide (1’ structure). For example, even two proteins that are completely different
could have the exact same amino acids, but they would be in a different order. The
number of amino acids adds another level of complexity. The order and number of amino
acids determines their shape. Their shape determines their function/type.
STUDY GUIDE: BIOCHEMISTRY
I. Organic Compounds
a) Carbohydrates
1. What are the basic building blocks of carbohydrates?
The basic building blocks of carbohydrates are monosaccharides.
2. What 3 elements make up carbohydrates, and in what ratio?
Carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio.
3. Carbohydrates are sugars. Name 3 sugars:
Fructose, sucrose, glucose
b) Lipids
1. Determine the different structure between unsaturated fats and saturated fats. Then, tell
me why saturated fats are solid at room temperature, and unsaturated fats are liquid at room
temperature:
Saturated fats have no C to C double bond in their structure, causing them to have more hydrogen
atoms than other fats. They are solid at room temperature because they contain all C to C single
bonds, which results in straight molecules that will pack together tightly.
Unsaturated fats have double bonds among the carbon atoms, reducing the number of hydrogen
atoms. Less hydrogen atoms and double bonds make the molecule more “kinked” and unable to pack as
tightly, resulting in a liquid state.
c. Proteins
1. What are the building blocks of proteins? Amino Acids
2. Proteins are made out of amino acids. Explain how there are thousands of different kinds
of proteins, yet only 20 different amino acids.
The type of protein depends on the sequence and number of the amino acids in the
polypeptide (1’ structure). For example, even two proteins that are completely different
could have the exact same amino acids, but they would be in a different order. The
number of amino acids adds another level of complexity. The order and number of amino
acids determines their shape. Their shape determines their function/type.
