BIO 311 EXAM 1 DREXEL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | BIOLOGY EXAM PREP &
STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
Biochemistry - ✔✔chemical processes in biological systems.
lipids - ✔✔basic elements: C, H, O
water soluble hydrocarbon derivatives, function:
energy structure, structure (membrane)
triacylglycerol - ✔✔A lipid consisting of three fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule; also
called a fat or triglyceride.
-3 OH groups get esterified with fatty acids
phospholipids - ✔✔a lipid consisting of a glycerol bound to two fatty acids and a phosphate
group.
Cholesterol structure - ✔✔-structural lipid present in membrane of most eukaryotic cells
-polar head group (hydroxyl group) and a nonpolar hydrocarbon boday (steroid nucleus & alkyl
side chain)
-steroid nucleus: consists of 4 fused rings, three w/ 6C and 1 w/ 5C
omega 3 - ✔✔The first double bond is located at the third carbon from the omega end.
Common omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
-produce anti-inflammatory compounds, helping to resolve inflammation.
omega 6 - ✔✔The first double bond is at the sixth carbon from the omega end. Linoleic acid
(LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are common examples of omega-6 fatty acids.
,-can be converted into pro-inflammatory molecules, which are vital for immune responses and
wound healing
protein - ✔✔made of amino acids (20 of them)
amino group, carboxylic acid group, h group, and r group
basic elements: CHON
functions: diverse
-catalysis, structure, transport, defense, etc.
exception: some contain sulfur
general structure of amino acids - ✔✔alpha Amino group (NH2); carboxyl group (COOH);
central carbon bonded to a hydrogen; R group (can be one of 20 different molecules)
carbon positions in amino acids - ✔✔#1 --> carboxylic groups, carbon attached is alpha carbon,
with beta, gamma, and so on after that
essential amino acids - ✔✔Isoleucine, leucine, threonine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,
tryptophan, valine
-I'm learning these little molecules, proving truly valuable
methionine/cysteine essentiality - ✔✔both have sulfur but Met is essential and Cys is non-
essential. Met: Essential for growth, metabolism, and as a precursor to cysteine
Phenylalanine/tyrosine & tryptophan essentiality - ✔✔-aromatic rings
can use phenylalanine to make tyrosine so tyrosine is non-essential.
tryptophan essential
Iso, Leu, Val essentiality - ✔✔branched chain
,Thr, Lys essentialty - ✔✔bc of carbon parts
conditionally essential amino acids - ✔✔amino acids that are normally considered
nonessential but become essential under certain circumstances when the body's need for them
exceeds the ability to produce them
-arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, histidine, proline, serine, tyrosine
nucleic acid - ✔✔CHONP. DNA and RNA
Carbohydrate - ✔✔compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source
of energy for the human body.
-defined by carbon and the hydroxyl groups. ex: glucose, starch, cellulose, glycogen
naming terms of carbohydrate saccharides - ✔✔mono-, di-, oligo-, poly- referring to the
number of saccharides (how many sugar molecules linked together)
naming terms for carbohydrate carbon amount - ✔✔tri-, tetr-, pent-, hex- + -ose"
-amount of carbon contained in a single molecule (monosaccharide)
-don't use mono, di
-need 3 carbons at least to make a sugar
furan - ✔✔Is a five-membered oxygen heterocyclic compound
pyran - ✔✔6 membered hemiacetal ring
common elements of life - ✔✔carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur. NH
COPS (New Hampshire Cops)
, valence shell electrons - ✔✔electrons found in the outermost shell of the atom. octet rule. 8
electrons needed to form bond.
electronegativity - ✔✔the ability of an atom to attract electrons when the atom is in a
compound.
(H< (C=S) <<< N<O)
inc in (e-)-->
carbon valence & isotypes - ✔✔4 valence electrons
isotype:
C13 stable (difference in mass, can use a mass spec to determine where C13 is)
C14 radioactive (a lot of usage in research, can be traced in radioactivity using diff instruments)
nitrogen valence & isotypes - ✔✔3 valence electrons
N15 stable and can use mass spec to detect it
Hydrogen valence & isotypes - ✔✔1 valence electrons
H2 Deuterium
H3 Tritium
both not stable
oxyegen valnce & isotypes - ✔✔2 valence electrons
O18 stable widely used clinically
phosphorus valence and isotypes - ✔✔3 valence electrons
P32
STUDY GUIDE 2026/2027
Biochemistry - ✔✔chemical processes in biological systems.
lipids - ✔✔basic elements: C, H, O
water soluble hydrocarbon derivatives, function:
energy structure, structure (membrane)
triacylglycerol - ✔✔A lipid consisting of three fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule; also
called a fat or triglyceride.
-3 OH groups get esterified with fatty acids
phospholipids - ✔✔a lipid consisting of a glycerol bound to two fatty acids and a phosphate
group.
Cholesterol structure - ✔✔-structural lipid present in membrane of most eukaryotic cells
-polar head group (hydroxyl group) and a nonpolar hydrocarbon boday (steroid nucleus & alkyl
side chain)
-steroid nucleus: consists of 4 fused rings, three w/ 6C and 1 w/ 5C
omega 3 - ✔✔The first double bond is located at the third carbon from the omega end.
Common omega-3 fatty acids include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA),
and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
-produce anti-inflammatory compounds, helping to resolve inflammation.
omega 6 - ✔✔The first double bond is at the sixth carbon from the omega end. Linoleic acid
(LA) and arachidonic acid (AA) are common examples of omega-6 fatty acids.
,-can be converted into pro-inflammatory molecules, which are vital for immune responses and
wound healing
protein - ✔✔made of amino acids (20 of them)
amino group, carboxylic acid group, h group, and r group
basic elements: CHON
functions: diverse
-catalysis, structure, transport, defense, etc.
exception: some contain sulfur
general structure of amino acids - ✔✔alpha Amino group (NH2); carboxyl group (COOH);
central carbon bonded to a hydrogen; R group (can be one of 20 different molecules)
carbon positions in amino acids - ✔✔#1 --> carboxylic groups, carbon attached is alpha carbon,
with beta, gamma, and so on after that
essential amino acids - ✔✔Isoleucine, leucine, threonine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine,
tryptophan, valine
-I'm learning these little molecules, proving truly valuable
methionine/cysteine essentiality - ✔✔both have sulfur but Met is essential and Cys is non-
essential. Met: Essential for growth, metabolism, and as a precursor to cysteine
Phenylalanine/tyrosine & tryptophan essentiality - ✔✔-aromatic rings
can use phenylalanine to make tyrosine so tyrosine is non-essential.
tryptophan essential
Iso, Leu, Val essentiality - ✔✔branched chain
,Thr, Lys essentialty - ✔✔bc of carbon parts
conditionally essential amino acids - ✔✔amino acids that are normally considered
nonessential but become essential under certain circumstances when the body's need for them
exceeds the ability to produce them
-arginine, cysteine, glycine, glutamine, histidine, proline, serine, tyrosine
nucleic acid - ✔✔CHONP. DNA and RNA
Carbohydrate - ✔✔compound made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms; major source
of energy for the human body.
-defined by carbon and the hydroxyl groups. ex: glucose, starch, cellulose, glycogen
naming terms of carbohydrate saccharides - ✔✔mono-, di-, oligo-, poly- referring to the
number of saccharides (how many sugar molecules linked together)
naming terms for carbohydrate carbon amount - ✔✔tri-, tetr-, pent-, hex- + -ose"
-amount of carbon contained in a single molecule (monosaccharide)
-don't use mono, di
-need 3 carbons at least to make a sugar
furan - ✔✔Is a five-membered oxygen heterocyclic compound
pyran - ✔✔6 membered hemiacetal ring
common elements of life - ✔✔carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur. NH
COPS (New Hampshire Cops)
, valence shell electrons - ✔✔electrons found in the outermost shell of the atom. octet rule. 8
electrons needed to form bond.
electronegativity - ✔✔the ability of an atom to attract electrons when the atom is in a
compound.
(H< (C=S) <<< N<O)
inc in (e-)-->
carbon valence & isotypes - ✔✔4 valence electrons
isotype:
C13 stable (difference in mass, can use a mass spec to determine where C13 is)
C14 radioactive (a lot of usage in research, can be traced in radioactivity using diff instruments)
nitrogen valence & isotypes - ✔✔3 valence electrons
N15 stable and can use mass spec to detect it
Hydrogen valence & isotypes - ✔✔1 valence electrons
H2 Deuterium
H3 Tritium
both not stable
oxyegen valnce & isotypes - ✔✔2 valence electrons
O18 stable widely used clinically
phosphorus valence and isotypes - ✔✔3 valence electrons
P32
