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BSC2010 Macromolecules Questions with
Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What elements is the framework of biological molecules primarily made of?
Answer: Carbon bonded to carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, or
hydrogen
How many covalent bonds can a carbon atom form? Answer: Up to 4 covalent
bonds
What are hydrocarbons? Answer: Molecules consisting only of carbon and
hydrogen
What are the properties of hydrocarbons? Answer: They are nonpolar
What do functional groups add to molecules? Answer: Chemical properties
What are isomers? Answer: Molecules with the same molecular or empirical
formula but with a different chemical structure
What do structural isomers have in common, and how do they differ? Answer:
They have the same number of atoms of each element but different
arrangements of their atoms
What is an example of structural isomers? Answer: Butane and isobutane
How do stereoisomers differ? Answer: They differ in how groups are attached
What are enantiomers? Answer: Mirror image molecules, a type of
stereoisomer
What is another term for molecules that are mirror images? Answer: Chiral
What are the two chiral forms of enantiomers? Answer: D-sugars and L-amino
acids
, 2
What is a macromolecule? Answer: A molecule containing a very large number
of atoms, such as a protein, nucleic acid, or synthetic polymer
What is a polymer? Answer: A large molecule built by linking monomers
What is a monomer? Answer: A small molecule that functions as a building
block for bigger molecules known as polymers
What are the 4 major groups of macromolecules? Answer: Carbohydrates,
Nucleic Acids, Proteins, and Lipids
What is dehydration synthesis? Answer: The formation of large molecules by
the removal of water; monomers are joined to form polymers
What is hydrolysis? Answer: The breakdown of large molecules by the addition
of water; polymers are broken down to monomers
In dehydration synthesis, how are monomers joined? Answer: By the removal
of OH from one monomer and the removal of H from the other at the site of
bond formation
In hydrolysis, how are monomers released? Answer: By the addition of a water
molecule, adding OH to one monomer and H to the other
What is the ratio of elements in carbohydrates? Answer: A 1:2:1 ratio of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (C, H, O)
What is the empirical formula for carbohydrates? Answer: (CH2O)n
Why are C-H covalent bonds important in carbohydrates? Answer: They hold a
lot of energy
What is a primary function of carbohydrates related to energy? Answer: They
are good energy storage molecules (e.g., sugars, starch, glucose, and glycogen)
What is a primary function of carbohydrates related to structure? Answer: They
work well as biological structural materials (e.g., cellulose, chitin)
BSC2010 Macromolecules Questions with
Answers (100% Correct Answers)
What elements is the framework of biological molecules primarily made of?
Answer: Carbon bonded to carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, or
hydrogen
How many covalent bonds can a carbon atom form? Answer: Up to 4 covalent
bonds
What are hydrocarbons? Answer: Molecules consisting only of carbon and
hydrogen
What are the properties of hydrocarbons? Answer: They are nonpolar
What do functional groups add to molecules? Answer: Chemical properties
What are isomers? Answer: Molecules with the same molecular or empirical
formula but with a different chemical structure
What do structural isomers have in common, and how do they differ? Answer:
They have the same number of atoms of each element but different
arrangements of their atoms
What is an example of structural isomers? Answer: Butane and isobutane
How do stereoisomers differ? Answer: They differ in how groups are attached
What are enantiomers? Answer: Mirror image molecules, a type of
stereoisomer
What is another term for molecules that are mirror images? Answer: Chiral
What are the two chiral forms of enantiomers? Answer: D-sugars and L-amino
acids
, 2
What is a macromolecule? Answer: A molecule containing a very large number
of atoms, such as a protein, nucleic acid, or synthetic polymer
What is a polymer? Answer: A large molecule built by linking monomers
What is a monomer? Answer: A small molecule that functions as a building
block for bigger molecules known as polymers
What are the 4 major groups of macromolecules? Answer: Carbohydrates,
Nucleic Acids, Proteins, and Lipids
What is dehydration synthesis? Answer: The formation of large molecules by
the removal of water; monomers are joined to form polymers
What is hydrolysis? Answer: The breakdown of large molecules by the addition
of water; polymers are broken down to monomers
In dehydration synthesis, how are monomers joined? Answer: By the removal
of OH from one monomer and the removal of H from the other at the site of
bond formation
In hydrolysis, how are monomers released? Answer: By the addition of a water
molecule, adding OH to one monomer and H to the other
What is the ratio of elements in carbohydrates? Answer: A 1:2:1 ratio of
carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (C, H, O)
What is the empirical formula for carbohydrates? Answer: (CH2O)n
Why are C-H covalent bonds important in carbohydrates? Answer: They hold a
lot of energy
What is a primary function of carbohydrates related to energy? Answer: They
are good energy storage molecules (e.g., sugars, starch, glucose, and glycogen)
What is a primary function of carbohydrates related to structure? Answer: They
work well as biological structural materials (e.g., cellulose, chitin)
