WGU C785 Final Exam 2027
With All The Correct Answers
1. What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like?
Answer: Amino group (NH₂ or NH₃), carboxyl group (COO or COOH), alpha carbon (C), and
variable group.
2. How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-polar/hydrophobic, polar, and
charged?
Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic — end with CH or “can't have” water. Polar — end with OH,
SH, or NH. Charged — end with a charge.
3. What kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains make?
Answer: Ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged.
4. What are the 4 levels of protein structure?
Answer: Primary — linear structure. Secondary — folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding. Tertiary — 3D structure caused by side-chain interactions. Quaternary — 1+
amino acid chains combine into multiple subunits; must have 1+ subunit.
5. What environmental change breaks each type of bond?
Answer: Hydrophobic — temperature change. Ionic — salt or decreased pH. Hydrogen —
temperature or change in pH. Disulfide — reducing agents.
6. What type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregation?
,Answer: Hydrophobic bonds.
7. How do environmental changes affect protein folding?
Answer: Extreme temperature can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart, resulting in
malformation of protein folding.
8. How do mutations affect protein structure?
Answer: They can cause the structure to change. If the protein loses its form, it can lose its
function. It may also form a different protein.
9. What is an electron?
Answer: A negatively charged particle on the outer ring of an atom involved in bonding.
10. What is energy?
Answer: Power derived from chemical interaction.
11. What are covalent bonds?
Answer: Chemical bonds in which atoms share one or more valence electrons.
12. What is an ionic bond?
Answer: A bond between positive and negative charges.
13. What is a hydrogen bond?
Answer: A weak bond between positive and negative charges.
14. What is an amino group?
Answer: A piece of an amino acid, NH₂ or NH₃.
, 15. What is a carboxyl group?
Answer: A piece of an amino acid, COO or COOH.
16. What is hydrophobic?
Answer: Doesn't like water; ends with CH.
17. What is hydrophilic?
Answer: Water-loving; ends with OH, NH, or SH.
18. What is a disulfide bond?
Answer: Strongest bond between reduction agents, formed between SH groups.
19. What are zwitterions?
Answer: An amino acid with positive and negative charges, giving an overall charge of zero.
20. What is a polypeptide?
Answer: A polymer of amino acids.
21. What is dehydration synthesis?
Answer: The process of forming peptide bonds.
22. What is hydrolysis?
Answer: Adding water to destroy bonds.
23. What is an alpha helix?
Answer: A twisted secondary structure formed by hydrogen bonds.
With All The Correct Answers
1. What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like?
Answer: Amino group (NH₂ or NH₃), carboxyl group (COO or COOH), alpha carbon (C), and
variable group.
2. How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-polar/hydrophobic, polar, and
charged?
Answer: Non-polar/hydrophobic — end with CH or “can't have” water. Polar — end with OH,
SH, or NH. Charged — end with a charge.
3. What kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains make?
Answer: Ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged.
4. What are the 4 levels of protein structure?
Answer: Primary — linear structure. Secondary — folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding. Tertiary — 3D structure caused by side-chain interactions. Quaternary — 1+
amino acid chains combine into multiple subunits; must have 1+ subunit.
5. What environmental change breaks each type of bond?
Answer: Hydrophobic — temperature change. Ionic — salt or decreased pH. Hydrogen —
temperature or change in pH. Disulfide — reducing agents.
6. What type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregation?
,Answer: Hydrophobic bonds.
7. How do environmental changes affect protein folding?
Answer: Extreme temperature can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart, resulting in
malformation of protein folding.
8. How do mutations affect protein structure?
Answer: They can cause the structure to change. If the protein loses its form, it can lose its
function. It may also form a different protein.
9. What is an electron?
Answer: A negatively charged particle on the outer ring of an atom involved in bonding.
10. What is energy?
Answer: Power derived from chemical interaction.
11. What are covalent bonds?
Answer: Chemical bonds in which atoms share one or more valence electrons.
12. What is an ionic bond?
Answer: A bond between positive and negative charges.
13. What is a hydrogen bond?
Answer: A weak bond between positive and negative charges.
14. What is an amino group?
Answer: A piece of an amino acid, NH₂ or NH₃.
, 15. What is a carboxyl group?
Answer: A piece of an amino acid, COO or COOH.
16. What is hydrophobic?
Answer: Doesn't like water; ends with CH.
17. What is hydrophilic?
Answer: Water-loving; ends with OH, NH, or SH.
18. What is a disulfide bond?
Answer: Strongest bond between reduction agents, formed between SH groups.
19. What are zwitterions?
Answer: An amino acid with positive and negative charges, giving an overall charge of zero.
20. What is a polypeptide?
Answer: A polymer of amino acids.
21. What is dehydration synthesis?
Answer: The process of forming peptide bonds.
22. What is hydrolysis?
Answer: Adding water to destroy bonds.
23. What is an alpha helix?
Answer: A twisted secondary structure formed by hydrogen bonds.
