CONFIDENTIAL* For examiner’s use

STPM 2024 – 964/1 (Untuk kegunaan pemeriksa)

Biology Section A
QUIZ 1 (Bahagian A)
(Topic 1 : Biological Molecules) 1
2
Name : _____________________________________ Section B
(Bahagian B)
3
Instructions to candidates: Total
Answer all questions in Section A and Section B. (Jumlah)

SECTION A [15 marks]

Answer all questions. Write the answers on the answer sheets provided.

1 Two types of polysaccharides are shown in the diagram below.

(a) Name polysaccharides P and Q. [2]

P : Amylose
Q : Cellulose

(b) State two structural differences between P and Q. [2]

P Q
Consists of α-glucose Consists of β-glucose
Monomers are joined by α-1,4 Monomers are joined by β-1,4
glycosidic bonds glycosidic bonds

(c) Name the reaction that breaks down polysaccharides into simple sugars. [1]
Hydrolysis

1
STPM 2024 – 964/1 CONFIDENTIAL*
CONFIDENTIAL*

(d) Why is polysaccharide P suitable as storage material? [2]

- compact molecule due to its coiled structure
- insoluble in water due to its large size
- easily hydrolysed by enzyme amylase to release α-glucose
(Any 2)

2 Three types of amino acid are shown in the diagram below.

X Y Z

(a) Classify amino acids X, Y and Z based on their side chains. [3]
X : Basic amino acid
Y : Polar amino acid
Z : Non-polar amino acid

(b) Identify two functional groups of an amino acid and state their characteristics.
[2]
Functional group Characteristic
Amino group Basic
Carboxyl group Acidic

(c) Name the bond that joins two amino acids together. [1]
Peptide bond

(d) Explain how amino acids can function as pH buffer. [2]

- at low pH/ below isoelectric point, carboxyl group accepts a proton/ H+
- at high pH/ above isoelectric point, amino group donates a proton/ H+

2
STPM 2024 – 964/1 CONFIDENTIAL*
CONFIDENTIAL*

SECTION B [15 marks]

Answer all questions. Write the answers on the answer sheets provided. Begin each answer on
a new page of the answer sheet.

3 (a) Differentiate saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. [3]

Saturated fatty acids
Have maximum number of hydrogen
atoms bonded to carbon atoms
No double bond between carbon
atoms
Higher melting point
Solid at room temperature
Found in animal fats
Unsaturated fatty acids
Have fewer hydrogen atoms
bonded to carbon atoms
Have one or more double bonds
between carbon atoms
Lower melting point
Liquid at room temperature
Found in plant/ fish oils
(Any 3)

(b) Describe the structure of DNA based on Watson and Crick model. [7]
- DNA consists of two polynucleotide strands
- the two strands twist around each other, forming a double helix
- the two strands are antiparallel, one strand runs from 5’ to 3’ while the
other strand runs from 3’ to 5’
- each strand consists of a sequence of nucleotides linked together by
phosphodiester bonds
- each strand has a sugar-phosphate backbone made of alternating
deoxyribose and phosphate groups
- the two strands are held together by hydrogen bonds between the
complementary base pairs
- adenine pairs with thymine by two hydrogen bonds
- guanine pairs with cytosine by three hydrogen bonds
- one complete turn of the double helix consists of ten base pairs
- the distance between two base pairs is 3.4 Å
(Any 7)

(c) Explain the principles of protein separation using gel electrophoresis. [5]
- polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis is used to separate proteins
- involves the movement of proteins through the gel under the influence
of electric field
- smaller proteins move faster
- negatively charged proteins move towards the anode// positively
charged proteins move towards cathode
- highly charged molecules move faster
- larger pore size of gel allows molecules to move faster
- higher voltage supplied to the gel causes proteins to move faster
(Any 5)

3
STPM 2024 – 964/1 CONFIDENTIAL*