ASSESSMENT 1

BIOCHEMISTRY I.
1. Define carbohydrates and give their
classification. (4 marks)
2. Give 2 examples of each of the following. (4
marks)
a) Aldoses
b) Ketoses
c) Tetroses
d) Pentoses
3. Define the following terms. (3 marks)
a) Enantiomers
b) Diastereomers
c) Epimers
4. Using the structure of glucose illustrate its D
and L varieties. (4 marks)
5. Define the following terms. (3 marks)
a) Racemic mixture
b) Asymmetric carbon
c) Reference carbon
6. Draw the alpha and beta representations of D-
glucose. (4 marks)
7. Define mutarotation and explain how it comes
about. (2 marks)
8. List 3 reactions of monosaccharides. (3 marks)
9. Name the 2 classes of polysaccharides giving
an example for each class. (2 marks)
10. Name the 2 structural components of starch
and give one difference between them. (3 marks)
11. Illustrate the stepwise hydrolysis of starch. (4
marks)
12. Explain what a limit dextrin/residual dextrin
is. (2 marks)
13. Explain the clinical significance of Inulin. (3
marks)
14. Explain the clinical significance of Dextrans.
(3 marks)
15. State the use of the following polysaccharides.
(2 marks)
a) Agar
b) Agarose
16. Why do red blood cells lack a nucleus. (1
mark)
17. State the function of the following organelles.
(3 marks)
a) Golgi apparatus
b) Lysosomes
c) Peroxisomes
18. Explain why red blood cells do not contain
mitochondria while the tail of spermatozoa is fully
packed with mitochondria. (2 marks)
19. Why is the inner membrane of mitochondria
convoluted into folds/ cristae? (2 marks)
20. Name the three types of proteins found
associated with the plasma membrane. (3 marks)
21. State whether the following statements are
True or False. (4 marks)
a) Glucose and mannose are Diastereomers.
b) Glucose and galactose are epimers
c) Alpha and beta glucose are anomers
d) d and l sugars are enantiomers