Topic 4: Biological

Molecules
Biological
molecules
 Think about!
• Using your whiteboards, answer the following:
• Which 2 substances contain the elements C, H, O?
• Carbohydrates and fats/oils [less O]
• What other element do proteins contain?
• Nitrogen [N]
• Give 4 examples of carbohydrate molecules.
• Glucose, starch, glycogen and cellulose
• What are starch, glycogen and cellulose made up
of?
• Glucose
 Think about!
• What are fats/oils made up of?
• Fatty acids and glycerol
• What are proteins made up of?
• Amino acids
• Meat/some fish are a good source of [2
things]?
• Fats/oils and protein
• Bread is a good source of?
• Carbohydrate
 Protein
• Consists of a chain of amino acids,
• Twisted and folded
• The amino acid sequence
determines the shape and
function of the protein

…and DNA
• Found in nucleus/chromosomes
• Consists of a long strand of
bases
• A, T, G, C
• A bonds with T, G bonds with C
• Two strands/double helix
 Think about!
• Why do different
proteins have different
shapes/functions?
• The sequence of
different amino acids
they contain is different
in each type of protein
• Sketch and label a short
section of a molecule of
DNA
Tests for biological molecules
 Think about!
• Which substance would you be testing for?
• Dissolve in ethanol then add water
• Fats/oils
• Add iodine solution
• Starch
• Add Benedict’s solution and heat
• Glucose/reducing sugar
• Add Biuret solution
• Protein
 Think about!
• What does the following tell you?
• The biuret reagent turns purple
• Protein is present
• The iodine stays brown
• Starch is not present
• A milky emulsion occurs
• Fats/oils are present
• The Benedict’s reagent stays blue
• Glucose/reducing sugar is not present
• A Benedict’s reagent brick red precipitate occurs
• Glucose/reducing sugar is present