Final Exam Study Guide 2015: Unit 2 Matter and Energy in Organisms

1.

Molecular Bonds:
a. Ionic Bonds- Occur between two differently charged ions, one positive and one
negative. An electron is taken by one of the ions, creating an ionic bond.
b. Covalent Bonds- Occur when electrons are shared between two atoms creating a very
strong bond.
c. Hydrogen Bonds- Occur when electron are not shared nor exchanged; Molecules have
a slight negative or positive charge on one end of the molecule. These opposite charges
attract, forming a weak bond between the molecules. Hydrogen bonds are found
between water molecules, in DNA, in RNA, and in proteins.

2.

Biomolecules:
a. Carbon is atomic number 6 on the periodic table and it is special because it has 4
valence electrons that can form up to 4 bonds with other atoms forming carbon chains and
rings in the molecules of life.
b. Biomolecules of life and their monomersBiomolecule
Monomer
Carbohydrates Glucose (a monosaccharide);
Chains of glucose are called
Elements:
polysaccharides or complex
C, H, O
carbohydrates and are linked
monosaccharides which follow
the formula (CH20)n
Lipids
Elements:
C, H, O
Proteins
Elements:
C, H, O, N, S

Nucleic Acid
Elements:
C, H, O, N, P

Importance
*sugars created by plants for food
from carbon dioxide and water
*used for energy *structural
components (such as cellulose and
chitin)
*found in DNA and RNA sugars
ribose and deoxyribose
Fatty Acids; Composed of
*storing energy
glycerol backbone attached to
*signaling molecules between and
fatty acid chains
within cells such as hormone
*cell membranes
Amino acids; Composed of an
*structural components of the body
amino, phosphate, and an R
(tissues, muscles, hair, etc.)
group
*enzymes that control the speed of
chemical reactions
*antibodies that are used in the
immune system
Nucleotide; Composed of a sugar, *encode, transmit, and express
phosphate, and nitrogen base
genetic information

c. Food and Energy:

Food must contain molecules that have carbon atoms linked to other carbon atoms.
Water is NOT food because it does not have carbon atoms and has no calories. Food
provides energy to our body and provides raw materials to build the structures of the body.
Both plants and animals need food but obtain it in different ways. Plants get their food from
the process of photosynthesis whereas animals must consume their food.
Light energy from the Sun is absorbed by the pigment chlorophyll, found in chloroplasts,
to make sugar during the process of photosynthesis. The available biomass energy from
plants (producers) is transferred to the next trophic level (primary consumers). The
available energy passed to higher trophic levels is about 10%.
Plants make their own food (sugar) during photosynthesis. Plants store excess energy
from food in the leaves, stems, roots, seeds and other plant tissues. When animals
consume carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids they must be broken down to simple
monomers during digestion. Once food is broken down to the monomer, the molecules are
small enough to cross the cell membrane and enter the cell for further processing. Animals
store excess energy in the form of fat tissue.
Matter and energy are neither created nor destroyed but may be transformed into
different types of energy. In photosynthesis and cellular respiration, molecules are cycled
and converted between the two processes.

3.

Cellular Respiration:
a. Cellular respiration occurs primarily in the mitochondria of eukaryotic organisms. The
summary reactions for cellular respiration is as follows:
C6H12O6 + 6O2
Glucose

Oxygen

6CO2 + 6 H2O + 36 or 38 ATP

yields Carbon dioxide + Water + ATP

The overall process of cellular respiration allows for plants and animals to convert glucose
(and other monomers) into a usable form of energy called ATP that can be used by the cell
to do the work of cells. The glucose comes from the plants that we eat. The oxygen we
breathe comes plants and algae releasing oxygen into the air. The carbon dioxide we
exhale is used for plants in photosynthesis.

b. Aerobic cellular respiration (with oxygen) is more efficient in the energy conversion of
glucose to ATP and produces more ATP per glucose molecule (about 36-38 ATP).
Anaerobic cellular respiration (without oxygen) is a less efficient way of releasing the
energy from glucose and only generates 2 ATP from glycolysis. Some organisms, such as
prokaryotic obligate anaerobes must get their energy through anaerobic respiration only.
4.

Photosynthesis:
a. Plants make their own food from the process of photosynthesis. The food they make
is sugar. This is the only food available to plants. Plants also absorb water and minerals
from the soil but these molecules are not considered food although necessary for good
health of a plant. Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplasts of eukaryotic plant cells along
with some protists. Some bacteria can photosynthesize as well but they do this without the
chloroplast organelle.
b. The following represents the chemical equation for the process of photosynthesis:
6CO2

carbon dioxide

+
+

6H2O +
water

Energy

Light energy

yields

C6H12O6 +

glucose

6O2

oxygen

Photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide comes from the air and the CO 2 enters leaves
through tiny openings called stomata. Water vapor and oxygen exits these openings as
well. The carbon dioxide combines with hydrogen atoms from water to form glucose. The
water is split to form oxygen gas.
5.

Cells:
a. The 2 main types of cells are prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Prokaryotes are single celled
bacteria with no nucleus or other membrane-bound organelles. All cells have a plasma
membrane, cytoplasm, DNA, and ribosomes in common.
b. Eukaryotic cells include plants and animals. All eukaryotic cells have their DNA enclosed
inside a nucleus, the control center of the cell. Key differences between plant and animals
cells include plant cells have chloroplasts for photosynthesis, a cell wall in addition to a cell
membrane, and a larger central vacuole. Animal cells also have a cell membrane and both
plants AND animals have mitochondria for cellular respiration.

6.

Cell Membrane (a.k.a. Plasma Membrane):

a. Function- The cell membrane is a phospholipid bilayer made up of 2 layers. The cell
membrane surrounds the cell and acts as a protective barrier between the internal cell
environment and the outside of the cell. The cell membrane is described as semi-permeable
(a.k.a. selectively permeable) because it allows certain molecules to pass through it quite
easily while preventing other molecules from passing through.

b. Description- The bilayer has an outward-facing head end that is hydrophilic (waterloving) and inside-facing tail end that is hydrophobic (water-fearing). Embedded within the cell
membrane are different types of proteins and cholesterol. Some proteins are just attached to
the inside or outside and are called peripheral proteins. Proteins that connect the inside of the
cell to the outside of the cell are called trans-membrane proteins because they span all the
way across the lipid bilayer. Smaller, non-polar are able to cross the cell membrane easier
than larger molecules.

c. Cell TransportType of transport

ATP Energy Required?

Passive Transport-NO
Active Transport-Yes

Description

Diffusion

Passive- No

Random movement of molecules down the

concentration gradient from high concentration to
low concentration

Osmosis

Passive- No

Diffusion of water; water moves in the direction to

dissolve areas with higher solute concentration

Facilitated Diffusion

Passive- No

Diffusion from high concentration to low

concentration with the help of channel proteins

Protein Pumps

Active- Yes

Movement of molecules against the concentration

gradient from low concentration to high
concentration

Endocytosis

Active- Yes

Cell membrane surrounds food/water to engulf

large amounts of matter

Exocytosis

Active- Yes

Vesicle attaches to cell membrane and wastes or

other matter are expelled from cell

d. Tonicity:

In an isotonic solution, the cell and the outside

environment have the same solute concentration so there is
no net change in water direction.
In a hypotonic solution, the cell has more solute inside the
cell compared to outside the cell so the net flow of water is
into the cell causing the cell to swell up.
In a hypertonic solution, there is more solute outside the
cell and water will move out of the cell to dissolve the
solute. The cell will shrivel.