AP Biology : Biochemical Concepts

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Biology

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Example Questions

Example Question #2481 : Ap Biology

If a phospholipid's phosphate group is replaced with another fatty acid chain, the result is a __________.

Possible Answers:

steroid

fat (triglyceride)

wax

saturated fatty acid

Correct answer:

fat (triglyceride)

Explanation:

A phospholipid has two fatty acid chains and a phosphate group attached to glycerol. By replacing the phosphate group of a phospholipid with another fatty acid, the result is a glycerol with three fatty acid chains which makes it a fat (triglyceride). Saturated fatty acids are single chains of fatty acids, the resulting molecule has three fatty acids, which each could be saturated or unsaturated. Steroids have structures that consist of four fused carbon rings. 

Example Question #34 : Identify Structure And Purpose Of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, And Nucleic Acids

Fat is composed of which of the following smaller molecules?

Possible Answers:

None of these

Glycerol and fatty acids

Glycerol

Fatty acids

Correct answer:

Glycerol and fatty acids

Explanation:

Fat is made up of glycerol and fatty acids. Specifically, a fat is composed of three fatty acids chains—composed of 16 or 18 carbon atoms in length—connected to a glycerol by way of an ester linkage.

Example Question #2482 : Ap Biology

Which of the following best describes the composition of glycerol molecules?

Possible Answers:

An alcohol with three carbons each bearing a hydroxyl group

An alcohol with one carbon bearing a hydroxyl group

An alcohol with three carbons without any hydroxyl group

An alcohol with two carbons each bearing a hydroxyl group

Correct answer:

An alcohol with three carbons each bearing a hydroxyl group

Explanation:

Glycerol is composed of an alcohol attached to three carbons each bearing a hydroxyl group.

Example Question #2483 : Ap Biology

Fatty acids vary in length and in the number and locations of double bonds between the carbon atoms. If there are no double bonds between the carbon atoms in the tail then the fatty acid is said to be __________.

Possible Answers:

monounsaturated

unsaturated

low density

saturated

Correct answer:

saturated

Explanation:

A saturated fatty acid has no double bonds between the carbon atoms making up the tail of the fatty acid. This lack of double bonding allows for as many hydrogen atoms as possible to be bonded to the carbon skeleton, thus the fatty acid is said to be saturated with hydrogen atoms.

Example Question #37 : Identify Structure And Purpose Of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, And Nucleic Acids

A fatty acid that has two double bonds between its carbon atoms is called __________.

Possible Answers:

a hydrogenated fatty acid

good cholesterol

a saturated fatty acid

an unsaturated fatty acid

Correct answer:

an unsaturated fatty acid

Explanation:

An unsaturated fatty acid has one or more double bonds in its hydrocarbon tail. These double bonds are formed by the removal of hydrogen atoms from the carbon tail, resulting in a kink in the tail. As such, they are not fully saturated with hydrogen atoms. Cholesterol is a type of lipid that contains four hydrocarbon rings in its structure. Hydrogenated fatty acids are unnatural saturated fatty acids that are modified for their physical properties.   

Example Question #38 : Identify Structure And Purpose Of Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, And Nucleic Acids

Three fatty acids each joined to glycerol by an ester linkage is a __________.

Possible Answers:

cholesterol

steroid

triacylglycerol

phospholipid

Correct answer:

triacylglycerol

Explanation:

A triacylglycerol (also called commonly referred to as a fat or a triglyceride) is composed of three fatty acid chains linked to glycerol via an ester linkage. The fatty acids can be the same or two or three different types. Steroids are derived from cholesterol, a molecule that contains four hydrocarbon rings attached together. Phospholipids only have two fatty acid tails linked to a glycerol head and a phosphate group.  

Example Question #76 : Macromolecules

Which of the following is an example of a lipid?

Possible Answers:

amino acid

chitin

cellulose

triacylglycerol

Correct answer:

triacylglycerol

Explanation:

Triacylglycerol (also called a fat or triglyceride) is a type of lipid. Amino acids are the subunits that make up proteins. Chitin and cellulose are polysaccharides, or carbohydrates.

Example Question #2493 : Ap Biology

Which of the following terns best describes a molecule that contains three fatty acid chains bonded to a glycerol molecule?

Possible Answers:

Cellulose

DNA

None of these

Triglyceride

Glycogen

Correct answer:

Triglyceride

Explanation:

Structurally speaking, a triglyceride molecule contains three fatty acid chains covalently bonded to glycerol—specifically where the hydroxyl groups are located on the glycerol molecule.

Example Question #2494 : Ap Biology

A polyunsaturated lipid contains which of the following that is/are not contained in saturated lipids?

Possible Answers:

One double bond

No double bonds

Sulfur atoms in place of carbons

Multiple double bonds

A polar head group

Correct answer:

Multiple double bonds

Explanation:

The term saturated when describing a lipid means that a molecule has the maximum number of hydrogens on its carbons, it is saturated with hydrogens. An unsaturated lipid has less than the maximum amount of hydrogens bonded to its carbons because there is a double bond between two of the carbons. Lipids molecules can have one carbon to carbon double bond (mono-unsaturated) or multiple (poly-unsaturated).

Example Question #2495 : Ap Biology

All of the following biomolecules form true polymers except __________.

Possible Answers:

glucose

amino acids

fatty acids

sugars

nucleotides

Correct answer:

fatty acids

Explanation:

Fatty acids occur as free molecules in trace amounts in living organisms. They usually occur as a component of several types of lipid molecules, and are not true monomers, even though 1-3 of them can be attached to a polar head group such as glycerol or a phosphate group. The rest of the choices listed form polymers. Amino acids form proteins, sugars such as glucose form carbohydrates, and nucleotides form both DNA and RNA.

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