Question 1

Which property of carbon allows it to form large and diverse organic molecules essential for life?

Accepted Answer

Its ability to bond with four other atoms via covalent bonds

Question 2

Isomers are molecules that:

Accepted Answer

Have the same molecular formula but different structures

Question 3

Which chemical group is NOT hydrophilic and does NOT increase the solubility of organic molecules in water?

Accepted Answer

Methyl group

Question 4

What type of reaction links monomers together to form polymers in biological systems?

Accepted Answer

Dehydration reaction

Question 5

Suppose you eat cheese. Which sequence of reactions must occur for the protein in cheese to be broken down and then rebuilt into proteins in your body?

Accepted Answer

Hydrolysis followed by dehydration

Question 6

A monosaccharide with three carbons would have which molecular formula?

Accepted Answer

$$\mathrm{C_3H_6O_3}$$

Question 7

Lactose is a disaccharide formed from glucose and galactose, both with the formula $$\mathrm{C_6H_{12}O_6$}. $$What is the formula for lactose?

Accepted Answer

$$\mathrm{C$$_{12}$$H_{22}O$$_{11}}$

Question 8

Which polysaccharide is primarily used for structural support in plant cell walls?

Accepted Answer

Cellulose

Question 9

Why are fats considered hydrophobic?

Accepted Answer

They are composed largely of nonpolar carbon-hydrogen bonds

Question 10

Trans fats are produced by:

Accepted Answer

Adding hydrogen atoms to unsaturated fats (hydrogenation)

Question 11

Which lipid is a major component of cell membranes?

Accepted Answer

Phospholipid

Question 12

What structural feature distinguishes phospholipids from fats (triglycerides)?

Accepted Answer

Phospholipids have a phosphate group and two fatty acid tails

Question 13

Proteins lose their function when denatured because:

Accepted Answer

Their specific three-dimensional shape is lost

Question 14

Which level of protein structure is defined by the sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain?

Accepted Answer

Primary structure

Question 15

A peptide bond forms between:

Accepted Answer

The amino group of one amino acid and the carboxyl group of another

Question 16

Which of the following is NOT a function of proteins in the body?

Accepted Answer

Energy storage

Question 17

Nucleic acids are polymers made up of which monomers?

Accepted Answer

Nucleotides

Question 18

Which statement best describes the difference between DNA and RNA?

Accepted Answer

DNA contains deoxyribose sugar, RNA contains ribose sugar

Question 19

Lactose tolerance in some human populations is an example of:

Accepted Answer

A mutation in the gene encoding the lactase enzyme

Question 20

Which of the following best explains why both fats and steroids are classified as lipids?

Accepted Answer

They are both hydrophobic and insoluble in water

Organic Compounds: Structure and Diversity in Biology

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