CARBS, LIPIDS, PROTEINS, NUCLEIC ACIDS

FOR YOUR NOTEBOOK:

Lesson 10:  Carbs | Lipids | Proteins | Nucleic Acids

Carbohydrates(Carbs)- 

• Carbs are formed through dehydration synthesis.

• Monosaccharides, the monomer in a carbohydrate, are small repeating units that bond with each other to make a bigger molecule.

• The only elements that Carbohydrates contain are Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen. Like most of the molecules that you are currently reading about.

  • The most simple structure is (CH2O)n, one atom of carbon, two atoms of hydrogen, and one atom of oxygen. From research, I believe the n means that you need to repeat this equation three or more times to get a complete molecule, but I am not one-hundred percent sure.

• Carbs are a very important source of energy. One a carb is eaten it is broken down into smaller sugars such as glucose, fructose, and galactose, these sugars are used to complete tasks that are going to be in the near future. 

  • Athletes such as a runner or a football player might choose the meal they eat before a big game or meet to be high in carbohydrates. This would be a smart choice because eating those kinds of things will give them the strength of energy they need for that athletic event.

• The leftover glucose, fructose, and galactose that was produced by the carbohydrates will go into storage and it will later be used when needed.

  • This was very helpful way back when our ancestors had to provide themselves with their own food. During the winters when there wasn’t much food this was a good way to still get the energy they needed to go on with the day. 

Lipids(Fats)- 

• Lipids are formed through Fatty acid synthesis

• Same as carbohydrates lipids are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. But the most common substances that are in things with lipids are glycerol and fatty acids. They build up what a lipid is. 

• Lipids are very essential to live because they make up the membrane of the cell. Every living thing is made up of cells, without lipids there and the membrane they provide nothing would be alive. 

• Lipids are known as fats, so everyone would think that it is horrible to have lipids, but lipids provide insulation to keep people and animals warm.

• Sure we don’t need our bodies to provide insulation as much anymore but we once did. Back when we had to spend the long cold winter without a roof over our head we would need that insulation to keep us alive. Also, many animals need insulation to keep warm through cold winters, most animals don’t have a house to stay warm in so insulation is the only way they stay warm. 

• Lipids are an amazing way of energy as well. Sure, it may be long term energy but it works the same. 

• Carbohydrates are the faster-going energy when doing really intense tasks your body will blow through those carbohydrates very quickly. Once you run out of that energy your body will move on to its long term energy, lipids, the lipids will give the energy that is needed at the time.

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Proteins- made up of hundreds (or more) amino acids

• A class of macromolecules(large molecules composed of thousands of covalently connected atoms) that perform a diverse selection of functions

• Growth and maintenance 

• Acts as messenger

• Balances fluids 

• Strengthens immune system

• Help metabolism by providing structural support  and acting as enzymes, carries, or hormones 

• Organized at four levels: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary 

Nucleic Acids- made up of polymers(very large molecules that consist of smaller units repeated many times of strings of repeating units

• An important class of macromolecules 

• Found in all cells and viruses