In this assesment the student will identify the chareracteristics and roles of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids in a living system. Write a 4 paragraph report describing the atoms in the compound building blocks, types, structure, and function of each. The student must also describe what they would do if they were given a jar with an unknown substance to find out wether or not it contained any of the substances listed above.

Proteins:

Proteins are long chains of amino acids that make it possible for the cell not only to perform passive transport, but also perform active transport.

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates are sugars (monosaccharides, or polysaccharides). They serve for short-term energy, and "tags" for recognition among cells.

Lipids

Lipids are fats shaped like this O= they have "heads" that are attracted to water and "tails" that are repelled by water. They have many roles including the cell membrane that is composed of lipids and proteins. They also protect against drying out, and they store concentrated energy.

Nucleic Acids

The two types of nucleic acids are:

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which stores all the information about the polypeptides a cell, can make.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) has three different classes - Messenger RNA Ribosomal RNA and Transfer RNA. In some types of viruses the RNA serves as the main "data base" with no DNA interaction at all. Also some types of RNA have catalytic abilities like protein enzymes (ribozymes).

4 paragraph report

The building blocks in protein are long strings of amino acids it can have a variety of shapes including chains or bundles or even spiral like shapes. The function of protein is to allow the cell to perform active and passive transport.

The building blocks for carbohydrates are Carbon Hydrogen and Oxygen. They are always found in a 1:2:1 ratio. The types can span from monosacchrides (1 sugar) or polysacchrides (many sugars).

The building blocks of lipids are fats. Lipids are commonly found in dual-layered rings. The function of a lipid is to form the ER and cell membrane.

The building blocks of nucleic acids are RNA and DNA. They hold all the information about the cell and about what the cell can ever do.

Unknown substance in jar

I would test for all of the substances for carbohydrates I would use benedicts solution, for proteins I would test for starch so I would use iodine, for lipids I would test for fat so I would use the old test of rubbing it on brown paper to see if it left a translucent stain.