2012 Macromolecules STUDY Guide
Name____________
1. The four classes of macromolecules found in all living organisms are listed below. Draw their basic structures
and identify the elements/atoms that make up that structure.
Drawing of Basic Structure:
Elements/Atoms?
Carbohydrates:
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
Lipids:
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen &
Proteins:
Nitrogen
Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen,
Nitrogen & Phosphorus
Nucleic Acids:
2. Macromolecule Foods and Functions:
Macromolecule:
Carbohydrates
Found in which FOODS?
Functions in the Cell or for Life?
Simple? Fruit Sugar, Sweets
Fiber? (Complex)
Primary source of Energy
Pasta, Whole Grains/Wheat, Raw
Veggies
Saturated?
Lipids
Animal Fats: Meat & Dairy
“ISHM”
Insulation
Stored Energy (2X)
Unsaturated?
Plant Oils: Olive Oil, Nuts, Seeds
Hormones (Male/Female)
Cell Membrane
“CHEATS”
Proteins
Meat, Dairy, Eggs & Beans
Communication, Hormones (Insulin!)
Enzymes, Antibodies, Transport &
Structure/Support
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2012 Macromolecules STUDY Guide
Name____________
3. Not all carbs are created equal. Which carbohydrate is best for you and why? (Simple or Complex?)
COMPLEX or Dietary Fiber…. Takes the body much longer to break down which means more energy and the
fiber is “Nature’s brew that helps you poo!” 
4. Saturated versus unsaturated – Which one is better for you? What makes it better? In other words, what element
do you want to avoid???
Unsaturated fats are better for you because they come from natural sources and have less hydrogen. Saturated
fats are saturated with hydrogen, are solid at room temperature and come from animal sources. Unsaturated
raises HDL (“Happy Hero” cholesterol) and saturated raises the LDL (“Lousy Loser” cholesterol).
5. Use the following label of Reese’s Pieces to indicate the amounts of nutrition below.
Carbohydrates
 Simple

Complex/
Dietary Fiber
23 g (24 g total -1 fiber)
1g
Fats

Saturated

Unsaturated/
Protein
7g
3 g (10 total – 7 sat)
5g
Ingredients: Sugar; partially defatted peanuts; partially hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel and soybean
oil); corn syrup; dextrose; contains 2% or less of: artificial color (yellow 5 lake; red 40 lake; yell ow 6 lake;
blue 1 lake); salt; resinous glaze; soy lecithin; modified cornstarch; carnauba wax; vanillin, artificial flavor;
milk
6.
Highlight the “Frightful Five” in the above Reese’s Pieces Ingredients. Based upon the nutritional value
and ingredients, justify if this food is good for you or not.
Reasons why it’s bad: Sugar is the main ingredient as well as corn syrup and dextrose which are all simple carbs.
Hydrogenated means the addition of saturated fats which is the macromolecules we want to avoid. The amount of bad
saturated fats is 7 g, much more than 3 g of the good unsaturated. The amount of bad simple carbs is 23g compared to
only 1 g of good fiber. Besides the 5 g of protein, 1 g of dietary complex carb and 3 g of unsaturated, this food has little
nutritional value and the bad outweighs the good.
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2012 Macromolecules STUDY Guide
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Diabetes, Macromolecules and Diet…
7. Which macromolecule is:
Glucose?________Carbohydrate_____________________________________
Insulin?___________Protein___________________________________
8. Explain why we need glucose in our cells.
Energy!
9.
What job does insulin have in our bodies?
Key that opens the cell door for glucose to get inside
10. What are the symptoms of diabetes?
Type 1 Diabetes





Frequent urination
Unusual thirst
Extreme hunger
Unusual weight loss
Extreme fatigue and Irritability
Type 2 Diabetes






Any of the type 1 symptoms
Frequent infections
Blurred vision
Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal
Tingling/numbness in the hands/feet
Recurring skin, gum, or bladder infections
11. Explain OR draw the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Type 1: Pancreas does not produce insulin. (Born this way or it suddenly develops.) There is no insulin key to
open the door for glucose to get into the cell. Typically diagnosed at a younger age. Because insulin is not
produced, treatment includes injections and closely monitoring glucose/insulin levels.
Type 2: Insulin is blocked by fat so the “key” to open the door for glucose to get into the cell no longer works.
Diet and exercise are critical to managing type 2. If this is not enough, glucose levels need to be monitored and
insulin injections will also be a form of treatment. The pancreas, over time, may no longer make insulin as it has
worn out overcompensating.
12. Which one does diet play a preventative role in? Explain.
Type 2! Reducing the amount of fat may result in the insulin keys no longer being blocked and thus glucose is able to
enter the cell as it should.
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2012 Macromolecules STUDY Guide
Name____________
Enzymes and Reactions:
13. The following reaction shows the breakdown of glucose which results in energy. Identify the reactants and
products.
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 --------> 6 CO2 + 6 H2O
Reactants: __________ C6H12O6 + 6 O2 ____________________________
Products: __________________6 CO2 + 6 H2O _______________________
14. Which macromolecule is an Enzyme? ________Protein______________________
15. Why are enzymes called catalysts? Explain what this means & why we need them.
Enzymes speed up chemical reactions. These chemical reactions can occur without enzymes but they would occur
too slowly to support life. Thus, enzymes are necessary to keep us alive because they speed up our chemical
reactions in the body.
16. Diagram how enzymes work to break down a substrate.
Ex) Enzyme = Catalase (found in yeast) & the Substrate is Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)
Catalase and H2O2 fit together like a lock and key. When H2O2binds to the active site on catalase, the enzyme
causes it to break down into the products of H2O and Oxygen. In other words, the enzyme breaks down the
substrate into products.
Another example is the enzyme lactase breaks down the milk sugar lactose into simpler sugars.
17. What factors affect how an enzyme works?
There is an ideal TEMPERATURE and pH for enzymes to work properly. If the temp is too high or too low, or if the pH
is too acidic or too basic, enzymes will denature.
18. What does it mean for an enzyme to denature?
When enzymes denature they break down or unravel and no longer function to break down the substrate. Think
of an egg before and after it is cooked. The proteins in the egg have denatured because of the heat.
19. Interpret and explain the following graph:
Enzymes lower the activation energy in a reaction. In other
words, when enzymes are present, less energy is needed to
change the reactants into products. Enzymes SPEED up
chemical reactions.
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2012 Macromolecules STUDY Guide
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