WGU C785 BIOCHEMISTRY 2026 EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 100%
PASS
What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔amino group (NH2 or NH3), carboxyl group (COO or
COOH), alpha carbon (C), and variable group
How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Non-
polar/hydrophobic - end with CH or "can't have" water. Polar - end with OH,
SH, or NH. Charged - end with a charge
,what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains make? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
What are the 4 levels of protein structure? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Primary - linear
structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused by side chain interactions,
quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine = multiple subunits MUST have
1+ subunit
What enviormental change breaks each type of bond? - 🧠ANSWER
✔✔hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔hydrophobic bonds
how do environmental changes affect protein folding? - 🧠ANSWER
✔✔Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart =
malformation of protein folding
how do mutations affect protein structure? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Can cause
structure to change. Protein loses form = loses function. May form a
different protein.
,What is an electron? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Negatively charged atom on outer
ring for bonding
What is energy: - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Power derived fro chemical interaction
what are covalent bonds? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔chemical bond, atoms share 1+
valence electrons
what is an ionic bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔bond between positive and
negative
what is a hydrogen bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔weak bond between positive
and negative
with an amino? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
what is a carboyxl? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
What is hydrophobic? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Doesn't like water, end with CH
what is hydrophilic? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or
SH
what is disulfide bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔strongest bond between reduction
agents, formed between SH's.
3
COPYRIGHT©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, what are zwitterions? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔amino with positive and negative
charges = overall charge of zero
what is a polypeptide - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔polymer of amino acids
What is dehydration synthesis? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Process of forming peptide
bonds
what is hydrolysis? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔adding water to destroy bonds
what is an alpha helix? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔twisted secondary structure,
formed by hydrogen bonds
what is a beta sheet? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔folded second structure shape,
formed by hydrogen bonds
what is denaturation? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔loss of shape duet o interruption of
chemical bonds; occurs via extreme salt, temp, pH
what is aggregation? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔clumping of inner or outer cellular
proteins caused by misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as
Alzheimers, ALS, Parkinson's
how do enzymes catalyze reactions? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔bind with substrates
to decrease activation energy required and decrease reaction rate
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 100%
PASS
What is the basic structure of an amino acid? What do they look like? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔amino group (NH2 or NH3), carboxyl group (COO or
COOH), alpha carbon (C), and variable group
How do you identify the 3 different types of side chains: non-
polar/hydrophobic, polar, and charged? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Non-
polar/hydrophobic - end with CH or "can't have" water. Polar - end with OH,
SH, or NH. Charged - end with a charge
,what kinds of bonds do each of the 3 different types of side chains make? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔ionic, hydrophobic/non-polar, charged
What are the 4 levels of protein structure? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Primary - linear
structure, Secondary - Folded into helix or pleated sheet caused by
hydrogen bonding, tertiary - 3D structure caused by side chain interactions,
quaternary - 1+ amino acid chains combine = multiple subunits MUST have
1+ subunit
What enviormental change breaks each type of bond? - 🧠ANSWER
✔✔hydrophobic - temperature change, ionic - salt or decreased pH,
hydrogen - temperature, change in pH, disulfide - reducing agents
what type of amino acid side chain leads to protein aggregration? -
🧠ANSWER ✔✔hydrophobic bonds
how do environmental changes affect protein folding? - 🧠ANSWER
✔✔Extreme temp can cause hydrogen bonds to break apart =
malformation of protein folding
how do mutations affect protein structure? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Can cause
structure to change. Protein loses form = loses function. May form a
different protein.
,What is an electron? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Negatively charged atom on outer
ring for bonding
What is energy: - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Power derived fro chemical interaction
what are covalent bonds? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔chemical bond, atoms share 1+
valence electrons
what is an ionic bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔bond between positive and
negative
what is a hydrogen bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔weak bond between positive
and negative
with an amino? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔piece of amino acid, NH2 or NH3
what is a carboyxl? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔piece of amino acid, COO or COOH
What is hydrophobic? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Doesn't like water, end with CH
what is hydrophilic? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Water Lovering, end with OH, NH, or
SH
what is disulfide bond? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔strongest bond between reduction
agents, formed between SH's.
3
COPYRIGHT©JOSHCLAY 2025/2026. YEAR PUBLISHED 2025. COMPANY REGISTRATION NUMBER: 619652435. TERMS OF USE. PRIVACY
STATEMENT. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
, what are zwitterions? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔amino with positive and negative
charges = overall charge of zero
what is a polypeptide - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔polymer of amino acids
What is dehydration synthesis? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔Process of forming peptide
bonds
what is hydrolysis? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔adding water to destroy bonds
what is an alpha helix? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔twisted secondary structure,
formed by hydrogen bonds
what is a beta sheet? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔folded second structure shape,
formed by hydrogen bonds
what is denaturation? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔loss of shape duet o interruption of
chemical bonds; occurs via extreme salt, temp, pH
what is aggregation? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔clumping of inner or outer cellular
proteins caused by misfolded proteins leading to diseases such as
Alzheimers, ALS, Parkinson's
how do enzymes catalyze reactions? - 🧠ANSWER ✔✔bind with substrates
to decrease activation energy required and decrease reaction rate
