BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
Biochem ACS/Final Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
What is biochemistry? - answer✔✔Understanding biology on a chemical level (molecular and
macromolecular level)
What is organic chemistry? - answer✔✔The study of the compounds of carbon
What is a functional group? - answer✔✔An atom or a grouping or atoms that exhibit
characteristic physical and chemical properties
What does the Big Bang Theory suggest matter was like before the Big Bang? - answer✔✔All
matter was confined in a infinitesimally small space
What temperature did the expanding of the Big Bang reach? - answer✔✔It exploded reaching a
temperature of ~15x109 K
What does the Big Bang purport the universe ahs been doing since the Big Bang? -
answer✔✔Expanding and cooling since
What do scientists believe were the first 3 elements to exist after the Big Bang? - answer✔✔H,
He, Li
Why do scientists believe H, He, and Li were the first elements to exist after the Big Bang? -
answer✔✔Smallest
What is the Kalam Cosmological Argument? - answer✔✔• All things that begin to exist must
have a cause
• The universe began to exist
• Conclusion: The universe has a cause
What are the 5 biomolecules? - answer✔✔Amino acids
Nucleotides
Monosaccharides
Glycerol
,BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
Fatty acids
What molecules do scientists believe were around in the beginning? - answer✔✔NH3, H2S, CO,
CO2, CH4, N2, H2, H2O
What did the Miller-Urey experiment claim to demonstrate? - answer✔✔made amino acids and
nucleic acids under abiotic (nonliving) conditions from reactions of simple compounds
What was wrong with the conclusions of the Miller-Urey experiemnt? - answer✔✔• Generated a
few amino acids, and even fewer nucleotides
• All these reactions were inefficient
• Made barely detectable quantities
• Did not make all biomolecules correctly
• Product: Random chains of monomers
• Chance does not produce enough monomers
• Lightning is not consistent in strength
• Still need to produce the right polymer
What polymers are made from the 5 biomolecules? - answer✔✔• Amino acids → proteins
• Nucleotides → nucleic acids
• Monosaccharides → polysaccharides
• Glycerol and 3 fatty acids → lipids
What's the central dogma? - answer✔✔DNA-transcription-RNA-translation-protein
What is the problem of the origin of nucleic acids and proteins? - answer✔✔• Proteins replicate
nucleic acids
• Proteins are involved in translating nucleic acids
• Nucleic acids are essential to code for proteins
What are the ideas for how to remedy the nucleic acid and protein origin problem? -
answer✔✔Double Origin Hypothesis
RNA World Hypothesis
What is the Double Origin Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• Required making both a RNA and protein
molecule by chance
• The RNA coded for the protein, and the protein copied the RNA
,BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
• Odds were terrible...
What's the problem with the Double Origin Hypothesis? - answer✔✔Terrible, almost
impossible, odds
What is the RNA World Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• Certain types of RNA have catalytic activity
• Theoretically possible they could replicate themselves
• RNA is now considered by many scientists to have been the original coding material
• It serves this function in some viruses
• An RNA that could copy itself was the first system
What's the problem with the RNA World Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• The closest any known
RNA has come is being able to fix one break, not make a whole copy
• Even this, makes two copies, and then cannot make any more
• The only ones that keep working use a pair of molecules
• RNA is much less stable than DNA
What are the other problems remaining after the hypotheses fixing the nucleic acids and
proteins? - answer✔✔Keeping everything together
Violating the 2nd law of thermodynamics
The simplest cell needs over 150 genes, and then needs lots of extra nutrients to survive
What are the main differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes? - answer✔✔Prokaryotes
have
- no definite nucleus
- no mitochondria (enzymes for oxidative reactions on plasma membrane)
- no ER
- no chloroplasts (photosynthesis localized in chromatophores)
What is ΔGsys? - answer✔✔Gibbs Free Energy
What is ΔHsys? - answer✔✔Enthalpy
What is ΔSsys? - answer✔✔Entropy
What is Keq? - answer✔✔Equilibrium Constant
What is Ecell? - answer✔✔Electrochemical Cell Potential
, BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
What is Tk? - answer✔✔Absolute Temp (K)
What does a negative energy reading indicate? - answer✔✔Releasing energy
What does a positive energy reading indicate? - answer✔✔Absorbing energy
What is Le Chatelier's principle? - answer✔✔When a reaction at equilibrium is changed, it will
seek to counteract that change
Which chemical parameters indicate spontaneity? - answer✔✔ΔGsys < 0
Keq > 1
Ecell > 0
What is spontaneity? - answer✔✔A spontaneous reaction is a reaction that favors the formation
of products at the conditions under which the reaction is occurring
How long can we survive without water? - answer✔✔3 days
How much of humans are water? - answer✔✔50-75%
Where do most reactions in our body take place? - answer✔✔In aqueous environments
What is electronegativity? - answer✔✔A measure of the force of an atom's attraction for
electrons it shares in a chemical bond with another atom
What is the order from the most electronegative to least electronegative common atoms? -
answer✔✔F O Cl N Br I S C H
Which shapes are nonpolar? - answer✔✔Linear
Trigonal planar
Tetrahedral
Which shapes are polar? - answer✔✔Any lone pairs
Bent
Trigonal pyramidal
What are the 3 electrostatic attractions? - answer✔✔Ion-dipole
Dipole-dipole
Induced dipole-dipole interactions
What are ion-dipole forces? - answer✔✔an attractive force that results from the electrostatic
attraction between an ion and a neutral molecule that has a dipole
Biochem ACS/Final Exam Questions With
Correct Answers
What is biochemistry? - answer✔✔Understanding biology on a chemical level (molecular and
macromolecular level)
What is organic chemistry? - answer✔✔The study of the compounds of carbon
What is a functional group? - answer✔✔An atom or a grouping or atoms that exhibit
characteristic physical and chemical properties
What does the Big Bang Theory suggest matter was like before the Big Bang? - answer✔✔All
matter was confined in a infinitesimally small space
What temperature did the expanding of the Big Bang reach? - answer✔✔It exploded reaching a
temperature of ~15x109 K
What does the Big Bang purport the universe ahs been doing since the Big Bang? -
answer✔✔Expanding and cooling since
What do scientists believe were the first 3 elements to exist after the Big Bang? - answer✔✔H,
He, Li
Why do scientists believe H, He, and Li were the first elements to exist after the Big Bang? -
answer✔✔Smallest
What is the Kalam Cosmological Argument? - answer✔✔• All things that begin to exist must
have a cause
• The universe began to exist
• Conclusion: The universe has a cause
What are the 5 biomolecules? - answer✔✔Amino acids
Nucleotides
Monosaccharides
Glycerol
,BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
Fatty acids
What molecules do scientists believe were around in the beginning? - answer✔✔NH3, H2S, CO,
CO2, CH4, N2, H2, H2O
What did the Miller-Urey experiment claim to demonstrate? - answer✔✔made amino acids and
nucleic acids under abiotic (nonliving) conditions from reactions of simple compounds
What was wrong with the conclusions of the Miller-Urey experiemnt? - answer✔✔• Generated a
few amino acids, and even fewer nucleotides
• All these reactions were inefficient
• Made barely detectable quantities
• Did not make all biomolecules correctly
• Product: Random chains of monomers
• Chance does not produce enough monomers
• Lightning is not consistent in strength
• Still need to produce the right polymer
What polymers are made from the 5 biomolecules? - answer✔✔• Amino acids → proteins
• Nucleotides → nucleic acids
• Monosaccharides → polysaccharides
• Glycerol and 3 fatty acids → lipids
What's the central dogma? - answer✔✔DNA-transcription-RNA-translation-protein
What is the problem of the origin of nucleic acids and proteins? - answer✔✔• Proteins replicate
nucleic acids
• Proteins are involved in translating nucleic acids
• Nucleic acids are essential to code for proteins
What are the ideas for how to remedy the nucleic acid and protein origin problem? -
answer✔✔Double Origin Hypothesis
RNA World Hypothesis
What is the Double Origin Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• Required making both a RNA and protein
molecule by chance
• The RNA coded for the protein, and the protein copied the RNA
,BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
• Odds were terrible...
What's the problem with the Double Origin Hypothesis? - answer✔✔Terrible, almost
impossible, odds
What is the RNA World Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• Certain types of RNA have catalytic activity
• Theoretically possible they could replicate themselves
• RNA is now considered by many scientists to have been the original coding material
• It serves this function in some viruses
• An RNA that could copy itself was the first system
What's the problem with the RNA World Hypothesis? - answer✔✔• The closest any known
RNA has come is being able to fix one break, not make a whole copy
• Even this, makes two copies, and then cannot make any more
• The only ones that keep working use a pair of molecules
• RNA is much less stable than DNA
What are the other problems remaining after the hypotheses fixing the nucleic acids and
proteins? - answer✔✔Keeping everything together
Violating the 2nd law of thermodynamics
The simplest cell needs over 150 genes, and then needs lots of extra nutrients to survive
What are the main differences between prokaryotes and eukaryotes? - answer✔✔Prokaryotes
have
- no definite nucleus
- no mitochondria (enzymes for oxidative reactions on plasma membrane)
- no ER
- no chloroplasts (photosynthesis localized in chromatophores)
What is ΔGsys? - answer✔✔Gibbs Free Energy
What is ΔHsys? - answer✔✔Enthalpy
What is ΔSsys? - answer✔✔Entropy
What is Keq? - answer✔✔Equilibrium Constant
What is Ecell? - answer✔✔Electrochemical Cell Potential
, BRIGHTSTARS EXAM STUDY SOLUTIONS 8/15/2024 2:05 PM
What is Tk? - answer✔✔Absolute Temp (K)
What does a negative energy reading indicate? - answer✔✔Releasing energy
What does a positive energy reading indicate? - answer✔✔Absorbing energy
What is Le Chatelier's principle? - answer✔✔When a reaction at equilibrium is changed, it will
seek to counteract that change
Which chemical parameters indicate spontaneity? - answer✔✔ΔGsys < 0
Keq > 1
Ecell > 0
What is spontaneity? - answer✔✔A spontaneous reaction is a reaction that favors the formation
of products at the conditions under which the reaction is occurring
How long can we survive without water? - answer✔✔3 days
How much of humans are water? - answer✔✔50-75%
Where do most reactions in our body take place? - answer✔✔In aqueous environments
What is electronegativity? - answer✔✔A measure of the force of an atom's attraction for
electrons it shares in a chemical bond with another atom
What is the order from the most electronegative to least electronegative common atoms? -
answer✔✔F O Cl N Br I S C H
Which shapes are nonpolar? - answer✔✔Linear
Trigonal planar
Tetrahedral
Which shapes are polar? - answer✔✔Any lone pairs
Bent
Trigonal pyramidal
What are the 3 electrostatic attractions? - answer✔✔Ion-dipole
Dipole-dipole
Induced dipole-dipole interactions
What are ion-dipole forces? - answer✔✔an attractive force that results from the electrostatic
attraction between an ion and a neutral molecule that has a dipole
