Organic Chemistry

Review Worksheet

1. How are nucleotides held together in nucleic acids?

2. What is the difference in chemical composition between DNA and RNA?

3. Name 4 major organic molecules found in living organisms and the elements contained within them.

4. Differentiate between monosaccharides, disaccharide and polysaccharides and give examples of each.

5. What are some of the functions of polysaccharides in cells?

6. What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids?

7. What characteristic of phospholipids makes them essential components of cell membranes?

8. Describe the basic structure of an amino acid.

9. What is a peptide bond?

10. What is the difference between a peptide, a polypeptide and a protein?

11. Describe each of the 4 levels of protein structure that we discussed in class. What differentiates each level of structure?

12. What is the difference between a nucleotide and nucleic acid?

13. Name the two purine bases and the three pyrimidine bases.

14. Why is DNA called a double helix?

15. What is ATP and what is its function in cells? 

16. Animal fats are solid at room temperature. Vegetable fats are liquid at room temperature. Why is this?

17. What are trans fatty acids and why is their use controversial with respect to nutrition?

18. Describe the basic structure of an amino acid.