Introduction to Biomolecules - Online Tutor, Practice Problems & Exam Prep

Biomolecules are essential organic compounds in living organisms, categorized into four primary classes: carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Understanding these biomolecules involves exploring their building blocks, such as monomers and polymers. Each class plays a crucial role in biological functions, from energy storage in carbohydrates to genetic information in nucleic acids. This foundational knowledge is vital for grasping complex biological processes and systems, including metabolism and cellular functions.

Introduction to Biomolecules

In this video, we're going to begin our introduction to biomolecules. Now, biomolecules are defined as organic molecules that have covalently linked hydrogen and carbon atoms, and they are essential to living organisms. We can tell that biomolecules are essential to living organisms because it has this bio root. There are four primary classes of biomolecules that you all should be aware of, and these are the carbohydrates, the proteins, the nucleic acids, and the lipids.

Notice, down below, we're showing you some images that are used to represent the different classes of biomolecules. Over on the far left, this image here represents the carbohydrates, the second one here represents the proteins, the third one represents nucleic acids, and last but not least, the fourth one over here represents lipids.

Moving forward in our course and in their own separate videos, we'll get to talk more about each of these different classes of biomolecules in a lot more detail. This here is just the introduction to these molecules, and we'll get to talk more about them moving forward. So, I'll see you all in our next video.

Map of the Lesson on Biomolecules

In this video, we're going to introduce our map of the lesson on biomolecules, which is down below right here. Notice that at the very top of our map we have the word biomolecules, which we introduced in our last lesson video. We can also see the 4 classes of biomolecules here in this image, which are carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Now, because this image here is a map of the lesson on biomolecules, we can actually use this image like a map to make predictions about what we're going to talk about next in our lesson. We're at the very top of this map introducing biomolecules. We're going to make our way from the top to the bottom of the map by exploring the leftmost branches first. Right now, we're introducing biomolecules.

In our next lesson video, you should expect to talk about monomers and polymers, which would include all of these images that we see here. Then after that, we're going to follow the leftmost branches first. So, we'll make our way like this and then fall over here to the far left, talking about carbohydrates, and once we've explored a path to its end, we'll zoom back out and explore the next branch. Then we'll talk about proteins and protein structure. We'll then move on to discuss nucleic acids, comparing DNA and RNA. We'll end by talking about lipids, discussing fats, phospholipids, steroids, and waxes.

This really is a map of our lesson on biomolecules, and so you should be referring back to this map as we move forward in our course. This here concludes our introduction to the map of the lesson on biomolecules. Once again, I'll see you all in our next lesson video to talk about monomers and polymers.

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What are the four primary classes of biomolecules?

The four primary classes of biomolecules are carbohydrates, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids. Carbohydrates are essential for energy storage and structural functions. Proteins play a crucial role in catalyzing biochemical reactions, providing structural support, and regulating processes. Nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA, are responsible for storing and transmitting genetic information. Lipids are important for energy storage, forming cell membranes, and signaling. Each class of biomolecules is vital for various biological functions and processes in living organisms.

What is the difference between monomers and polymers?

Monomers are small, basic molecular units that can join together to form larger structures called polymers. For example, glucose is a monomer that can polymerize to form starch or cellulose. Polymers are large molecules composed of repeating monomer units linked by covalent bonds. In biological systems, polymers include proteins (made from amino acid monomers), nucleic acids (made from nucleotide monomers), and polysaccharides (made from monosaccharide monomers). Understanding the relationship between monomers and polymers is crucial for studying the structure and function of biomolecules.

What roles do carbohydrates play in living organisms?

Carbohydrates play several essential roles in living organisms. They are a primary source of energy, with glucose being a key energy molecule. Carbohydrates also serve as structural components; for example, cellulose in plant cell walls and chitin in the exoskeletons of arthropods. Additionally, carbohydrates are involved in cell recognition and signaling processes, such as glycoproteins and glycolipids on cell surfaces. Overall, carbohydrates are vital for energy storage, structural integrity, and cellular communication.

How do nucleic acids store and transmit genetic information?

Nucleic acids, specifically DNA and RNA, store and transmit genetic information through their sequences of nucleotides. DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) contains the genetic blueprint for an organism, with sequences of four nucleotides (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine) encoding instructions for protein synthesis. RNA (ribonucleic acid) plays a role in translating these instructions into proteins. Messenger RNA (mRNA) carries the genetic code from DNA to ribosomes, where transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) facilitate protein assembly. This process ensures the accurate transmission of genetic information from one generation to the next.

What are the functions of lipids in biological systems?

Lipids serve several critical functions in biological systems. They are a major component of cell membranes, forming the lipid bilayer that provides structural integrity and regulates the movement of substances in and out of cells. Lipids also function as energy storage molecules, with fats and oils storing more energy per gram than carbohydrates. Additionally, lipids act as signaling molecules, such as steroid hormones, which regulate various physiological processes. Lipids also provide insulation and protection for organs and tissues. Overall, lipids are essential for membrane structure, energy storage, signaling, and protection.