Page 1 of 5 Ms. Bowie Biology 11 February 2013 Investigating 3D Molecules – Online Lab
Name: ______Section: ____ Date: ______
In this activity, you will view and manipulate computer-generated, three-dimensional molecular models of various biochemicals, the chemicals of living matter. You will also compare the different nutrient molecules.
1) Log on to your computer. Go to: http://www.biotopics.co.uk/JmolApplet/jcontentstable.html
2) Go to the carbohydrates category. View glucose and fructose.
a. Name the elements present in these two molecules:
b. Count the number of atoms of each element.
c. Record the information as a ratio.
Name of # of # of # of Element #1 Element #2 Element #3 Ratio Compound atoms atoms atoms
Glucose
Fructose
3) View the lactose and sucrose. For each molecule, record the number of atoms of each element.
Name of # of # of # of Element #1 Element #2 Element #3 Ratio Compound atoms atoms atoms
Lactose
Sucrose Page 2 of 5 Ms. Bowie Biology 11 February 2013
4) View cellulose and amylase.
A) Describe the differences between cellulose and amylase.
B) Provide an illustration of each molecule.
5) Go to the lipids category. View glycerol (a fatty acid) and a triglyceride (a triglyceride is made up of glycerol and fatty acids).
a. Record the number of glycerol molecules and fatty acid molecules that can be found in on triglyceride.
6) View a saturated fatty acid and an unsaturated fatty acid. Compare these two by the number of hydrogens per carbon.
# of Name of # of # of Element #1 Element #2 atom Element #3 Ratio Compound atoms atoms s Stearic acid Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen (saturated)
Oleic acid Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen (unsaturated) Page 3 of 5 Ms. Bowie Biology 11 February 2013 7) View a phospholipid. Compare the phospholipid to a triglyceride by:
a. The types of elements that each contains; and
b. By their structure
Phospholipid Triglyceride
Elements in the compound
Structure
8) Leave your current window open, open a new window and go to:
http://www.concord.org/~btinker/workbench_web/treeRoots/proteins/hemoglobin.htm
Scroll down on the screen and look at the ball and stick view of the hemoglobin.
Compare the haemoglobin and carbohydrates and lipids.
A) By size (number of atoms)
B) By complexity (shape)
C) Record the new elements that are present. Page 4 of 5 Ms. Bowie Biology 11 February 2013 9) Now go to http://www.worldofmolecules.com/3D/. Scroll down to the Amino Acids section. View the following amino acids.: glycine, alanine and cysteine. a. Indicate which parts of these molecules are the same.
10) OK, back to your original website. http://www.biotopics.co.uk/JmolApplet/jcontentstable.html
Go to the nucleic acids section. View DNA. Compare the size and complexity of this molecule to the other three categories viewed so far (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins).
Analysis
1. Carbohydrates: a. What is the ratio of elements in the simplest carbohydrates?
b. How does this relate to their group name, carbohydrates? Page 5 of 5 Ms. Bowie Biology 11 February 2013
c. How does the total number of atoms in sucrose compare to the total number of atoms in one glucose plus one fructose?
d. What atoms are missing?
e. What common material do these atoms form?
2. Construct a table to summarize your comparisons of the four major categories of biochemicals: (i) carbohydrates, (ii) lipids, (iii) proteins, and (iv) nucleic acids. 3. Compare these four in terms of (a) elements present; (b) relative size (the number of atoms will determine whether the molecules are small, medium, or large); and (c) relative complexity (they could be simple chains or groups or branching structures).
4. List the basic subunits for each of the four major categories of biochemicals.