Botany of Vascular Plants
Homework #2
1. Read chapter 2 (The Molecular Composition of Plant cells)
2. Answer checkpoint questions (page 18) 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7
1. What are the four main types of organic molecules found in plant
cells, and what are their basic structural sub-units and their principal
functions?
1. Carbohydrates
1. Their subunits are Monosaccharides
2. They function in providing the primary source of
chemical energy as well as providing some structural
elements.
2. Lipids
1. Their subunits are fatty acids and glycerol
2. They function as a source of energy (stored for later use)
and also have some structural material.
3. Proteins
1. Subunits are amino acids
2. Proteins function in supporting growth and maintenance,
causing reactions, they function as messengers, provide
structure, transport and store nutrients, and other
structural and catalytic functions.
4. nucleic acids
1. subunits are Nucleotides
2. they function in carrying genetic information and are
involved in protein synthesis.
2. By what processes are all four types of organic molecules split into
their sub-units, and by what process can these sub-units be joined
together?
1. They are split into their subunits by Hydrolysis, and join back
together by dehydration synthesis
4. What is an enzyme, and why are enzymes important to cells?
Enzyme is a protein that creates chemical reactions. They are
important because they speed up reactions at moderate
