GCSE Chemistry (AQA)

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Amino acids, Polypeptides & Proteins

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Organic chemistry Synthetic and naturally occurring polymers

Amino acids, Polypeptides & Proteins

5:21 Natural Polymers
Spec 4.7.3.3
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  • Amino acids are molecules with two different functional groups.
  • They are essential for protein synthesis.
  • The simplest amino acid is glycine.
  • Glycine has two functional groups: an amine group (NH2) and a carboxylic acid group (COOH).
  • Amino acids can be distinguished by their unique R groups.
  • Amino acids undergo condensation polymerization to form polypeptides.
  • Condensation polymerization joins molecules with two functional groups into a polymer, producing small molecules like water.
  • Polypeptides are naturally occurring polymers essential for life.
  • Poly glycine is an example of a polymer formed from glycine.
  • In polymerization, each glycine molecule loses a hydrogen from the amine group and an OH from the carboxylic acid group, forming water.
  • Different amino acids can combine to form proteins.
  • The sequence and order of amino acids in a protein determine its properties.
  • Proteins are important for life and include enzymes, which act as biological catalysts.
  • Enzymes help break down or combine reactant molecules.

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