Unit 2: Part 3

A marathon runner eats a banana 30 minutes before the race. Which macromolecule is the banana mainly providing and why?

• Lipids, because they store long-term energy used during sprinting

• Proteins, because they are used for building muscle mass

• Carbohydrates, because they are broken down quickly for immediate ATP production

• Nucleic acids, because they code for energy use

A food label shows that 1 gram of fat provides more than twice the energy of 1 gram of carbohydrate. Why do animals in cold climates rely heavily on fat storage?

• Fat molecules contain more water, helping with hydration

• Lipids are easier to digest and absorb than carbohydrates

• Lipids provide more ATP per gram, ideal for long-term energy and insulation

• Carbohydrates freeze in cold climates and become unusable

A biologist is studying an animal that eats mostly insects and stores large amounts of fat. What claim can she make about the role of lipids in this animal’s body?

• Lipids are used to transmit genetic information

• Lipids act as the primary structural component of enzymes

• Lipids serve as long-term energy storage and insulation

• Lipids help transport oxygen through blood

When your body builds muscle after exercise, which macromolecule is most involved, and what process helps build it?

• Lipids, through hydrolysis

• Proteins, through dehydration synthesis

• Carbohydrates, through digestion

• Nucleic acids, through cellular respiration

During digestion, complex carbohydrates like starch are broken down into simple sugars. What process is being used and why?

• Dehydration synthesis, to release energy

• Hydrolysis, to split polymers into usable monomers

• Photosynthesis, to absorb energy

• Cellular respiration, to release oxygen

A scientist observes that a certain animal consumes mostly seeds and has high blood glucose shortly after eating. Which macromolecule is being digested and converted into glucose?

• Proteins

• Lipids

• Carbohydrates

• Nucleic acids

You’re designing a meal plan for someone trying to build muscle while recovering from an injury. Which food combination would you recommend and why?

• High-fat foods like cheese for long-term energy

• Whole grains for long-term carbohydrate storage

• Lean meat and legumes to provide amino acids for tissue repair

• Fruits for hydration

In a lab simulation, students model polymer breakdown using beads and water drops. What are the beads and water modeling, respectively?

• Beads = monomers, water = hydrolysis

• Beads = enzymes, water = dehydration synthesis

• Beads = cells, water = ATP

• Beads = DNA bases, water = mutation

An animal's food supply is low in protein but high in fat. What would be the likely effect on its biology?

• Increased muscle mass

• Decreased enzyme production and muscle repair

• Improved immune response

• Decreased fat storage

A scientist compares ATP output from 1 gram of carbohydrate and 1 gram of lipid. What would she most likely conclude?

• Carbohydrates produce more ATP and are better for long-term energy

• Lipids produce more ATP, making them ideal for energy storage

• Both produce equal energy and are used interchangeably

• Lipids are mostly structural and not energy sources