Biology HL
Biology HL
4
Chapters
553
Notes
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Origin Of Life: The Crucial Role Of Water!
Unlocking Water’s Secrets: Hydrogen Bonds Explained!
Unlocking Water’s Cohesive Secrets!
Unlocking Water Adhesion Impacts on Organisms!
Unlock Water's Solvent Secrets!
Explore Water's Unique Properties & Their Impact on Aquatic Life
Unlocking Earth’s Water: An Extraplanetary Mystery
Unlocking Extraterrestrial Life: The Water Connection!
Unlocking the Secrets of DNA: The Blueprint of Life!
Unlock the Secrets of Nucleotides!
Unlocking DNA: Sugar-Phosphate Bonding Secrets
Unlock the Genetic Code Base Sequences in DNA & RNA!
Unlocking RNA The Marvel of Nucleotide Polymers!
Unlocking DNA Dive Into The Double Helix!
Unveil DNA & RNA's Unique Characteristics!
Unlocking DNA The Power Of Base Pairing
Unlock the Secrets of DNA's Infinite Storage!
Unlocking the Universal Genetic Code's Secrets
Explore RNA & DNA Directionality!
Unlock DNA's Secrets: Purine-Pyrimidine Bonding
Unlock Nucleosome Secrets: Visualize DNA Structure!
Unlocking Genetics Hershey-Chase Experiment Insights
Unlocking DNA Chargaff’s Revolutionary Data Insights
Explore Earth & Titan's Ancient Secrets!
Unlocking Life Cells, The Smallest Self-Sustaining Units
Unlocking the Secrets of the Origin of Cells Mystery
Unlocking Life’s Origins: The Carbon Compound Mystery!
Discover the Formation of Vesicles Essential Cellular Components!
Discover RNA Evolution's First Catalyst
Unlocking Life's Origins Deciphering LUCA's Code
Tracing Life's Origins: From Earliest Cells to Universal Ancestor
Hydrothermal Vents Tracing Back to LUCA's Evolutionary Origins
Cell Theory: The Fascinating Foundation of All Life
Mastering Microscopy Enhance Your Viewing Experience
Evolution of Microscopy From Light to Electron Advancements
Key Cellular Structures Shared By All Organisms
Prokaryotes Vs. Eukaryotes Discovering Cell Structures
Eukaryotic Cell Structure: Key Differences & Features
Explore Unicellular Life's Mysteries!
Explore Eukaryotic Cell Structures!
Unusual Cell Structures in Eukaryotes
Explore Cell Structures & Types in Micrographs!
Unlock Cell Structure: Electron Micrograph Drawings!
Unlocking the Secrets: Origins of Eukaryotic Cells
Unlock Cell Differentiation Secrets!
Explore Multicellular Evolution: A Deep Dive
Unveiling Viral Secrets Structural Insights Revealed!
Exploring Virus Structures: A Diverse Universe
Unlock The Mysteries Of Virulent Bacteriophage Lambda
Unlocking Virus Secrets The Lysogenic Cycle!
Unlocking Viral Origins Evidence & Hypotheses
Unlocking Virus Evolution Mysteries!
Exploring Life's Diversity: Varieties in Organisms
Unraveling the Essence of Species and Their Traits
Unlock Binomial Naming in Biology!
Understanding the Biological Species Concept
Unraveling Species & Populations Divergence And Speciation
Unveiling Chromosome Diversity From Plants To Animals
Unlocking The Mystery Of Chromosome Evolution
Unity & Diversity Delving Into Species' Genomes
Unraveling Eukaryote Genome Diversity Size Vs. Functionality
Unraveling Genome Sizes Complexity, Evolution, & Research Insights
Evolution & Future of Whole Genome Sequencing
Challenges With Biological Species Concept Asexual Species & Bacteria
Chromosome Count's Role In Species Fertility And Diversity
Unlocking Nature's Secrets: Craft The Perfect Dichotomous Key
Unlocking Species Secrets: DNA Barcodes in Environmental Research
Why Classification of Organisms Is Essential in Biology
Challenges In Traditional Taxonomy The Boundary Paradox Explored
Unraveling Evolution's Clues Benefits of Taxonomic Classification
Understanding Clades Evolution's Family Trees
Unlocking Evolution The Molecular Clock & DNA Sequence Alignment
Constructing Cladograms Using DNA Sequence Analysis
Unlock Cladogram Analysis Secrets!
Explore Cladistics Unlocking Evolutionary Secrets
Explore The Three Domains of Life!
Unveiling Evolution: Deciphering Nature's Timeless Secrets
Unlocking Evolution DNA & RNA Sequence Insights
Unlocking Evolution Insight From Selective Breeding
Unlocking Darwin's Secrets The Unity of Type
Unlocking Convergent Evolution Secrets
Explore Speciation Evolution's Splitting Phenomenon!
Unlocking Speciation Role of Isolation & Selection
Explore Speciation Sympatric Vs Allopatric
Unlock Biodiversity Adaptive Radiation Secrets!
Unlocking Hybridization Secrets A Guide to Species Breeding
Explore the Genesis of New Plant Species!
Explore The Wonders of Biodiversity!
Exploring Earth's Biodiversity Past And Present
Exploring Human-Caused Species Extinction
Critical Causes Of Ecosystem Loss Unveiled!
Biodiversity Crisis Unraveling the Evidence!
Urgent Biodiversity Crisis & Human Impact
Unlock Diverse Conservation Strategies!
Preserve Unique Species The EDGE Project
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme B - Form & Function
Theme C - Interaction &  Interdependence
Theme C - Interaction & Interdependence
Theme D - Continuity & Change
Theme D - Continuity & Change
IB Resources
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme A - Unity & diversity

Unlocking RNA The Marvel of Nucleotide Polymers!

Word Count Emoji
457 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Introduction to RNA

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) is a polymer, which is a large molecule made up of smaller repeating units. In the case of RNA, the repeating units are nucleotides. These nucleotides, being the subunits of a polymer, are called monomers. Picture it like a necklace, where the string is the RNA and the beads are the nucleotides. Now, the RNA necklace can have unlimited beads, or nucleotides.

Condensation reaction

But how are these nucleotide 'beads' attached to the RNA 'string'? This is where we bring in the concept of a condensation reaction. A condensation reaction is like a molecular game of "merge and lose." When two molecules decide they want to join forces, they also lose a small part of themselves in the process - in this case, water (H2O).

 

In the scenario of RNA, the condensation reaction occurs between a hydroxyl group (OH) on the phosphate of one nucleotide and another hydroxyl group on the pentose sugar of the second nucleotide. It's like two hands with a finger each extended, ready for a firm shake. But, in shaking hands, they also need to drop the water bottle they were each partially holding (the H from one OH and the OH from another).

Formation of covalent bond

The fun part is that even though they lose water, they form a bond. The remaining oxygen from the hydroxyl group (the one that dropped its 'H') forms a new covalent bond with the second nucleotide. You can imagine it as if they tied a strong knot while shaking hands, ensuring they stay connected.

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IB Resources
Theme A - Unity & diversity
Biology HL
Biology HL

Theme A - Unity & diversity

Unlocking RNA The Marvel of Nucleotide Polymers!

Word Count Emoji
457 words
Reading Time Emoji
3 mins read
Updated at Emoji
Last edited on 5th Nov 2024

Table of content

Introduction to RNA

RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) is a polymer, which is a large molecule made up of smaller repeating units. In the case of RNA, the repeating units are nucleotides. These nucleotides, being the subunits of a polymer, are called monomers. Picture it like a necklace, where the string is the RNA and the beads are the nucleotides. Now, the RNA necklace can have unlimited beads, or nucleotides.

Condensation reaction

But how are these nucleotide 'beads' attached to the RNA 'string'? This is where we bring in the concept of a condensation reaction. A condensation reaction is like a molecular game of "merge and lose." When two molecules decide they want to join forces, they also lose a small part of themselves in the process - in this case, water (H2O).

 

In the scenario of RNA, the condensation reaction occurs between a hydroxyl group (OH) on the phosphate of one nucleotide and another hydroxyl group on the pentose sugar of the second nucleotide. It's like two hands with a finger each extended, ready for a firm shake. But, in shaking hands, they also need to drop the water bottle they were each partially holding (the H from one OH and the OH from another).

Formation of covalent bond

The fun part is that even though they lose water, they form a bond. The remaining oxygen from the hydroxyl group (the one that dropped its 'H') forms a new covalent bond with the second nucleotide. You can imagine it as if they tied a strong knot while shaking hands, ensuring they stay connected.

Unlock the Full Content! File Is Locked Emoji

Dive deeper and gain exclusive access to premium files of Biology HL. Subscribe now and get closer to that 45 🌟

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