Polymers, Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA | AQA A-Level Chemistry (7405)
Polymers, Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA
- 136 questions
- 11 subtopics
- Organic chemistry, examined on Paper 2
- Paper 2 and Paper 3
Polymers, amino acids, proteins and DNA is examined on Papers 2 and 3.
It covers condensation polymers and their disposal, then the amino acids, proteins, enzymes and nucleic acids built by the same chemistry, and finishes with the action of cisplatin.
Sample questions from Polymers, Amino Acids, Proteins and DNA
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Condensation Polymers: Polyesters
Name a common polyester used as a textile fibre.
Show the answer
Terylene -
Condensation Polymers: Polyamides
What is the name of the polyamide formed from hexanedioic acid and 1,6-diaminohexane?
Show the answer
Nylon 6,6 -
Intermolecular Forces in Condensation Polymers
What functional group in polyamides allows for hydrogen bonding?
Show the answer
The amide link (containing C=O and N-H groups) -
Biodegradability and Disposal of Polymers
What makes polyesters biodegradable?
Show the answer
The ester linkages in polyesters can be hydrolysed by water, acids, alkalis or enzymes, breaking the polymer into smaller molecules. -
Amino Acids and Zwitterions
In a zwitterion, what happens to the amino group?
Show the answer
It becomes protonated to form -NH₃⁺ -
Peptide Bonds and Protein Structure
What is the primary structure of a protein?
Show the answer
The sequence of amino acids in the protein chain -
Hydrogen Bonding and Disulfide Bridges in Proteins
What atoms are involved in the hydrogen bonds that stabilise protein secondary structures?
Show the answer
The oxygen of C=O groups and the hydrogen of N-H groups in peptide bonds -
Hydrolysis of Proteins and TLC Identification
Name two developing agents that can be used to locate amino acids on a chromatogram.
Show the answer
Ninhydrin and ultraviolet light
The 11 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Condensation Polymers: Polyesters | The monomers, the ester link, and drawing the repeating unit. | 11 |
| Condensation Polymers: Polyamides | Nylon and Kevlar, the amide link, and the monomers each is made from. | 14 |
| Intermolecular Forces in Condensation Polymers | Why hydrogen bonding makes polyamides stronger than polyesters. | 11 |
| Biodegradability and Disposal of Polymers | Why polyalkenes are inert, why condensation polymers hydrolyse, and the disposal options. | 15 |
| Amino Acids and Zwitterions | The amino and carboxyl groups, zwitterion formation, and the isoelectric point. | 14 |
| Peptide Bonds and Protein Structure | The peptide link, and the primary, secondary and tertiary levels of structure. | 12 |
| Hydrogen Bonding and Disulfide Bridges in Proteins | The bonds that hold secondary and tertiary structure in place. | 14 |
| Hydrolysis of Proteins and TLC Identification | Hydrolysing a protein to its amino acids, and identifying them by thin-layer chromatography. | 10 |
| Enzymes, Active Sites and Inhibitors in Drug Design | Enzymes as protein catalysts, the stereospecific active site, and how an inhibitor is designed to block it. | 11 |
| DNA: Nucleotides, the Double Helix and Base Pairing | Nucleotides built from a phosphate, deoxyribose and a base, and the hydrogen-bonded pairing that holds the helix together. | 16 |
| Cisplatin and Anticancer Drug Action | How cisplatin binds guanine to block replication, and weighing its benefits against its side effects. | 8 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Chemistry Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,442 questions with their answers.