New
New
Year 10
Edexcel
Higher

Obtaining the elements needed to make biological molecules

I can describe which chemical elements make up carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, and where producers and consumers get these elements from.

New
New
Year 10
Edexcel
Higher

Obtaining the elements needed to make biological molecules

I can describe which chemical elements make up carbohydrates, proteins and lipids, and where producers and consumers get these elements from.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. All carbohydrates, proteins and lipids are made of the elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen.
  2. All proteins and some lipids also contain the element nitrogen.
  3. Producers obtain carbon and oxygen from the air, hydrogen from water, and nitrogen from the soil.
  4. Consumers cannot use carbon from carbon dioxide in air to make biological molecules; only producers can do that.
  5. Consumers absorb oxygen from the air but get all their carbon and nitrogen by eating producers.

Common misconception

That plants absorb nitrogen from the atmosphere, and animals do not need plants to obtain carbon, so plants are not necessary for food.

How plants obtain carbon and nitrogen, and the reliance that consumers have on producers for these inorganic elements is covered in detail.

Keywords

  • Autotrophic - An organism that can make its own food, such as a plant or other producer.

  • Abiotic - The non-living parts of an ecosystem, such as the atmosphere.

  • Photosynthesis - The process carried out by plants that converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

  • Producer - An organism that produces its own food, such as a plant.

  • Consumer - An organism which must eat other organisms in order to obtain food.

Use molymods to show how molecules are rearranged into different and more complex molecules, and consider using collage items to make the poster quicker or more interesting or accessible.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What are the monomers of complex carbohydrates?
amino acids
lipids
Correct answer: sugars
Q2.
Lipids are made from ___________ and __________.
Correct answer: fatty acids
glucose
fats
fructose
Correct answer: glycerol
Q3.
What type of molecules are joined together to form proteins?
Correct Answer: amino acids
Q4.
What biological molecules are plant cell walls made from?
An image in a quiz
Correct answer: Cellulose
Starch
Glycogen
Monosaccharide
Q5.
Match the biological molecule to it use.
Correct Answer:carbohydrates,For energy and storage.

For energy and storage.

Correct Answer:proteins,For growth and repair.

For growth and repair.

Correct Answer:lipids,For energy storage, insulation and to make cell membranes.

For energy storage, insulation and to make cell membranes.

Q6.
Which of the following are disaccharides?
Correct answer: Lactose
Galactose
Fructose
Correct answer: Maltose
Correct answer: Sucrose

6 Questions

Q1.
Which elements do proteins, carbohydrates and proteins all contain?
Correct answer: Carbon
Water
Correct answer: Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Correct answer: Oxygen
Q2.
Plants use the process of to convert carbon dioxide into carbohydrates.
Correct Answer: photosynthesis
Q3.
Match each element to its source.
Correct Answer:hydrogen,water

water

Correct Answer:carbon,air

air

Correct Answer:nitrogen,soil

soil

Q4.
Who is correctly describing how plants get essential elements?
Sam: Consumers get all essential elements such as nitrogen from the air.
Correct answer: Jacob: Consumers get the carbon and nitrogen they need by eating producers.
Izzy: Consumers get essential elements they need such as carbon from the air.
Lucas: Consumers get essential elements such as nitrogen from the soil.
Q5.
Which of the following biological molecules always contains nitrogen?
lipids
Correct answer: proteins
carbohydrates
Q6.
Match the term to its meaning.
Correct Answer:abiotic,non-living parts of an ecosystem

non-living parts of an ecosystem

Correct Answer:biotic,living parts of an ecosystem

living parts of an ecosystem

Correct Answer:autotrophic,organism that can make its own food, such as a plant

organism that can make its own food, such as a plant