SL Content Statements

• B1.2.1

  Generalized structure of an amino acid

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  Students should be able to draw a diagram of a generalized amino acid showing the alpha carbon atom with amine group, carboxyl group, R-group and hydrogen attached.

• B1.2.2

  Condensation reactions forming dipeptides and longer chains of amino acids

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  Students should be able to write the word equation for this reaction and draw a generalized dipeptide after modelling the reaction with molecular models.

• B1.2.3

  Dietary requirements for amino acids

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  Essential amino acids cannot be synthesized and must be obtained from food. Non-essential amino acids can be made from other amino acids. Students are not required to give examples of essential and non- essential amino acids. Vegan diets require attention to ensure essential amino acids are consumed.

• B1.2.4

  Infinite variety of possible peptide chains

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  Include the ideas that 20 amino acids are coded for in the genetic code, that peptide chains can have any number of amino acids, from a few to thousands, and that amino acids can be in any order. Students should be familiar with examples of polypeptides.

• B1.2.5

  Effect of pH and temperature on protein structure

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  Include the term “denaturation”.