"Picturing" it all

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MarioKart

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Hey everyone,

Basically, I'm pretty good at Biology and Chemistry, but it seems as if I only have the concepts down if I watch videos on YouTube to help me "visualize" everything. For example, in class, we discuss enzymes and things such as polysaccharides and monosaccharides, but I find that I have A LOT of trouble actually understanding this. How do you do it? I have no clue what an amino acid looks like, so when our books bring up like a million different ones and their functions, I have trouble memorizing and picturing it. HOW do you picture and understand words like phosphatatidylcholine and processes like glycolysis. In other words, how do you recommend actually understanding the language of science, because I can't seem to get it in my head fast enough!!!

I have an OK foundation of it, but I know I will need to expand my knowledge of it as my classes get even harder, so I am looking for some ways on how to also build on it

Thanks again SDN!

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I think you are missing organic chemistry because that will TRULY provide you with the foundation you need to understand biochemical molecules. Organic chem goes functional group by functional group and talks about everything, from reactions to stereochemistry, NMR, etc.

Also, reduce the enzymes, molecules, etc. to their components. For example, phosphatidylcholine, the 2 major functional groups are phosphate and choline acylated together. You are going to have to memorize how functional groups look like but afterwards, you'll be able to see the overall molecule and point out the different groups, leading you to speculate about their individual chemistry.
 
I think you are missing organic chemistry because that will TRULY provide you with the foundation you need to understand biochemical molecules. Organic chem goes functional group by functional group and talks about everything, from reactions to stereochemistry, NMR, etc.

Also, reduce the enzymes, molecules, etc. to their components. For example, phosphatidylcholine, the 2 major functional groups are phosphate and choline acylated together. You are going to have to memorize how functional groups look like but afterwards, you'll be able to see the overall molecule and point out the different groups, leading you to speculate about their individual chemistry.

Hey!!

I've never thought about it that way to be honest. Do you recommend thinking about the individual molecule first AND then building it up, because that works for me sometimes. I have other trouble though, with even thinking about functional groups. How did you first approach this (because you seem like you know this inside out, lol)

Thank you
 
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Hey!!

I've never thought about it that way to be honest. Do you recommend thinking about the individual molecule first AND then building it up, because that works for me sometimes. I have other trouble though, with even thinking about functional groups. How did you first approach this (because you seem like you know this inside out, lol)

Thank you
Well, in my introductory biology and chemistry courses, I didn't worry about memorizing big molecules, etc. I just learned basic concepts because these you would need for your foundation for biochemical sciences. Organic chemistry was the first class where I actually learned a LOT about biochemistry. Through the reactions, mechanisms, syntheses, etc. you will learn a lot of functional groups that are found in virtually all biochemical molecules. It is actually in Gen Biochem I and II that I put together all the information I had learned to study biochemistry. Reactions like hydrolysis, condensation polymerization, phosphorylation, etc. will be much easier to recognize and understand after you have been through organic. Biochem is very interesting! You will learn about enzyme catalysis and learn about specific amino acid residues that are within the active site of the enzyme and what reaction they catalyze to turn substrate into product. You will have to memorize certain structures that are common and intersect with almost all metabolic pathways such as glucose, ATP, oxaloacetate, pyruvate, etc.

Take it step by step. Stay motivated to learn more and most importantly, make sure you have a full understanding of the basic concepts.
 
1. Paper
2. Pen
3. Draw the mechanism.

First you have to know what the words mean. Usually, the name gives you a big clue about its structure and if not at least its function
 
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Well, in my introductory biology and chemistry courses, I didn't worry about memorizing big molecules, etc. I just learned basic concepts because these you would need for your foundation for biochemical sciences. Organic chemistry was the first class where I actually learned a LOT about biochemistry. Through the reactions, mechanisms, syntheses, etc. you will learn a lot of functional groups that are found in virtually all biochemical molecules. It is actually in Gen Biochem I and II that I put together all the information I had learned to study biochemistry. Reactions like hydrolysis, condensation polymerization, phosphorylation, etc. will be much easier to recognize and understand after you have been through organic. Biochem is very interesting! You will learn about enzyme catalysis and learn about specific amino acid residues that are within the active site of the enzyme and what reaction they catalyze to turn substrate into product. You will have to memorize certain structures that are common and intersect with almost all metabolic pathways such as glucose, ATP, oxaloacetate, pyruvate, etc.

Take it step by step. Stay motivated to learn more and most importantly, make sure you have a full understanding of the basic concepts.


Hey, thank you!!! One more question.....how did you get the basic concepts down for biology, for example. Like, beginning from the first amino acid and the first sequence (if this makes any sense) I know it, but barely remember it without going over the exact same factoid a million times.

EXAMPLE:
genes form amino acids ( I get that)---->amino acids make proteins (I still understand)---> the book mentions something about polymers and polypeptides and I completely blank out, I just don't get it sometimes. I know that this example was really simple, but it's the only one I could think of at the top of my head.

I'm really sorry if the way I worded it sounds confusing. I appreciate your tips a lot!!!!
 
Hey, thank you!!! One more question.....how did you get the basic concepts down for biology, for example. Like, beginning from the first amino acid and the first sequence (if this makes any sense) I know it, but barely remember it without going over the exact same factoid a million times.

EXAMPLE:
genes form amino acids ( I get that)---->amino acids make proteins (I still understand)---> the book mentions something about polymers and polypeptides and I completely blank out, I just don't get it sometimes. I know that this example was really simple, but it's the only one I could think of at the top of my head.

I'm really sorry if the way I worded it sounds confusing. I appreciate your tips a lot!!!!
Know your definitions.
Peptide is another word for a polymer of amino acids. A polymer is "same stuff joined together", or more precisely subunits bonded together. A monomer is the subunit. Multiple monomers linked together make polymers (this is the basic concept). Now extend this to what you know about common monomers = amino acids, nucleotides, lipids, etc.

(amino acid 1) ---peptide bond--- (amino acid 2) ← the entire thing is a protein (or a polypeptide).
(nucleotide A) ---phosphodiester bond--- (nucleotide B) ← the entire thing is a nucleic acid.
 
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