Jurongville Secondary School

Secondary 3 Express Biology Notes

Syllabus 5100

Name: _________________________ ( )

Class: Sec 3___ Date: ____________

Chapter 4: Nutrition

4.1 Food: Its uses and components

• Food: A store of raw materials and potential energy.

• Organisms need food:
o As a source of energy for the chemical reactions that take place in the body to
keep it alive and active
o For growth  provide substances needed for making new cells and tissues
o For making important chemicals in the body e.g haemoglobin, enzymes,
hormones
o For maintaining health
• Food is made of:
o Nutrients = Carbohydrates + Fats & Oils + Proteins + Vitamins (all Organic) +
Minerals (Inorganic)
o Water
o Fibre
• Organic matter / substance  Contains Carbon

Class Components Sources Importance

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Carbohydrates Monosaccharides Examples: o Main source of
(contain (simple sugars) o Glucose energy
C, H, O) o Fructose o To form supporting
o Galactose structures (eg.
o Reducing sugars Cellulose cell wall
(H: O ratio = (sweet fruits & in plts)
2:1) honeys) o Converted to other
organic compounds
eg. Fats & amino
acids
Disaccharides Examples: o For formation of
(Complex sugars) o Maltose (Reducing) = nucleic acids
Glucose + Glucose (DNA)
o Formed when 2
simple sugars o Lactose (Reducing) =
combine with Glucose + Galactose
elimination of a
water molecule • Sucrose (non-
reducing) = Glucose
+ Fructose
Polysaccharides Examples:
(Macromolecules) o Starch (green plts)
o Glycogen (animals)
o Made up of o Cellulose (plants)
thousands of
simple sugar units o In each, the glucose
(glucose) is linked differently
Class Components Sources Importance
Fats Fats: solid at r.t.p o Meat, Milk, lard, o As a source of energy
(contain Oils: liquid at r.t.p butter, egg yolk (from o To form part of the cell
C, H, O), but animals) membrane
less O Fats = Fatty acids + o Oils in nuts and o As solvents for fat-
compared to Glycerol seeds (from plants) soluble vitamins and
Carbohydrates some hormones
o As an insulator to
(H:O > 2:1) prevent excessive heat
loss from skin
Proteins Made up of amino o Lean meat, fish, o For growth & repair of
(contain acids (a.a) (22 types) eggs, milk, cheese worn-out parts
C, H, O, N) (from animals) o Source of energy
Each protein is unique o Beans & Cereals o For producing
 may contain some (from plants) enzymes, hormones,
or all of the amino antibody, haemoglobin,
acid molecules etc
 the way each a.a is
arranged determines
what type of protein it
is

Essential a.a: cannot

be made by the body,
must be obtained
from food

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Vitamins & Refer to handout Refer to handout o Needed in small
Minerals amounts for the
healthy functioning of
our body
o To prevent deficiency
diseases
o Many vitamins also
function as coenzymes
needed for chemical
reaction occurring in
cells

4.2 Tests to show presence of carbohydrates, fats and proteins

Test For Chemical How test is carried out Result

reagent used
Starch Iodine Put a few drops on the Blue-black colour is
solution substance to be tested starch is present
(brown if absent)
Reducing Benedict’s Add equal volume to a solution Red, orange, yellow
sugars Solution of the substance to be tested or green precipitate
(maltose & and heat in water bath at 90°C if present
Glucose) (Blue if absent)
Fats Ethanol A dried sample of the Water turns cloudy if
substance to be tested is fat is present.
mixed in ethanol. Mixture is (White emulsion)
then poured into a test-tube of (Remains clear is
water absent)
Test For Chemical How test is carried out Result
reagent used
Proteins Biuret solution Add 1cm3 of sodium hydroxide to Violet colour observed if
2cm3 of the substance to be proteins is present.
tested. Shake thoroughly. Then (Remains blue if absent)
add 1% Copper sulphate solution
drop by drop, shaking after each
drop

4.3 Balanced Diet

• It is a diet which contains
o Enough carbohydrates and fats to meet our energy needs
o Enough proteins of the right kind (contains all the essential a. a) for growth and
repair
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 o Enough vitamins, minerals, water and fibre for maintaining good health
• Energy Value of Food
1g of 16 kJ of energy
Carbohydrate
1g of Protein 17 kJ of energy
1g of Fats 38 kJ of energy

• The dietary requirement of an individual is dependent on

o Activity: The more active a person is, the greater the amount of energy needed

o Age: Teenagers/young adults need more energy per kg body mass than young
children and old people

o Sex: For the same body size and age, men use up more energy than women