BRAINCAKEInorganic Ions
Inorganic ions are needed by organisms for components of other molecules, to create electrochemical gradients, to create concentration gradients for osmosis or as cofactors or prosthetic groups which are essential to the function of certain proteins.
Inorganic ions are important to the functioning of many processes.
Iron is needed for haemoglobin. Haemoglobin is thre protein in red blood cells that a binds to oxygen.
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Key terms in this lesson
- phospholipid
- A lipid in which one fatty acid is replaced by a phosphate group, giving a hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails.
- ATP
- Adenosine triphosphate, a nucleotide that acts as the immediate energy source in cells, releasing energy when hydrolysed to ADP and phosphate.
- osmosis
- The net movement of water molecules from a region of higher water potential to a region of lower water potential through a selectively permeable membrane.
- haemoglobin
- A globular, quaternary protein in red blood cells, made of four polypeptide chains each with a haem group, that binds and transports oxygen.
More in Nucleic Acids
- ATP
- ATP Synthesis
- Roles of ATP
- Water and Hydrogen Bonding
- Specific Heat Capacity of Water
- Latent heat of Vaporisation of Water
- Cohesion and Surface Tension of Water
- The Importance of Water
All 18 lessons in Nucleic Acids · All AQA AS-level Biology topics