Terpenoid

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/terpenoid

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the biosynthetic origin?Derived from repeating 5-carbon isoprene units via the mevalonate or MEP pathways
2. What is the key functional groups?Often contain oxygen-based functional groups (hydroxyl, carbonyl) in addition to hydrocarbon structures
3. What are terpenoids and why do plants make them?Terpenoids are tiny building blocks made from repeating 5‑carbon isoprene units. Plants use them to create smells, colors, and protect themselves from bugs and disease.
4. How do terpenoids help plants stay safe from insects?Many terpenoids taste bitter or are toxic, so insects don’t want to eat the plant. Some also give off strong smells that scare away bugs.

Isoprene Rule: The principle that terpenoids are constructed from repeating 5-carbon isoprene units.
Secondary Metabolite: Organic compounds produced by plants that are not directly involved in normal growth, development, or reproduction.
Isoprenylation: The covalent attachment of an isoprenoid lipid group to a molecule, often a protein.
Carotenoid: A class of tetraterpenoids, often pigments, including beta-carotene.