Aldosterone is one of the steroid hormones produced in the body from cholesterol.

The structure of cholesterol is shown in table 21 of the data booklet. Compare the structures of cholesterol and aldosterone by naming two functional groups present in both and two functional groups present only in aldosterone.

Present in both:

alkenyl and hydroxyl;

Accept alkene and alcohol/hydroxy but not hydroxide.

Present only in aldosterone:

carbonyl and aldehyde;

Accept ketone (for carbonyl).

Accept primary hydroxyl/alcohol.

Award [1 max] if correct formulas, rather than names, given for both.

Many students were able to name the functional groups in aldosterone but often were not able to identify both of the functional groups present in both steroid hormones. There were a fair number of references to the ‘hydroxide’ group instead of hydroxyl. The endocrine gland was often not correctly identified although the function of progesterone of testosterone was often answered correctly albeit not always precisely.