Basic Chemistry

Question 1

What are synthesis reactions?

Answer 1

Chemical reactions where two or more atoms or molecules combine to form a larger, more complex molecule

Question 2

T or F: Synthesis reactions don’t always involve bond formation.

Answer 2

False. They always involve bond formation.

Question 3

Which type of chemical reaction underlie all anabolic (building) activities in body cells?

Answer 3

Synthesis reactions

Question 4

What are decomposition reactions?

Answer 4

Chemical reactions where a molecule is broken down into smaller molecules, atoms, or ions

Question 5

Which type of chemical reaction underlie all catabolic (destructive) activities in body cells?

Answer 5

Decomposition reactions

Question 6

What are exchange reactions?

Answer 6

Chemical reactions that involve simultaneous synthesis and decomposition reactions

Question 7

T or F: Most chemical reactions are reversible.

Answer 7

True

Question 8

What are four factors that influence the rate of chemical reactions?

Answer 8

• Temperature
• Concentration of particles
• Particle size
• The presence of catalysts

Question 9

Does an increase in temperature increase or decrease kinetic energy?

Answer 9

Increase

Question 10

Does an increase in the concentration of reacting particles increase or decrease the number of collisions?

Answer 10

Increase

Question 11

Does a decrease in particle size increase or decrease the number of collisions?

Answer 11

Increase

Question 12

How does the presence of catalysts decrease the amount of energy needed for molecules to interact?

Answer 12

By holding the reactants in the proper positions for interactions

Question 13

What are inorganic compounds?

Answer 13

A compound that lacks carbon

Question 14

What is the most abundant inorganic compound in the body?

Answer 14

Water (H2O)

Question 15

What are the four properties that make water so vital to the human body?

Answer 15

• High heat capacity
• Polarity/solvent properties
• Chemical reactivity
• Cushioning

Question 16

What is an ionic compound that dissociates into changed particles when dissolved in water?

Answer 16

Salt

Question 17

What is a substance that breaks down into ions on solutions and is capable of conducting an electric current?

Answer 17

Electrolytes

Question 18

T or F: Not all salts are electrolytes?

Answer 18

False

Question 19

What do acids release when in an aqueous solution?

Answer 19

Hydrogen ions

Question 20

Are acids proton donors or proton acceptors?

Answer 20

Proton donors

Question 21

What is the difference between strong acids and weak acids?

Answer 21

• Strong acids: Acids that ionize completely and liberate all their protons
• Weak acids: Acids that ionize incompletely and only liberate some protons

Question 22

Are bases proton donors or proton acceptors?

Answer 22

Proton acceptors

Question 23

T or F: When protons are bound to a molecule, they are unable to affects the acidity of body fluids.

Answer 23

True

Question 24

What is a “strong base”?

Answer 24

Any base containing hydroxide (OH-)

Question 25

What is neutralization?

Answer 25

A chemical reaction that occurs when acids and bases undergo an exchange reaction

Question 26

When acids and bases are mixed, what do they form?

Answer 26

Water and a salt

Question 27

What does pH measure?

Answer 27

The relative concentration of hydrogen

Question 28

What does a pH lower than 7 indicate?

Answer 28

The solution is acidic

Question 29

What does a pH of 7 indicate?

Answer 29

The solution is neutral

Question 30

What does a pH higher than 7 indicate?

Answer 30

The solution is basic/alkaline

Question 31

Which two organs carefully regulate the acid-base balance in the body?

Answer 31

- Kidneys - Lungs

Question 32

What are buffers?

Answer 32

Substances that help stabilize the pH of a solution

Question 33

What is the blood pH range?

Answer 33

7.35 to 7.45

Question 34

What are organic compounds?

Answer 34

A compound that contains carbon

Question 35

How are monomers joined to form polymers?

Answer 35

Dehydration synthesis

Question 36

What occurs during a dehydration synthesis reaction?

Answer 36

The joining of two compounds by the removal of an OH from one and an H from the other at the site of bond formation

Question 37

What is released during a dehydration synthesis reaction?

Answer 37

Water

Question 38

What is hydrolysis?

Answer 38

The process in which water is used to split a substance into smaller particles

Question 39

Which organic compound provides a ready, easily used source of fuel for cells?

Answer 39

Carbohydrates

Question 40

What are the three categories of carbohydrates?

Answer 40

- Monosaccharides - Disaccharides - Polysaccharides

Question 41

What are the most important monosaccharides in the body?

Answer 41

- Glucose - Fructose and galactose - Ribose and deoxyribose

Question 42

What is the principle sugar in the blood?

Answer 42

Glucose

Question 43

What is the universal cellular fuel?

Answer 43

Glucose

Question 44

How are disaccharides formed?

Answer 44

By the dehydration synthesis of two monosaccharides

Question 45

What makes polysaccharides ideal for storage?

Answer 45

Their size and insolubility

Question 46

T or F: Lipids are water-soluble.

Answer 46

False

Question 47

What are the three most abundant lipids in the body?

Answer 47

- Triglycerides - Phospholipids - Steroids

Question 48

What represents the bodies most abundant and concentrated source of usable energy?

Answer 48

Triglycerides

Question 49

Where are triglycerides mainly stored?

Answer 49

In fat deposits beneath the skin and around organs

Question 50

What is the difference between saturated and unsaturated fats?

Answer 50

- Saturated: Fatty acid chains with only single covalent bonds between carbon atoms - Unsaturated: Fatty acids that contain one or more double bonds between carbon atoms

Question 51

What are trans fats?

Answer 51

Oils that have been made solid by the addition of hydrogen atoms at sites of double carbon bonds, reducing them to single carbon bonds

Question 52

Which portion of a phospholipid is polar and which is non-polar?

Answer 52

- Polar: The hydrophilic head - Non-polar: The hydrophobic tails

Question 53

What is the most important steroid molecule?

Answer 53

Cholesterol

Question 54

Which organic molecule has the most varied function of all organic molecules?

Answer 54

Proteins

Question 55

What is the "building block" of proteins

Answer 55

Amino acids

Question 56

What is the difference between polypeptides and proteins?

Answer 56

- Polypeptides: Chains of fewer than 50 amino acids - Proteins: Chains of more than 50 amino acids

Question 57

What is the primary structure of a protein?

Answer 57

The sequence of amino acids composing each amino acid chain

Question 58

How is the secondary structure of protein formed?

Answer 58

By the primary structure twisting and/or bending upon itself

Question 59

What are the two types of secondary protein structures?

Answer 59

- Alpha-helices - Beta-pleated sheets

Question 60

How is the tertiary structure of protein formed?

Answer 60

By alpha-helical or beta-pleated regions of the amino acid chain folding upon one another to produce a globular protein

Question 61

How is the quaternary structure of proteins formed?

Answer 61

By two polypeptide chains combining and forming a complex protein

Question 62

What are the two ways in which proteins are classified?

Answer 62

- Fibrous/structural - Globular/functional

Question 63

How do fibrous and globular proteins differ in terms of their stability?

Answer 63

- Fibrous: Very stable - Globular: Not stable and easily denatured

Question 63

What is the difference between fibrous and globular proteins?

Answer 63

- Fibrous: Help maintain cell shape (structural proteins) - Globular: Carry out specific biological functions (functional proteins)

Question 64

What type of functional protein acts as a biological catalyst?

Answer 64

Enzymes

Question 65

What is the active site on an enzyme?

Answer 65

The region on the surface of an enzyme that interacts with other molecules of complementary shape and charge

Question 66

What are nucleic acids made up of?

Answer 66

Nucleotides

Question 67

Which nucleic acid is the source of the use and storage of energy at the cellular level?

Answer 67

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)