Basic Chemistry Vocabulary

Question 1

Biochemistry

Answer 1

Study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms

Question 2

Inorganic

Answer 2

A compound containing carbon

Question 3

Organic

Answer 3

A compound containing carbon

Question 4

Acid

Answer 4

A substance that liberates hydrogen ions when in an aqueous solution; proton donor

Question 5

Base

Answer 5

A substance that accepts hydrogen ions; proton acceptor

Question 6

Salt

Answer 6

Ionic compound that dissociates into charged particles when dissolved in water

Question 7

Electrolyte

Answer 7

A substance that breaks down into ions when in solution and is capable of conducting an electric current

Question 8

pH scale

Answer 8

The symbol for hydrogen ion concentration; a measure of the relative acidity of alkalinity of a solution

Question 9

Neutralization reaction

Answer 9

Reaction in which acid and bases react with an equivalent quantity of each other. The acid and base cancel each other’s chemistry to produce water

Question 10

Carbohydrate

Answer 10

Organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen & oxygen

Question 11

Monosaccharide

Answer 11

Literally, one sugar; the building block of carbohydrates

Question 12

Fructose, glucose, galactose

Answer 12

The three monosaccharides that are important in nutrition

Question 13

Disaccharide

Answer 13

Sugar formed when two monosaccharides are joined by glycosidic linkage

Question 14

Maltose, sucrose, lactose

Answer 14

Most common disaccharides

Question 15

Polysaccharide

Answer 15

Literally, many sugars

Question 16

Starch, glycogen

Answer 16

Most common polysaccharides

Question 17

Dehydration synthesis

Answer 17

Process by which a larger molecule is synthesized from smaller ones by removal of a water molecule at each site of bond formation

Question 18

Hydrolysis

Answer 18

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

Question 19

Lipid

Answer 19

Organic compound formed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; Examples are neutral fats and cholesterol

Question 20

Neutral fat

Answer 20

Dietary fats; also called triglycerides

Question 21

Steroid

Answer 21

A specific group of chemical substances including certain hormones and cholesterol

Question 22

phospholipid

Answer 22

A modified triglyceride containing phospherous

Question 23

Cholesterol

Answer 23

A steroid found in animal fats as well as in most body tissues; made by the liver

Question 24

Proteins

Answer 24

A complex nitrogenous substance; the main building material of cells

Question 25

Amino acids

Answer 25

An organic compound containing nitrogen, carbon hydrogen, and oxygen; the building block of protein

Question 26

Fibrous protein

Answer 26

A strand-like protein that appears most often in body structures; very important in binding structures together and for providing strength in certain body tissues

Question 27

Globular protein

Answer 27

A protein whose functional structure is basically spherical

Question 28

Enzyme

Answer 28

A substance formed by living cells that acts as a catalyst in chemical reactions in the body

Question 29

Active site

Answer 29

region on the surface of a globular protein where it interacts with other molecules of complementary shape and charge

Question 30

Catalyst

Answer 30

Substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself becoming chemically changed or part of the product

Question 31

Nucleic acid

Answer 31

Class of organic molecules that includes DNA/RNA

Question 32

DNA

Answer 32

Double-stranded molecules that has a long chain of nucleotides

Question 33

RNA

Answer 33

single-stranded molecule which has a shorter chain of nucleotides

Question 34

Nucleotides

Answer 34

Building block of nucleic acids