Biology Vocab Terms 2b-3a

Question 1

Acid

Answer 1

A substance that increases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution

Question 2

Base

Answer 2

A substance that decreases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution

Question 3

Buffer

Answer 3

A chemical substance that minimizes changes in pH by accepting hydrogen ions from or donating hydrogen ions to solutions

Question 4

Chemical Reaction

Answer 4

The making and breaking of chemical bonds, leading to changes in the composition of matter

Question 5

Cohesion

Answer 5

The sticking together of molecules of the same kind, often by hydrogen bonds

Question 6

Heat

Answer 6

Thermal energy in transfer from one body of matter to another

Question 7

pH scale

Answer 7

A measure of the acidity of a solution, ranging in value from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic). The letters pH stand for potential hydrogen and refer to the concentration of hydrogen ions

Question 8

Product

Answer 8

An ending material in a chemical reaction

Question 9

Reactants

Answer 9

A starting material in a chemical reaction

Question 10

Solute

Answer 10

A substance that is dissolved in a solution

Question 11

Solution

Answer 11

A liquid that is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances

Question 12

Surface Tension

Answer 12

A measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface of a liquid. Water has a high surface tension because of the hydrogen bonding of surface molecules

Question 13

Temperature

Answer 13

A measure in degrees of the average thermal energy of the atoms and molecules in a body of matter

Question 14

Carbohydrate

Answer 14

Member of the class of biological molecules consisting of single monomer sugars, two monomer sugars, and polymers

Question 15

Carbon Skeleton

Answer 15

The backbones of organic molecules

Question 16

Cellulose

Answer 16

A structural polysaccharide of plant cell walls composed of glucose monomers. Cellulose molecules are linked by hydrogen bonds into cable like fibrils

Question 17

Chitin

Answer 17

A structural polysaccharide found in many fungal cell walls and in the exoskeletons of arthropods

Question 18

Dehydration Reaction

Answer 18

A chemical reaction in which two molecules become covalently bonded to each other with the removal of a water molecule

Question 19

Disaccharide

Answer 19

A sugar molecule consisting of two monosaccharides linked by a dehydration reaction

Question 20

Enzyme

Answer 20

A macromolecule, usually a protein, that serves as a biological catalyst, changing the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed by the reaction

Question 21

Fat

Answer 21

A lipid composed of three fatty acids linked to one glycerol molecule; a triglyceride. Most fats function as energy storage molecules

Question 22

Functional Group

Answer 22

A specific configuration of atoms commonly attached to the carbon skeletons of organic molecules and involved in chemical reactions.

Question 23

Glycogen

Answer 23

An extensively branched glucose storage polysaccaride found in liver and muscle cells; the animal equivalent of starch

Question 24

Hydrocarbon

Answer 24

An organic compound composed only of the elements carbon and hydrogen

Question 25

Hydrolysis

Answer 25

A chemical reaction that breaks bonds between two molecules by the addition of water; process by which polymers are broken down and an essential process of digestion

Question 26

Hydrophilic

Answer 26

“Water loving”; pertaining to polar or charged molecules (or parts of molecules) that are soluble in water

Question 27

Hydrophobic

Answer 27

“Water fearing”; pertaining to nonpolar molecules (or parts of molecules) that do not dissolve in water

Question 28

Lipid

Answer 28

An organic compound consisting mainly of carbon and hydrogen atoms linked by nonpolar covalent bonds, making the compound mostly hydrophobic. Lipids include fats, phospholipids, and steroids that are insoluble in water

Question 29

Macromolecule

Answer 29

A giant molecule formed by the joining of smaller molecules, usually by a dehydration reaction

Question 30

Monomer

Answer 30

The subunit that serves as a building block of a polymer

Question 31

Monosaccharide

Answer 31

The simplest carbohydrate; a simple sugar with a molecular formula that is generally some of multiple CH20. Monosaccharides are the monomers of disaccharides and polysaccharides

Question 32

Organic Compound

Answer 32

A chemical compound containing the element carbon and usually the element hydrogen

Question 33

Phospholipid

Answer 33

A lipid made up of glycerol joined to two fatty acids and a phosphate group, giving the molecule two non-polar hydrophobic tails and a polar hydrophilic head. Phospholipids form bilayers that function as biological membranes

Question 34

Polymer

Answer 34

A large molecule consisting of many identical or similar monmers linked together by covalent bonds

Question 35

Polysaccharide

Answer 35

A carbohydrate polymer of many monosaccharides (sugars) linked by dehydration reactions.

Question 36

Saturated

Answer 36

(of an organic molecule) containing the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms, and so having no carbon–carbon double or triple bonds

Question 37

Starch

Answer 37

A storage polysaccharide in plants; a polymer of glucose

Question 38

Unsaturated

Answer 38

(of organic molecules) having carbon–carbon double or triple bonds and therefore not containing the greatest possible number of hydrogen atoms for the number of carbons.
denoting fats containing a high proportion of fatty acid molecules with at least one double bond, considered to be healthier in the diet than saturated fats.