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BIOL-131 > Ch. 2: Small Molecules & The Chemistry Of Life > Flashcards

Ch. 2: Small Molecules & The Chemistry Of Life Flashcards

1
Q

What are elements?

A

The building blocks of matter — entities that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical reactions

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2
Q

What are isotopes?

A

Naturally occurring variants of an element, which have slightly different atomic weights (due to a different number of neutrons)

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3
Q

What are the (4) most common elements in the human body?

A

O, C, H, & N
(Others: Ca, K, Na, P, S, Cl, & Mg/Fe)

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4
Q

What is an atom?

A

Building block of matter

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5
Q

What are electrons?

A

Negatively charged particles with a negligible mass, orbiting the nucleus of an atom

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6
Q

What are protons?

A

Positively charged particles with a mass inside the nucleus of an atom

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7
Q

What are neutrons?

A

Non-charged particles with mass inside the nucleus of an atom

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8
Q

What is atomic number?

A

The number of protons

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9
Q

What are radioisotopes?

A

Unstable isotopes that give off energy in the form of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation from the nucleus

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10
Q

What does radioactive decay do to an element?

A

It transforms the atom, sometimes resulting in a change in the number of protons (new element)

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11
Q

What makes noble gases stable?

A

Full valence shells

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12
Q

What is an orbital?

A

The region where an electron is found at least 90% of the time

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13
Q

What are electron shells?

A

A series in which orbitals occur (also called energy levels)

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14
Q

What makes atoms reactive?

A

Having unpaired electrons in their outermost valence shell

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15
Q

What is the octet rule?

A

The tendency of atoms to form stable molecules resulting in 8 electrons in their outermost (valence) shells

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16
Q

List the types of chemical bonds from strongest to weakest.

A

Covalent
Ionic
Hydrogen bonds
Hydrophobic interactions
van der Waals forces

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17
Q

What are covalent bonds?

A

Sharing of electrons between two or more atoms

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18
Q

What are ionic bonds?

A

Form of ions by giving and gaining of electrons

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19
Q

What is electronegativity?

A

The attractive force that an atomic nucleus exerts on electrons

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20
Q

What is a polar covalent bond vs a no polar covalent bond?

A

In a polar covalent bond, electrons are drawn to one nucleus more than the other (because that atom has greater electronegativity); in a non polar covalent bond, electrons are shared equally (atoms have similar electronegativity).

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21
Q

Is water a polar or nonpolar?

A

Polar

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22
Q

What does it mean when a molecule is polar?

A

The molecule has a slightly positive charge on one side and a slightly negative charge on the other

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23
Q

What is an ion?

A

An electrically charged particle formed when an atoms loses or gains electrons

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24
Q

What is a cation?

A

A positively charged ion

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25
Q

What is an anion?

A

A negatively charged ion

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26
Q

What are complex ions?

A

Groups of covalent Ku bonded atoms that carry a charge (e.g. NH\/4^+ and SO\/4^2-

27
Q

What are ionic attractions?

A

Bonds formed by the electrical attraction of positive and negative ions

28
Q

Can ions interact with polar molecules?

A

Yes. Think salt dissolving in water

29
Q

What are hydrogen bonds?

A

Attractions between the partial negative end of one molecule and the partial positive hydrogen end of another molecule
(Hydrogen bonds form between water molecules and are important in the structure of DNA and proteins)

30
Q

What does hydrophilic mean?

A

Water-loving

31
Q

What does hydrophobic mean?

A

Water-hating

32
Q

What are van der Waals forces?

A

Attractions between nonpolar molecules that are close together
(Interactions are brief and weak, but can be substantial when summed over a large molecule)

33
Q

When do chemical reactions occur?

A

When atoms collide with enough energy to combine or change their bonding partners

34
Q

In a redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction, which reactant is reduced (AKA the oxidizer)

A

The one that gains electrons
It is reduced because it gains a negative charge
It oxidizes the other reactant, because it steals their electrons

35
Q

In a redox (oxidation-reduction) reaction, which reactant is oxidized (AKA the reducer)?

A

The reactant that loses electrons
It is oxidized because it gains a positive charge
It reduces the other reactant by gifting its electron

36
Q

What is an exothermic reaction?

A

A reaction that releases energy

37
Q

What is an endothermic reaction?

A

A reaction that requires the input of energy

38
Q

What are free radicals?

A

Atoms or groups of atoms with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons and can be formed when oxygen interacts with certain molecules
(ROS=Reactive Oxygen Species)

39
Q

What are antioxidants?

A

Molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged

40
Q

What makes water so important for life?

A
  • Solid water is less dense then liquid water
  • Ice requires a lot of heat to melt
  • When water freezes, Loya of energy released to environment
  • Very high specific heat
  • High heat of vaporization
  • Cohesion (results in surface tension)
41
Q

What is a solution?

A

A substance (solute) dissolved in a liquid (solvent)
(The solvent is present in greater quantity than the solute)

42
Q

What is quantitative analysis?

A

Data that can be counted, expressed as numbers, amounts; measuring amounts, concentrations
(Like a recipe)

43
Q

What is qualitative analysis?

A

Identification of the substances involved in chemical reactions
(Like describing the food)

44
Q

What’s a mole?

A

The amount of a substance (in grams) that is numerically equal to its molecular weight
(The value is different according to substance)

45
Q

What is the molecular weight of a compound?

A

The sun of the atomic mass of all elements in the compound

46
Q

How many molecules (not grams) are in 1 Mole of any substance?

A

One mole contains 6.02 x 10^23 molecules (Avogadro’s Number)
This number is constant for all substances

47
Q

In calculations, whats the difference between m and M?

A

M is a concentration: moles/liter (molar)
m is an amount: moles

48
Q

What’s an acid?

A

A substance that, when dissolved in water, released hydrogen ions (protons)

49
Q

What is a base?

A

A substance that can accept hydrogen ions (often involves OH-)

50
Q

HCl is a strong acid. What does this mean?

A

It fully ionizes (dissociates) in water.

51
Q

NaOH is a strong base. What does this mean?

A

It accepts H+ and has a displaces le OH-.

52
Q

Where is water on the pH scale?

A

7 (neutral)

53
Q

What is pH?

A

Negative log of the molar concentration of H+ ions.
pH = -log [H+]

The negative log makes is so a high number of H+ results in a smaller number (acids are 1-7, while bases are 7-14).

54
Q

A pH of 1 is what concentration?

A

1 = -log[10^-1]

pH values:
0 = 1
1 = 10^-1
2 = 10^-2
3 = 10^-3
4 = 10^-4
5 = 10^-5
6 = 10^-6
7 = 10^-7
8 = 10^-8
9 = 10^-9
10 = 10^-10
11 = 10^-11
12 = 10^-12
13 = 10^-13
14 = 10^-14

55
Q

True or false: pH does NOT affect the rate of biological reactions.

A

False, it does.
pH can change the 3D structure of molecules, which impacts function. It’s important then for organisms to regulate/control pH in cells

56
Q

What do buffers do?

A

Buffers help maintain pH.

57
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

R—OH

A

Hydroxyl

  • Is polar
  • Forms H bonds with water to help dissolve molecules
  • Enables linkage to other molecules by condensation
58
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

     **O**
    **||** R — **C**
     **|**
     **H**
A

Aldehyde

  • Is polar
  • C=O groups is very reactive
  • Important in building molecules and in energy-releasing reactions
59
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

   **O**
  **||** R—**C**—R
A

Keto

  • Is polar
  • C=O group is important in carbohydrates and in energy reactions
60
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

   **O**
  **||** R—**C**
   **|**
   **OH**
A

Carboxyl

  • Is charged
  • Is acidic
  • Ionizes in living tissues to form—COO- and H+
  • Enters into condensation reactions by giving up —OH
  • Sometimes important in energy-releasing reactions
61
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

  **H**
   **|** R—**N**
   **|**
  **H**
A

Amino

  • Is charged
  • Is basic
  • Accepts H+ in living tissues to form —NH3^+
  • Enters into condensation reactions by giving up H+
62
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

         **O**
        **||** R—**O—P—O-**
         **|**
         **O-**
A

Phosphate

  • Is charged
  • Is acidic
  • Enters into condensation reactions by giving up —OH
  • When bonded to another phosphate, hydrolysis releases much energy
63
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

R—SH

A

Sulfhydryl

  • By giving up H, two —SH groups can form a disulfide bridge, thus stabilizing protein structure
64
Q

Which functional group is below and what are its properties?

   **H**
   **|** R—**C—H**
   **|**
   **H**
A

Methyl

  • Is nonpolar
  • Important in interacting with other nonpolar molecules and in energy transfer

BIOL-131 (7 decks)

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