Ch. 2 - The Essential Chemistry of Life Flashcards
1
Q
chemical elements
A
an element is a substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions
2
Q
matter
A
anything that occupies space and has mass
3
Q
compound
A
substance consisting of two or more elements combined in a fixed ratio
4
Q
structure and function of compounds
A
can be very different from the elements that make them up
5
Q
CHNOPs (also some ions like Ca and K) (3)
A
- carbohydrates=CHO
- proteins=CHON
- phospholipids=CHONP
6
Q
subatomic particles (3)
A
neutrons protons electrons
7
Q
atomic number
A
number of protons
8
Q
atomic mass
A
mass number
9
Q
isotopes (2)
A
- retains all properties and reactivity of the atom but has more neutrons
- more neutrons -> more unstable and radioactive it becomes
10
Q
chemical bonding (2)
A
- only electrons are involved in chemical bonding
- electrons are in orbitals in different electron shells
11
Q
orbitals (2)
A
- discrete volume of space where the electrons are most likely to be found
- each has a characteristic distance from the nucleus and the further an electron is from the nucleus the higher its energy level
12
Q
outermost shell (3)
A
- determines chemical properties of the atom
- number of atoms of the other elements that it can combine with
- elements are most stable when their outermost shell is full
