Chapter 2: Chemical Basis Of Life Flashcards

1
Q

What is matter?

A

Anything that occupies space and has mass. It is found in 3 physical states: solid, liquid, and gas.

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2
Q

What is an element?

A

A substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical means.

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3
Q

What is a compound?

A

A substance consisting of two or more different elements combined in a fixed ratio. EX: table salt (NaCl), consists of one atom of the element sodium (Na) for every atom of chlorine (Cl).

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4
Q

What is trace elements?

A

An element that is essential for life but required in extremely minute amounts. Present in minute quantities.

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5
Q

What is an atom?

A

Named from a Greek word meaning “indivisible”. It is the smallest unit of matter that still retains the properties of an element.

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6
Q

What is a proton?

A

A subatomic particle with a single positive electrical charge (+).

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7
Q

What is an electron?

A

A subatomic particle with a single negative charge (-).

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8
Q

What is a neutron?

A

A subatomic particle having no electrical charge. Found in the nucleus of an atom.

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9
Q

What is a nucleus?

A

An atom’s central core, containing protons and neutrons. The organelle of a eukaryotic cell that contains the genetic material in the form of chromosomes, made of chromatin.

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10
Q

What is Atomic number?

A

The number of protons in each atom of a particular element. EX: an atom of helium with 2 protons has an atomic number of 2.

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11
Q

What is mass number?

A

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus. EX: helium the mass number is 4. The mass of a proton and the mass of a neutron are almost identical and are expressed in a unit of measurement Called the dalton.

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12
Q

What is Atomic mass?

A

The atomic mass is approximately equal to it’s mass number. The sum of its protons and neutrons- in daltons

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13
Q

What is an isotope?

A

One of several atomic forms of an element, each with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

An element has the same number or protons and behave identically in chemical reactions, but they have different numbers of neutrons.

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14
Q

What is a radioactive isotope?

A

An isotope whose nucleus decays spontaneously, giving off particles and energy.

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15
Q

What is an electron shell?

A

A level of electrons at a characteristic average distance from the nucleus of an atom.

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16
Q

What is a chemical bond?

A

An attraction between two atoms resulting from a sharing of outer-shell electrons or the presence of opposite charges on the atoms. The bonded atoms gain complete outer electron shells.

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17
Q

What is an ionic bond?

A

A chemical bond resulting from the attraction between oppositely changed ions.

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18
Q

What is a covalent bond?

A

A type of strong chemical bond n which two atoms share one or more pairs of valence electrons. Atoms do not transfer electrons but actually share electrons between them.

19
Q

What is a molecule?

A

Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.

20
Q

What is electronegativity?

A

The attraction of a given atom for the electrons of a covalent bond.

21
Q

What is a non polar covalent bonds?

A

A type of covalent bond n which electrons are shared equally between two atoms of similar electronegativity.

22
Q

What is a polar covalent bond?

A

A covalent bond between atoms that differ in electronegativity. The shared electrons are pulled closer to the more electronegative atom, making it slightly negative and the other atom slightly positive.

23
Q

What is a hydrogen bond?

A

A type of weak chemical bond formed when the slightly positive hydrogen atom of a polar covalent bond in one molecule is attracted to the slightly negative atom of a polar covalent bond in another molecule (or in another region of the same molecule.)

24
Q

What is a polar molecule?

A

A molecule containing polar covalent bonds and having an unequal distribution of charges in different regions of the molecule.

25
Q

What is a chemical reaction?

A

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

26
Q

What is a reactant?

A

A starting material in a chemical reaction.

27
Q

What is a product?

A

An ending material in a chemical reaction.

28
Q

What is cohesion?

A

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

29
Q

What is adhesion?

A

The attraction between different kinds of molecules.

30
Q

What is surface tension?

A

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.

31
Q

What is thermal energy?

A

Kinetic energy die to the random motion of atoms and molecules; energy in its most random form.

32
Q

What is heat?

A

Thermal energy in transfer from one body of matter to another.

33
Q

Temperature

A

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

34
Q

What is evaporative cooling?

A

The process in which the surface of an object becomes cooler during evaporation, a result of the molecules with the greatest energy changing from the liquid to the gaseous state.

35
Q

What is solution?

A

A liquid that is a homogenous mixture of two or more substances.

36
Q

What is solvent?

A

The dissolving agent of a solution. Water is the most versatile solvent known.

37
Q

What is a solute?

A

A substance that is dissolved in a solution.

38
Q

What is aqueous solution?

A

A solution in which water is the solvent.

39
Q

Acid

A

A substance that increases the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in a solution.

40
Q

Base

A

A substance that decreases the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration in a solution.

41
Q

PH scale

A

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. (H+).

42
Q

Buffers

A

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

43
Q

Ocean acidification

A

Process by which the pH of the ocean is lowered (made more acidic) when excess atmospheric CO2 dissolves in seawater.