Chapter 2 The Chemical Level of Organization Flashcards
What is chemistry?
the science that investigates matter and its interact
What is matter?
Anything that takes up space and has mass
What is atomic number?
the number of protons in an atom
Mass number
total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus
Atoms are electrically neutral, meaning:
every positively charged proton is balanced by a negatively charged electron
What determines the chemical properties of an element?
The number of electron’s in the atom’s outer shell
Chemical bonding produces ____ and ____.
molecules and compounds
Molecules are:
chemical structures that contain more than one atom bonded together by shared electrons
A compound is:
any chemical substance made up of atoms of two or more elements
What are surfactants?
Chemicals that act as wetting agents
Why do premature babies often suffer from pulmonary disease?
Because surfactant is not produced by the fetus until approximately 28-32 weeks of gestation
What is energy?
the capacity to perform work
What is work?
the movement or change in the physical structure of matter
What is kinetic energy?
the energy of motion
What is potential energy?
stored energy
What is a decomposition reaction?
breaks a molecule into smaller fragments
Hydrolysis
one of the bonds in a complex molecule is broken, and the components of a water molecule are added to the resulting fragments
What is dehydration synthesis?
condensation; the formation of a complex molecule by the removal of water
What is anabolism?
the synthesis of new compounds in the body
What is an exergonic reaction?
a reaction that releases energy
What is an endergonic reaction?
A reaction that absorbs energy
What are nutrients?
The essential elements and molecules that are obtained from the diet
What is an acid?
any substance that breaks apart in solution to release hydrogen ions
What is a base?
a substance that removes hydrogen ions from a solution
How is the concentration of hydrogen ions reported?
as the pH
Pure water has a pH of ___
7