Chapter 2 - The Chemical Level of Organization Flashcards
Acid
Compound that releases hydrogen (H+) in solution
Activation Energy
Amount of energy greater than the energy contained in the reactants, which must be overcome for a reaction to proceed
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Nucleotide containing ribose and an adenine base that is essential in energy transfer
Amino acid
Building block of proteins; characterized by an amino and carboxyl functional groups and a variable side-chain
Anion
Atom with a negative charge
Atom
Smallest unit of an element that retains the unique properties of that element
Atomic Number
Number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
Base
Compound that accepts hydrogen ions (H+) in solution
Bond
Electrical force linking atoms
Buffer
Solution containing weak acid or a weak base that opposes wide fluctuations in the pH of body fluids
Carbohydrate
Class of organic compounds built from sugars, molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1-2-1 ratio
Catalyst
Substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being changed in the process
Cation
Atom with a positive charge
Chemical energy
Form of energy that is absorbed as chemical bonds form, stored as they are maintained, and released as they are broken
Colloid
Liquid mixture in which the solute particles consist of clumps of molecules large enough to scatter light
Compound
Substance composed of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds
Concentration
Number of particles within a given space
Covalent bond
Chemical bond in which two or more atoms share electrons, thereby completing their valence shells
Decomposition reaction
Type of catabolic reaction in which one or more bonds within a larger molecule are broken, resulting in the release of smaller molecules or atoms
Denaturation
Change in the structure of a molecule through physical or chemical means
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)
Deoxyribose-containing nucleotide that stores genetic information
Disaccharide
Pair of carbohydrate monomers bonded by dehydration synthesis via a glycosidic bond
Disulfide bond
Covalent bond formed within a polypeptide between sulfide groups of sulfur-containing amino acids, for example, cysteine
Electron
Subatomic particle having a negative charge and nearly no mass; found orbiting the atom’s nucleus
Electron shell
Area of space a given distance from an atom’s nucleus in which electrons are grouped
Element
Substance that cannot be created or broken down by ordinary chemical means
Enzyme
Protein or RNA that catalyzes chemical reactions