Chemical Foundations of Life Flashcards
Define potential energy.
Energy that is inactivated or stored.
Define kinetic energy.
Energy generated by motion.
Define chemical energy.
Energy that is stored in chemical bonds and released when those bonds are broken.
Define radiant energy.
Energy that travels in waves such as heat or light.
Define electrical energy.
Energy from the movement of charged particles (ions/electrons).
Where in the body is electrical energy utilized?
In muscles and nerves.
What are the four main chemical components of the human body?
Carbon, Oxygen, Nitrogen, and Hydrogen.
What is a radioisotope?
An unstable, heavy isotope that decomposes and releases radiation as it decomposes.
Define half-life.
The time it takes for an isotope to lose half of its radioactivity.
What is an ionic bond?
A bond between an electron donor and electron acceptor (ex. Na+ and Cl- make NaCl)
What is a covalent bond?
A bond between two uncharged atoms who share electrons to fill their valence shells.
What is a hydrogen bond?
A covalent bond between H and other atoms such as O and N.
Name the types of chemical bonds from strongest to weakest.
Ionic, covalent, hydrogen.
Which two factors affect the rate of chemical reactions?
The concentration of the reactants and the temperature.
How do catalysts speed up chemical reactions?
They lower the activation energy to make it easier for the reaction to progress forwards.
What are free radicals?
An electrically charge atom with an unpaired electron in the outer shell.
What danger do free radicals pose?
They cause aging, cancer, diabetes, and emphysema.
What are antioxidants?
Substances that inactivate free radicals.
Define acid.
A substance that produces hydrogen ions upon dissociation; a proton donor.
Define acid.
A substance that produces hydroxide ions; a proton acceptor.
What is a salt?
A substance that dissociates to produce ions other than H+ or OH-
What is sucrose made up of?
Glucose and fructose.
What is lactose made up of?
Glucose and galactose.
What is maltose made up of?
Two glucose molecules.
What is the function of triglycerides?
To provide long-term energy storage.
What are saturated fats?
Triglycerides that only contain single covalent bonds between carbons.
What are unsaturated fats?
Triglycerides that contain one or more double bonds between carbons.
What are essential fatty acids and name the three most important?
Essential fatty acids are not produced by the body and must be obtained from the diet. The most important are omega-3, omega-6, and cis-fatty acids.
What are the benefits of omega-3 and -6 fatty acids?
Protect against heart disease, stroke, and arthritis, promote wound healing, improve some skin disorders, and improve mental function.
How can you tell if a molecule is a steroid?
Its structure; it will have four rings of carbon.
What are the sex hormones made from?
Steroids, which began as cholesterol.
What are the six functions of proteins?
They act structurally, they have regulatory properties, they are contractile (like in muscle tissue), they can be immunological (as in antibodies), they can transport, and they can catalyze reactions.
How is a peptide bond formed?
Through dehydration (removal of a water molecule from the two molecules to bind a Carbon atom and Nitrogen atom together.
What conditions can cause denaturation?
Change in temperature, pH, or electrolyte concentration.
What are the parts of a nucleic acid?
A phosphate, a pentose sugar, and a nitrogenous base.
What is the difference between RNA and DNA
The ribose in DNA does not contain the extra oxygen molecule that RNA does.
How does ATP generate energy?
A great amount of chemical energy is stored within the last phosphate bond of the phosphate group and releases this energy when the last phosphate is hydrolyzed.
