Chemistry of Life and Macromolecules Flashcards
what is the simplest form of matter / cant be broken down to other substances?
element
what chemical takes up 65% of our body? why is it needed?
oxygen - part of water, needed for cellular respiration
what chemical takes up 18.5% of our body? why is it needed?
carbon - backbone of all organic molecules
what chemical takes up 9.5% of our body? why is it needed?
hydrogen - found in nearly every compound in the body
what chemical takes up 3.2% of our body? why is it needed?
nitrogen - part of proteins and nucleic acids
what chemical takes up 1% of our body? why is it needed?
phosphorous - bones, teeth, nucleic acids, and atp (energy)
what chemical takes up 0.3% of our body? why is it needed?
sulfur - part of some proteins
what are trace elements?
present in the body in much smaller amounts (ex: calcium, iodine, iron)
what is an atom?
the smallest components of elements
how does a proton affect the nucleus?
they have a positive charge and determine the elemental identity
how does a neutron affect the nucleus?
they have no charge and determine (w/ protons) the mass
what are electrons?
they are negatively charged and orbit the nucleus. They determine what chemical bonds the atom will form
what needs to happen for an atom to be considered neutral?
needs to have equal numbers of protons and electrons so the charges cancel out
how does an atom become an ion?
atoms need to have gained or lost an electron
- positive: lost an electron
- negative: gained an electron
what are ions found in the body cells or fluids called?
electrolytes
what is the difference between a compound and a mixture?
a compound is a single molecule made of 2 or more elements.
a mixture contained compounds and elements in the same place although, they are not chemically combined
what is the difference between an ionic bond and a covalent bond?
an ionic bond is an attraction between oppositely charged ions formed when electrons are transferred.
a covalent bond is formed by 2 or more atoms sharing electrons.
what is a hydrogen bond?
when the negative end of one molecule attracts the positive end of another.
what must a polar molecule have?
both positive and negative ends
what are the 5 properties of water and their definitions?
- polarity - has both
- cohesion - the attraction of water molecules to each other (droplets)
- adhesion - the attraction of water molecules to a surface
- heat capacity - a large amount of heat energy is needed to raise temperature
- universal solvent - can dissolve any ionic or polar covalent compound
what is the difference between solutes and solutions?
solutes: the substance that dissolves water
solutions: the results of the dissolving
what is an acid?
compounds that release hydrogen ions in water
what is a base?
release hydroxide in water
what is a neutral solution?
release equal amounts of both ions
how do you measure a pH scale?
<7 means acids
= 7 means neutral
>7 means bases
what is a buffer system?
mixtures of chemicals that can maintain a certain pH by either absorbing or releasing H+ ions
what is the definition of organic chemistry?
the structures and properties of the essential molecules of living organisms.
what is the importance of carbon?
the central element because it can form 4 bonds, more than most elements
what is the difference between polymers and monomers?
polymer: repeating units
monomer: individual units
what are the 4 macromolecules in organic chemistry?
- nucleic acids
- carbohydrates
- proteins
- lipids
what is the function of nucleic acids?
compounds used to store instructions within cells
what is the structure of nucleotides?
molecules containing phosphate, 5 carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base
what is the purpose of DNA?
contains all an organisms genetic information in the nucleus of each cell
what is the function of nitrogenous bases?
they form the ‘rungs’ of the molecule
what is RNA?
similar to DNA, but found outside the nucleus
what is the purpose of ATP?
used to transfer energy within cells
what is ATP’s relationship with ADP?
ATP is broken down in ADP when energy is needed
what are carbohydrates made of?
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen
how many units do monosaccharides have? (purpose?)
1 sugar monomer; short term energy storage
how many units do disaccharides have? (purpose?)
2 sugar monomers; energy storage
how many units do polysaccharides have? (purpose?)
3+ monosaccharides; energy storage and protection
what are lipids made of?
molecules made mostly of carbon and hydrogen (not polymer)
are lipids hydrophobic or hydrophilic?
hydrophobic, don’t dissolve
what is the difference between saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids?
saturated fatty acids are long chains of carbon atoms with single bonds only
unsaturated fatty acids are long chains of carbon atoms with single & double bonds
saturated fatty acids are ___ at room temperature
solids
unsaturated fatty acids are ___ at room temperature
liquids
what are triglycerides made of?
glycerol, 3 carbon molecules, 3 fatty acids
what are triglycerides functions?
primary component of body fat as energy storage
what does the structure of phospholipids include?
2 fatty acids and a phosphate
head: hydrophilic + charged
tail: hydrophobic + no charge
what is the structure of steriods?
lipids with 4 interconnected carbon rings
what are proteins?
polymers made of amino acids with a wide variety of functions and structures
list the functions of proteins? (7)
- support
- movement
- transport
- buffering
- metabolic regulation
- coordination
- defense
the ____ of amino acids determines the ___ of a protein which then determines its ____
sequence, shape, function
what are enzymes?
proteins that catalyze or speed up the rate of a chemical reaction in the body
what is a substrate?
molecule the enzyme work on
what do enzymes produce?
a product, molecules that result from the cataclyzed reaction
describe the lock & key theory
each enzyme will only be active against the substrate that fits it shape
