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Cell biology and chemistry > Glossary > Flashcards

Glossary Flashcards

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1
Q

Acid

A

A chemical that gives off hydrogen ions in water and forms salts by combining with certain metals

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2
Q

Acidosis

A

A condition where there is too. much acid in the body fluids. Blood pH less that 7.35

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3
Q

Active transport

A

The movement of ions or molecules across a cell membrane into a region of higher concentration, assisted by enzymes and requiring energy

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4
Q

alkali (or base)

A

A chemical that can dissolve in water, combine with acids to form salts and make acids less acidic

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5
Q

amino acid

A

molecules that combine to form proteins

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6
Q

anion

A

negatively charged ion, eg. one that would be attracted to the anode in electrolysis

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7
Q

aqueous

A

containing water, relating to or resembling water

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8
Q

atom

A

smallest unit of matter that retains all chemical properties of an element

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9
Q

buffer

A

A solution that can resist pH change upon the addition of an acidic or basic component

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10
Q

Cation

A

Positively charged ion, one that would be attracted to the cathode in electolysis

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11
Q

Compound

A

A thing composed of two or more seperate elements (a mixture)

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12
Q

condensation

A

The conversion of vapour (or gas) to a liquid

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13
Q

disaccharide

A

Any substance that is composed of two molecules of simple sugars

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14
Q

diffusion

A

The intermingling of substances by the natural movement of their particles

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15
Q

electrolyte

A

Substances that have a natural positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water

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16
Q

electron

A

A negatively charged subatomic particle that can be either bound to an atom of free (not bound)

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17
Q

element

A

a substance that can be broken down by non-nuclear reactions

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18
Q

endocytosis

A

A process by which cells absorb external material by engulfing it with the cell membrane

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19
Q

endothermic

A

characterised by or formed with absorption of heat

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20
Q

enzyme

A

make actions happen more quickly

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21
Q

evaporation

A

process of turning from liquid into vapour

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22
Q

exocytosis

A

bulk transport of substances out of a cell, lipids/proteins are secreted by exocytosis, requires cellular energy

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23
Q

exothermic

A

a chemical reaction that releases heat/energy

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24
Q

facilitated diffusion

A

the movement of particles across cell membrane through carrier proteins (passive)

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25
Q

half-life

A

The time taken for the number of radioactive particles of an isotope to decrease to half its original number, measure rate of decay

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26
Q

hydrocarbon

A

An organic molecule containing only hydrogen and carbon atoms

27
Q

hydrolysis

A

the chemical breakdown of a molecule or compound by water

28
Q

hydrophilic

A

attracts water, soluble in water eg. polar and/or ionic substances

29
Q

hydrophobic

A

repels water, NOT soluble in water eg. non-polar substances, lipids

30
Q

hypertonic

A

solution that is higher in concentration

31
Q

hypotonic

A

solution that is lower in concentration

32
Q

ion

A

charged particle created when atoms lose or gain electrons

33
Q

isomer

A

compounds or molecules with the same chemical formula but different arrangement of atoms (different structure)

34
Q

isotonic

A

solutions with the same concentration

35
Q

isotope

A

atoms of the same element with different masses (due to differing number of neutrons)

36
Q

latent heat

A

A measure of the amount of heat absorbed or released by a substance during a change of state

37
Q

matter

A

Anything that has mass (eg. grams) and takes up space (eg. volume). All elements, compounds and mixtures are example of matter

38
Q

mixture

A

A substance made up of two or more different elements/compounds that occupy the same space but are NOT chemically combined

39
Q

molar mass

A

The mass of 1 molecule of a substance = formula mass in grams

40
Q

molecule

A

two or more atoms chemically combined to form a stable nucleus

41
Q

monosaccharide

A

A simple sugar eg. glucose, fructose, galactose
containing only 1 sugar unit

42
Q

neutral

A

has no charge

43
Q

neutralisation

A

A chemical reaction occurring between acids and bases that forms water and a salt (both neutral products)

44
Q

neutron

A

A particle in the nucleus of an atom that weighs the same as a proton but has NO charge (neutral)

45
Q

non-polar

A

A covalent molecule that has no separation of positive and negative charges eg. electrons are equally shared/distributed
Non-polar molecules are hydrophobic

46
Q

osmosis

A

The passive movement of water through a semipermeable membrane following its own concentration gradient

47
Q

passive transport

A

The movement of p[articles across a semi-permeable membrane that does NOT use cellular energy

48
Q

phagocytosis

A

the process of ‘cell eating’ to absorb something into a large vesicle

49
Q

pinocytosis

A

a type of endocytosis of fluids. ‘cell drinking’

50
Q

polar

A

a covalent molecule in which the electrons are unequal shared creating small charges. Polar molecules are soluble in water (hydrophilic)

51
Q

Polymer

A

A very large molecule made up of lots of repeated units (monomers)

52
Q

polysaccharide

A

A carbohydrate made up of a long chain of glucose molecules eg. starch, cellulose, glycogen

53
Q

proton

A

positively charged particle in the atomic nucleus

54
Q

radioisotope

A

An atom or isotope with an unstable nucleus that spontaneously decays and emits radiation

55
Q

saturated

A

in organic molecules, the chemical bonds between C-C are all single bonds

56
Q

solute

A

the smaller amount of solid, liquid or gas particles dissolved in a solvent

57
Q

solution

A

A common type off mixture, contains a solute dissolved (small particles suspended) in a solvent

58
Q

solvent

A

The larger amount of liquid or gas particles in which other particles are dissolved

59
Q

specific heat capacity

A

A measure of the heat/energy needed to raise the temperature (kinetic energy of particles) by a given amount, usually 1 degree celsius

60
Q

sublimation

A

The process of a change int eh state of matter from a solid to a gas without a liquid state

61
Q

surface tension

A

the cohesion of water molecules;es to each other due to the polarity of water and formation of H-bonds

62
Q

transcription

A

The process by which a gene in one strand of DNA is ‘copied’ by forming mRNA strand that carries the instructions for making a protein to ribosomes

63
Q

translation

A

The process by which an mRNA strand is read and translated into the amino acid sequence for protein synthesis by a ribosome

64
Q

unsaturated

A

An organic molecule that contains one or more double or triple C=C bonds

Cell biology and chemistry (15 decks)

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