Module 2 The Chemistry Of Life Flashcards
Matter
Anything that has mass and takes up space (has volume)
Atomic number
The number of protons in an atom - unique to each type of atom
Element
A pure substance composed entirely of one type of atom and cannot be chemically broken down into a simpler substance
Periodic table
A table of the chemical elements arranged in order of atomic number
Atomic mass
Sum of the protons and the neutrons in an atom’s nucleus
Isotopes
Different forms of the same element, containing the same number of protons but different number of neutrons
Molecule
Chemical that results when two or more atoms join together chemically
Compound
A molecule that contains atoms of at least two different elements
Ionic bond
A chemical bond formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another
Ion
Positively or negatively charged atom, resulting from the transfer of electrons
Covalent bond
Chemical bond formed by the sharing of electrons between two or more atoms
Polar compound
A molecule with an unequal distribution of electrons causing a partial positive charge at one end in a partial negative charge at the other
Hydrogen bond
A weak electrical attraction between a positive hydrogen atom and a negative atom of another molecule (usually oxygen or nitrogen)
Solvent
Any substance in which other substances are dissolved
Salute
A dissolved substance
Solution
A mixture of salutes dissolved in a solvent
Aqueous solution
A solution in which water is the solvent
Cohesion
An attractive force that holds molecules of the same substance together
Adhesion
An attractive force that holds molecules of different substances together
Heat capacity
The amount of heat energy required to increase the temperature
Organic molecules
Molecules found in living organisms that contain carbon in rings or long chains, attracted to other atoms like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus
Biosynthesis
The process by which living organisms produce larger molecules from smaller ones
Isomers
Two different molecules that have the same chemical formula
Monosaccharides
Simple sugars; they are the building blocks of more complex carbohydrates
Disaccharides
Carbohydrates that are made up of two monosaccharides
Polysaccharides
Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides
Dehydration reaction
A chemical reaction in which molecules combine by removing water
Starch
A polysaccharide consisting of many glucose molecules stored in plants
Glycogen
A polysaccharide consisting of many glucose molecules stored in animals
Cellulose
A polysaccharide consisting of many glucose molecules found in the cell walls of plants
Hydrolysis
Breaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of water
Hydrophobic
Lacking any affinity to water, from the Latin meaning “water-fearing”
Saturated fat
A lipid made from fatty acids that have no double bonds between carbon atoms
Unsaturated fat
A lipid made from fatty acids that have at least one double bond between carbon atoms
Steroid
Lipid molecule with four fused carbon rings
Amino acids
The basic building blocks of proteins each containing a carboxyl group and an amino group
Hydrophilic
Attracts water molecules
Peptide bond
A covalent bond that links amino acids together in a polypeptide
Polypeptide
Many amino acids bonded together forming part of a protein or the whole protein
Catalyst
A substance that alters the speed of a chemical reaction but is not used up in the process
Activation energy
The energy needed to get reaction started
Active site
Area of an enzyme to which a specific substrate fits
Substrate
A specific reactant acted on by an enzyme
Denaturation
The process in which the normal shape of a protein is lost usually due to excess heat or abnormal pH, destroying its function
Nucleotides
The building blocks of DNA and RNA
