Science Basic Chemistry Flashcards
Atoms
The basic unit of matter
Molecules
Groups of atoms bonded together
What are the four macromolecules?
Carbohydrates, lipids (fat), proteins, nucleic acid (DNA, RNA)
What molecules are in living things?
Hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon (HONC)
How many bonds are in each molecule (HONC)
H=1, O=2, N=3, C=4
Why do atoms bond?
Due to an interaction between their electrons
Are the properties of individual atoms the same as the properties of molecules?
No.
Ex: Hydrogen at room temperature is a gas and so is oxygen but when the two are combined (H2O), it is a liquid at room temperature (water)
What moves through reservoirs?
Elements on Earth
What are some reservoirs?
Solid earth, oceans, atmosphere, organisms
What is a reservoir?
A place where matter is stored
What cycle is the reservoirs part of?
Biogeochemical cycle
What is a biogeochemical cycle?
Matter cycles through Earth and life, matter flows from one reservoir to another in a biogeochemical cycle
Can elements be created or destroyed?
No, but they can be combined in different ways
What does matter cycle between?
Biotic and abiotic factors
When HONC is combined, what do these elements make
The molecules carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids
Can elements on earth be changed?
No, they exist in fixed (unchanged) amounts and are located in various chemical reservoirs.
What are the cyclical movement of matter between reservoirs driven by?
Earth’s internal and external sources of energy
What would happen if there was no driving source?
The cycle would stop
What are the driving forces?
Sunlight, gravity, internal energy of Earth
What states of matter is water transformed into?
Gas, liquid, solid
Is water ever used up?
No
What are the water processes?
Evaporation, condensation, transpiration, runoff, precipitation, freezing, absorption/drinking, melting
What are the reservoirs of water?
Snow caps, oceans, lakes, stream, organism, atmosphere, ground
What sources of energy drive the water cycle?
Solar energy and gravity
