The Chemistry of Life Flashcards
Solutions – solutes to. solvents:
All the components of a solution are evenly distributed throughout the solvent. In a saltwater solution, table salt is the solute- the substance that is dissolved. Water is the solvent- the substance in which the solute dissolves.
pH scale – acids and bases:
Chemists devised a measurement system called the pH scale to indicate the concentration of H+ ions in solution. Concentration of H+ is an indication of acidity. The pH scale ranged from 0 to 14. Solutions with a pH below 7 are called acids because they have more H+ ions than OH- ions. The lower the pH the greater the acidity. Solutions with a pH above 7 are called basic because they have more OH- ions than H+ ions. THe higher the pH the more basic the solution.
Carbohydrates - structure and function, monomer, polymer, examples:
Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, with a ratio of hydrogen to oxygen of 2H;1O. Living things use carbohydrates as sources of energy for structural purposes. Polymer- Polysaccharide, starch, chains of glucose. Monomer-monosaccharide, glucose.
Lipids – structure and function, types, examples:
Lipids are organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen- the number of hydrogen is much greater than the number of oxygen atoms. Lipids include Fats and oil (store energy) , Phospholipids (cell membranes), waxes (cover/protect organisms), and sterols (chemical messengers).
Proteins – structure and function, monomer and polymer, examples:
Proteins are organic molecules used to build living material, carry out chemical reactions, fight disease, or transport particles in and out the cell, and more. They contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, and often sulfur. Protein is composed of amino acids (the monomer). Proteins are polymers made of amino acid monomers.
Enzymes – what they do, what affects their function:
Proteins that Catalyze (increase speed of a reaction) reactions without being used up or destroyed in the process. Most enzymes act specifically with one reactant- called substrate, ex. lactose /lactase. Substrates bind to specific regions of enzymes called active sites. Competitive Inhibitors- a compound that closely resembles substrate- competes for the active site . Noncompetitive Inhibitors- change the shape of the active site so substances can not bind. Inhibitors can block enzyme function.
Nucleic Acids – structure and function, monomer, polymer, examples:
Polymer made of nucleotide monomers. Stores genetic information in the form of DNA and RNA- determines the amino acid sequence of proteins.
Dehydration synthesis/condensation and hydrolysis reactions:
Dehydration synthesis (each bond formed also removes one water molecule). Hydrolysis(breaks bonds)
