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Pre-AP Biology > The Chemistry Of Life > Flashcards

The Chemistry Of Life Flashcards

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0
Q

List four major types of organic compounds.

A

Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Nucleic Acid

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1
Q

What are elements and compounds? Give an example of each.

A

Elements are a pure substance made out of one type of atom and can’t be broken down into other substances. (Carbon)
A compound is a substance that consists of two or more elements.(H2O)

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2
Q

What determines the primary structure of proteins?

A

Polypeptide

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3
Q

State two functions of proteins.

A

It helps some to keep their shape, and some make up muscle tissue. Proteins speed up chemical reactions in cells. Others are antibodies. Some carry carry messages or materials.

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4
Q

Identify the three parts of a nucleotide.

A

Three smaller molecules of sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogen base

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5
Q

Butter is a fat that is a solid at room temperature. What type of fatty acids does butter contain? How do you know?

A

Butter contains saturated fatty acids. I know this because being a saturated fatty acid makes the molecules to cause straight chains and pack together tightly allowing them to stored energy.

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6
Q

Assume that you are trying to identify an unknown organic molecule. It contains only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and is found in the cell walls of a newly discovered plant species. What type of organic compound is it?

A

Cellulose

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7
Q

Explain why carbon is essential to life on Earth.

A

Carbon is essential to life because it it’s ability to form stable bonds with many elements, including itself. This property allows carbon to form a huge variety of very large and complex molecules.

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8
Q

Compare and the structures and functions of simple sugars and complex carbohydrates.

A 
Structure
Carbohydrates: small, repeating units that form bonds with each others to make a larger molecule
Sugar: 
Function 
C: used to store energy
S: for energy by cells of most organisms
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9
Q

Explain why molecules of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids have different shapes.

A

Saturated fatty acids form straight chains because the carbon atoms are bonded to as many hydrogen atoms possible. They are packed tightly together so they can store energy.
Unsaturated fatty acids form bent chains because the carbon are not bonded to as many hydrogen atoms as possible.

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10
Q

Small molecule that is building block of proteins

A

Amino acid

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11
Q

Organic compound such as or starch

A

Carbohydrate

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12
Q

Force that holds molecules together

A

Chemical bond

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13
Q

Process that changes some chemical substances into others

A

Chemical reaction

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14
Q

Pair of nucleotide bases that bond together- either adenine and thymine (or uracil) or cytosine and guanine

A

Complementary base pair

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15
Q

Substance with a unique, fixed composition that consists of two or more elements

A

Compound

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16
Q

Double-stranded nucleic acid that makes up genes and chromosomes

A

DNA

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17
Q

Double spiral shape of the DNA molecule

A

Double helix

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18
Q

Pure substance that cannot be broken down into other types of substances

A

Element

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19
Q

Organic compound such as fat or oil

A

Lipid

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20
Q

Anything that takes up space and has mass

A

Matter

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21
Q

Simple sugar such as glucose that is a building block of carbohydrates

A

Monosaccharide

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22
Q

Organic compound such as DNA or RNA

A

Nucleic acid

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23
Q

Small molecule containing a sugar, phosphate group, and base that is a building block of nucleic acids

A

Nucleotide

24
Q

Compound found living things that contains mainly carbon

A

Organic compound

25
Q

Chain of nucleotides that alone or with another such chain makes up a nucleic acid

A

Polynucleotide

26
Q

Chain of amino acids that alone or with another chain makes up a protein

A

Polypeptide

27
Q

Chain of monosaccharides that makes up a complex carbohydrates such as starch

A

Polysaccharide

28
Q

Organic compound make up of amino acids

A

Protein

29
Q

Single-stranded nucleic acid that helps make proteins

A

RNA

30
Q

Molecule in lipids in which carbon atoms are bonded to as many hydrogen atoms possible

A

Saturated fatty acids

31
Q

Molecule in lipids in which some carbon atoms are bonded to other groups of atoms rather than to hydrogen atoms

A

Unsaturated fatty acid

32
Q

Energy needed to start a chemical reaction

A

Activation energy

33
Q

Endothermic reaction in organisms

A

Anabolic reaction

34
Q

Chemical reaction that occurs inside the cells of living things

A

Biochemical reaction

35
Q

Exothermic reaction in organisms

A

Catabolic reaction

36
Q

Chemical reaction that absorbs energy

A

Endothermic reaction

37
Q

Protein that speeds up biochemical reactions in an organism

A

Enzyme

38
Q

Chemical reaction that releases energy

A

Exothermic reaction

39
Q

Sum of all the biochemical reactions in an organism

A

Metabolism

40
Q

Substance that forms as the results of a chemical reaction

A

Product

41
Q

Starting material Ina chemical reaction

A

Reactant

42
Q

Solution with a pH lower than 7

A

Acid

43
Q

Solution with a pH level higher than 7

A

Base

44
Q

Type of chemical bond that forms between molecules: found between water molecules

A

Hydrogen bond

45
Q

Scale that is used the measure acidity

A

pH

46
Q

Difference in electrical charge between different parts of the same molecule

A

Polarity

47
Q

Mixture that has the same composition throughout

A

Solution

48
Q

Identify the roles of reactants and products in chemical reactions

A

Reactants- substance that starts a chemical reaction

Products- substance that forms as a result of a chemical reaction

49
Q

What is the general equation for an endothermic reaction?

A

Reactants + Heat —> Products

50
Q

What are biochemical reactions? What is an example?

A

A biochemical reactions are chemical reactions that take places inside the cells of living things. Metabolism is the sum of all biochemical reactions in the organism.

51
Q

How do enzymes speed up biochemical reactions?

A

An enzyme works by reducing the amount of activation energy that is needed to start the reaction.

52
Q

How does a chemical equation show that matter is always conserved in a chemical reaction?

A

A chemical equation shows that matter is always conserved in a chemical reaction by that there is a same amount of each element in the products as there was in the reactants.

53
Q

Why do all chemical reactions require activation energy?

A

They all need activation energy to get started. They need a boost of energy to get the reactants molecules moving so they can bump into each other and when they bump together, they may repel each other because of intermolecular forces pushing them apart.

54
Q

Explain why organisms need enzymes to survive.

A

Because without them, biochemical reactions take place too slow because of the temperature to maintain life.

55
Q

Where is most of Earth’s water found?

A

Oceans

56
Q

What is polarity? Describe the polarity of water.

A

Polarity is the difference in electrical charge between different parts of the same molecule. The oxygen atom having a slightly negative and the hydrogen atoms having a slightly positive charge is the polarity of water.

57
Q

What is the pH of a neutral solution?

A

7

Blood has the pH level of 7.

58
Q

Describe an example of an acid or a base that is involved in human digestion.

A

Enzyme pepsin that breaks down proteins in the stomach needs an acidic environment. The pancreas secretes a strong base into the small intestine, and this base neutralizes the acid.

Pre-AP Biology (2 decks)

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