Unit 1 Flashcards
Chapters 1-5
Evolution
Process of change that exists through life on Earth
Biology
The study of life
Emergent Properties
Characteristics that nonbiological entities have based on the arrangement/interaction of parts in a system
Reductionism
The view of breaking down complex systems/processes into smaller parts to gain understanding
Cell
The smallest/simplest form of life
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid, universal genetic code
Gene
Sections of a chromosome that encode information for specific protein synthesis that show up in phenotypes
Genome
An organism’s entire set of genetic instructions
Genomics
The study of sets of genes within and between species
Proteomics
The study of proteins encoded by the genome varying between species
Ecosystem
A biological community of interacting organisms and their environment
Environment
The physical surroundings in which an organism lives
Cellular Feedback
The process by which cells create various chemical pathways to communicate and exchange information
Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection
Individuals vary because of the tendency for favorable traits to be inherited due to competition and environmental adaptation
Inductive Reasoning
Drawing conclusions through logical process and repetition
Deductive Reasoning
Using general premises to make conclusions through hypothesizing
Theory
A single possible explanation for a phenomenon that is widely supported/accepted (NOT proven)
Matter
Anything that takes up space/has mass
Element
The smallest form of a certain substance
Compound
A substance consisting of 2 or more elements in a fixed ratio
Essential Elements
Essential to life (CHNOPS)
Atom
The smallest unit of matter that retains properties of its element. Composed of neutrons, protons, and electrons (subatomic particles)
Daltons
The molecular unit used to expressed atomic weight
Atomic Number
Equal to an element’s number of protons
Atomic Mass
Sum of an atom’s protons and neutrons. Can vary between atoms of the same element (isotope)
Isotope
Atoms of the same element differing in the number of neutrons, thus having different mass numbers
Radiometric Dating
The process by which scientists measure the ratio of different isotopes and calculate how many times it has decayed since its initial formation
Energy
Capacity to change
Potential Energy
The energy matter has due to location/structure. Has more capacity to do work and is more ordered and less stable
Valence Electrons
The electrons in the outermost shell of the electron cloud of an atom
Covalent Bond
The sharing of a pair of valence electrons by 2 atoms
Molecule
Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
Electronegativity
An atom’s tendency for attraction (pulling in valence e- towards its nucleus) in a covalent bond. The more electronegative an atom, the stronger it pulls shared electrons, thus creating polar bonds
Nonpolar Covalent Bonds
Atoms that share electrons equally
Polar Covalent Bonds
Atoms that do NOT share electrons equally causing the compound to be partially charged in different regions
Ionic Bonds
Atomic bonding in which atoms completely gain or lose a valence electron, causing both atoms to be charged ions
Hydrogen Bonds
When one hydrogen covalently bonds to an electronegative atom that attracts another electronegative atom due to polarity
Van der Waals Interactions
Attractions between molecules with asymmetrical e-distribution that can be relatively weak
Chemical Reactions
The formation/breaking of chemical bonds as atoms interact with one another
Cohesion
Water’s ability to connect/stick to other water molecules
Adhesion
The tendency of water molecules to cling to surfaces
Kinetic Energy
The energy of motion. This type of energy has less capacity to work (it is doing the work) and is more stable and disordered
Thermal Energy (Heat)
The kinetic energy associated with random atomic motion and how atoms will tend to bump into each other under certain conditions
Temperature
The average kinetic energy of the molecules in a body of matter
Specific Heat
The amount of heat that must be absorbed/lost for a single gram of that substance to change its temperature by 1 degree Celsius
Evaporative Cooling
The process in which a liquid transforms into a gas and the remaining surface decreases in temperature due to heat loss
Heat of Vaporization
The heat a liquid must absorb for 1 g to convert to a gaseous state
Homeostasis
The tendency for biological entities to maintain equilibrium through various processes
Solution
A homogenous mixture of substances
Solvent
The dissolving agent of a solution
Solute
The substance being dissolved
Hydration Shell
The tendency of water molecules to surround ions in water as they are drawn to the ions because of their partial charges (polarity)
Hydrophobic
When a substance does NOT have an affinity for water
Hydrophilic
When a substance has an affinity/likeness for water
Molarity
The number of moles of solute per Liter of solution. In other words, concentration
Autoionization (of water)
When a hydrogen atom shared during hydrogen bonding shifts from one water molecule to the other, dissociating into a hydronium ion and a hydroxyl
Acid
A substance that increases the H+ concentration of a solution with a pH less than 7
Base
A substance that reduces the H+ concentration by reacting with free H+ ions in a solution with a pH greater than 7
Buffers
Substances that minimize changes in concentration of H+ and OH- in a solution. Often contains a weak acid and its corresponding(conjugate) base
Ocean Acidification
The tendency of human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels to endanger water quality because of CO2 dissolving to form carbonic acid which can be dangerous to marine life
Organic Chemistry
The branch of chemistry revolving around the study of Carbon-containing compounds
Mechanism
The view that physical and chemical laws govern life and that life cannot be created inorganically (cell theory)
Carbon Skeletons
Chains formed by Carbon molecules varying in size due to Carbon’s ability to form up to 4 different bonds
Isomers
Compounds with the same formula but different molecular structures and properties
Structural Isomers
Isomers with different bond placements of the atoms
Cis-Trans Isomers
Isomers with the same covalent bonds but different spatial arrangement (has to occur around a double-bonded Carbon)
Enantiomers
Isomers that mirror each other structurally
Hydrocarbons
Organic molecules consisting of only carbon and hydrogen. When broken down in a reaction, they release a large amount of energy
Functional Groups
The components of organic molecules that cause them to have different chemical properties
Hydroxyl Group
-OH (alcohols) polar, dissolves in water
Carbonyl
-C=O (ketone-inside;aldehyde-outside)
Carboxyl-
-COOH (carboxylic acid) acidic
Amino
-NH2 (amine) acts as a base
Sulfhydryl
-SH (thiol) create disulfur bridges that stabilize proteins
Phosphate
-OPO3 2- (organic phosphate) changes the structure and causes movement via phosphorylation
Methyl
-CH3 (methylated compound) affects phenotypes
Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)
Cellular energy to do work. Formed from ADP and inorganic phosphate
Macromolecules
Large, complex molecules that are the foundation of many biological structures
Polymer
A molecule made up of many identical smaller units
Monomer
The repeating units that form polymers
Enzymes
Specialized proteins that speed up chemical reactions and can be used over and over again
Dehydration Synthesis
The process in which 2 monomers bond together through the loss of a water molecule
Hydrolysis
The process by which polymers are disassembled by the addition of water
Carbohydrates
Polysaccharides composed of many simple sugars. Monomer=monosaccharides, include a carbonyl group, major fuel source, joined by glycosidic linkage
Starches
Carbohydrates consisting entirely of glucose monomers
Glycogens
Carbs used for storage in animal cells. When hydrolyzed, release glucose for present sugar demand
Cellulose
The polymer of glucose with pleated B sheets (straight). Used for the formation of the cell wall in plants, requires specific enzymes for digestion
Chitin
Polysaccharides responsible for exoskeleton creation
Microbes
Small bacteria that sometimes form symbiotic relationships with animals that need to break down a large amount of cellulose
Lipids
Fatty acids with nonrepeating patterns and are very hydrophobic because they are made up primarily of hydrocarbons, bonded by an ester linkage, includes up to 3 fatty acid chains and glycerol (triacylglycerol), primarily used for energy storage
Saturated Fats
Lipids that have the maximum amount of fatty hydrogen atoms attached to their fatty acid chains, containing no double bonds, straight, compact, and solid at room temperature
Unsaturated Fats
Lipids that have 1 or more double bonded hydrogen which causes a bent structure in the fatty acid chain, liquid at room temperature
Hydrogenation
The process of converting unsaturated fats to saturated fats by adding another hydrogen which breaks the double bond and forms a trans double bond instead
Adipose Cells
Cells specialized in long term food storage that can cushion vital organs and insulate
Phospholipid
When 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group are attached to a glycerol. They have a hydrophobic tail (fatty acids) and a hydrophilic head (phosphate group) and layer together to form the cell membrane
Steroids
Lipids that have a carbon skeleton of 4 rings which can alter the fluidity of the cell membrane and act as signaling molecules
Amino Acid
Organic molecules with an amino and carboxyl group as well as a differing R-group that gives it its specific property and plays a role in protein folding
Polypeptide Chain
The unbranched polymer of amino acids when they combine using peptide bonds. Have an N-terminus and C-terminus side, NCC backbone
Proteins
Macromolecule that is made up of amino acids and is essential to life
Primary Structure
Amino acid chain
Secondary Structure
Folding within the polypeptide chain with hydrogen bonding bringing the chain into a helix shape
Tertiary Structure
Interactions between the R-groups that causes the amino acid chain to bend and twist
Quarternary Structure
The folding and interaction of multiple polypeptide chains
Denaturation
The loss of a protein’s natural/intended structure due to misfolding, deeming it inactive
Chaperonins
Proteins that assist in protein folding by providing a closed environment to ensure accuracy
X-Ray Crystallography
The use of x-rays to determine protein structure
Nucleic Acids
The macromolecule responsible for genetic material and information, DNA or RNA, monomer=nucleotides (consisting of a nitrogen base, 5-carbon sugar, and phosphate group), joined together by phosphodiester bonds
Pyrimidines
Nitrogen bases with single 6-membered rings (Cytosine, Thymine, and Uracil)
Purines
Nitrogen bases with both a 6-membered ring and a 5-membered ring (Adenine and Guanine)
Bioinformatics
A scientific attempt to predict protein structure from amino acid sequences
