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AP Biology > Unit 1: Chemistry of Life > Flashcards

Unit 1: Chemistry of Life Flashcards

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AP® Biology flashcards Biology 101 flashcards
1
Q

What is the difference between intramolecular and intermolecular forces?

A

Intramolecular forces occur between the atoms of a molecule while intermolecular forces occur between other molecules.

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2
Q

What is electronegativity?

A

The strength of an atom’s pull on electrons.

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3
Q

What is the difference between hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances?

A

Hydrophobic substances do not bond to water, and hydrophilic substances do.

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4
Q

What is cohesion?

A

The bonding between multiple water molecules (hydrogen bonding).

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5
Q

What is surface tension?

A

The difficulty of breaking or stretching the surface of a liquid.

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6
Q

What is adhesion?

A

The bonding between unlike molecules (i.e. water to the stem of a plant).

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7
Q

What is transpiration?

A

The movement of water up plants and out of the stomata (in leaves).

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8
Q

What is thermal energy?

A

The total amount of kinetic energy in a system.

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9
Q

What is temperature?

A

A measure of the intensity of heat due to the average kinetic energy of molecules.

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10
Q

Is the specific heat of water high or low? What does this property allow it to do?

A

The specific heat of water is high. This allows it to act as a “heat bank;” It can absorb and release high amounts of heat without changing significantly in temperature.

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11
Q

What is evaporative cooling?

A

Molecules with the greatest kinetic energy are vaporized. (Note: Water has a high heat of vaporization.)

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12
Q

Does water expand or contract when freezing? How does this support life on Earth?

A

Water is one of the only substances to expand when freezing. Ice provides insulation, which can regulate temperature when floating on bodies of water, keeping aquatic organisms alive during colder periods.

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13
Q

What are the solubility properties of water?

A

Water is known as the “solvent of life.” Hydrophilic molecules, such as cellulose and salts, are ionic and polar. Hydrophobic molecules, such as oils and lipids, are covalent and non-polar.

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14
Q

What is the pH scale?

A

0-6 = Acidic; More hydronium (H+) ions.
7 = Neutral; Balanced ions.
8-14 = Basic; More hydroxide (OH-) ions.

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15
Q

What are buffers?

A

Substances that minimize changes in the concentrations of H+ and OH- in a solution (weak acids and bases).

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16
Q

What is dehydration synthesis?

A

The removal of water to bond molecules.

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17
Q

What is hydrolysis?

A

The addition of water to break apart bonds.

18
Q

What are monomers?

A

Small and organic molecules that are used to build polymers (through dehydration synthesis).

19
Q

What are polymers?

A

Chains of bonded monomers.

20
Q

What are macromolecules?

A

Molecules that are made out of multiple polymers and serve as the building blocks of life.

21
Q

What are carbohydrates? What is the standard carbohydrate ratio?

A

Macromolecules that provide fuel and serve as building materials, such as simple sugars (fructose) and polymers (starch). They have a ratio of CH2O.

22
Q

What are the three types of carbohydrates?

A

Monosaccharides (1), disaccharides (2), and polysaccharides (2+).

23
Q

What are examples of monosaccharides?

A

Glucose, ribose, etc.

24
Q

What are examples of polysaccharides?

A

In plants:
-Starch (Storage)
-Cellulose (Structure)

In animals: Glycogen (Storage)

In arthropods: Chitin (Structure)

25
Q

What are lipids?

A

Fats (or triglycerides); Store energy.

26
Q

What are the two types of steroids?

A

Cholesterol and hormones.

27
Q

What are phospholipids composed of, and how do they relate to cell structure?

A

Phospholipids are composed of hydrophilic heads and hydrophilic tails. Two layers of them make up the lipid bilayer of the cell membrane.

28
Q

What are the three types of fatty acids that make up glycerol?

A

Saturated, unsaturated, and polyunsaturated.

29
Q

What are the characteristics of saturated fatty acids?

A

-Saturated with hydrogen in animals.
-Solid at room temperature.
-i.e. Butter, lard, etc.

30
Q

What are the characteristics of unsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids?

A

-Have double carbon bonds, which create kinks in plants.
-Liquid at room temperature.
-i.e. Corn oil, olive oil, etc.

31
Q

What functions do proteins have?

A

-Enzymes**
-Defense
-Storage
-Transport
-Hormones
-Receptors
-Movement
-Structure

32
Q

What are the properties of primary protein structures?

A

-i.e. Amino acids and peptide bonds.
-R-groups - side chains.
-Hydrophilic or hydrophobic.
-Ionic or covalent.

33
Q

What is the main property of secondary protein structures?

A

Hydrogen bonding between two amino acids: amine and carboxyl.

34
Q

What are the properties of tertiary protein structures?

A

-Protein folding.
-Hydrophobic - buried in the interior.
-Hydrophilic - exposed on the surface.
-Acid + Base - forms ionic salt bridges.
-Cysteins - disulfide bonds.
-Bonding between R-groups.

35
Q

What is the main property of quarternary protein structures?

A

2+ polypeptides are bonded together.

36
Q

What are chaperonins?

A

Proteins that aid in the folding of other proteins.

37
Q

How do proteins respond to changes in environmental conditions?

A

Protein structure and function are sensitive to environmental changes. A change in the pH or temperature of a protein’s environment causes it to denature, or unfold. (Note: A slight increase in temperature may remain optimal for the protein. This will increase the productivity of enzymes.)

38
Q

What are nucleic acids?

A

Units that store hereditary info.

39
Q

What are the properties of DNA?

A

-Double-stranded helix structure.
-Nitrogenous-bases: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Thymine.
-Sugar: Deoxyribose.

40
Q

What are the properties of RNA?

A

-Single-stranded helix structure.
-Nitrogenous bases: Adenine, Cytosine, Guanine, and Unacil.
-Carry genetic information and instructions.
-Sugar: Ribose.

41
Q

What are nucleotides? What are they composed of?

A

Monomers of DNA/RNA. They are composed of sugar, phosphate groups, and nitrogenous bases.

42
Q

What is the flow of information in a cell?

A

DNA –> RNA –> Protein.

AP Biology (5 decks)

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