Unit 2: The Chemistry of Life Flashcards
Activation Energy
the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction
Active Site
location on an enzyme where the substrate binds
Adhesion
An attraction between water molecules and another substance
Amino Acid
The building blocks of a protein
Bond
a lasting attraction between atoms of elements that allows for the formation of chemical compounds/molecules
Buffer
a weak acid or weak base that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH; help keep pH constant in body tissues to help maintain homeostasis
Capillary Action
property of water that allows water molecules to move against the force of gravity in narrow spaces
Cellulose
polysaccharide that makes up the cell walls of plant cells
Carbohydrate
commonly called “sugars”; made of monomers called monosaccharides and often end in -ose
Cohesion
an attraction between water molecules
Cuticle (Plant)
The waxy, waterproof layer that covers the leaves and stems of most plants.
Denatured Enzyme
process that occurs when an enzyme is exposed to extreme temperatures/pHs; changes the shape of an enzyme’s active site so that it can no longer bind to substrate molecules
Disaccharide
sugar made of two monosaccharides; ex. is sucrose which is made when glucose is linked to fructose
Enzymes
proteins that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction; convert molecules called “substrates” into “products”; often end in -ase; called “biological catalysts”
Glycogen
polysaccharide that stores excess sugar in the liver and muscles of animals
Insulin
a protein hormone that lowers the amount of glucose in the blood to help maintain homeostasis
Hemoglobin
protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells; is defective in sufferers of sickle cell anemia
Hormone
signaling molecules made by various glands throughout the body that affect metabolism and growth/development; examples include estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin.
Lipid
usually made of 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule; fats, waxes, and oils are examples; provide twice as many calories per gram than do carbs/proteins; used for long-term energy storage, insulation, cell membrane structure, and waterproofing
Lock and Key Model
mechanism by which a substrate binds to an enzyme’s active site; reflects how specific each enzyme’s shape is
Monomer
building block or subunit of a polymer; smallest molecules in each class of biomolecules
Nucleic Acid
made of monomers called nucleotides; examples are DNA and RNA
Monosaccharide
the smallest, simple sugars; ex. is glucose
Nucleotide
monomer of a nucleic acid; made of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base
Organic
carbon-based molecules that have bonds to hydrogen
Peptide Bond
chemical bond between the amino acids of a protein
pH
a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is; the range is 0-6 acid; 7 neutral; 8-14 base
Polarity
Molecules having uneven distribution of charge; ex. water
Polymer
the largest biological molecules made of monomers; also called macromolecules
Polypeptide
a long, linear chain of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds; a precursor to a protein that is not yet functional
Polysaccharide
the largest carbohydrates; made up of many monosaccharides; examples include: starch, glycogen, chitin, and cellulose
protein
Product
everything on the right side of a chemical equation
Protein
Macromolecules made into amino acids
Reactant
Everything on the left side of a chemical equation
Starch
polysaccharide that stores food in plants
Steroid
cholesterol-based hormone; ex. testosterone
Substrate
molecule that binds to the enzyme’s active site
Matter
Anything that occupies space and has mass
Mass
Quantity of matter
Weight
Pull of gravity
ATP
Adenosine Triphosphate, the chemical form of energy which can be used by cells to start chemical reactions or can be produced by cells during chemical reactions
