Bio Chemistry

Ion

A charged atom

covalent bond

A chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule

dehydration synthesis

A chemical reaction in which two molecules covalently bond to each other with the removal of a water molecule.

polar covalent bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are not shared equally

unsaturated fats

A fat that is liquid at room temperature and found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances

fat

A large lipid molecule made from an alcohol called glycerol and three fatty acids; a triglyceride. Most fats function as energy-storage molecules.

Solvent

A liquid substance capable of dissolving other substances

Polymer

A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together.

surface tension

A measure of how difficult it is to stretch or break the surface of a liquid

Temperature

A measure of how hot or cold something is.

polar molecule

A molecule that has electrically charged areas.

Polypeptide

A polymer (chain) of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds.

Element

A pure substance made of only one kind of atom

Monomer

A simple compound whose molecules can join together to form polymers

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important source of energy.

Reactants

A starting material in a chemical reaction

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants consisting entirely of glucose.

Electron

A subatomic particle that has a negative charge

Cellulose

A substance (made of sugars) that is common in the cell walls of many organisms

Base

A substance that decreases the hydrogen ion concentration in a solution.

Solute

A substance that is dissolved in a solution.

Protein

A three dimensional polymer made of monomers of amino acids.

Enzyme

A type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing

Adhesion

An attraction between molecules of different substances

Glycogen

An extensively branched glucose storage polysaccharide found in the liver and muscle of animals; the animal equivalent of starch.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space

Cohesion

Attraction between molecules of the same substance

Atom

Basic unit of matter

Hydrolysis

Breaking down complex molecules by the chemical addition of water

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides

Enzymes

Catalysts for chemical reactions in living things

nucleic acids

DNA and RNA

activation energy

Energy needed to get a reaction started

Lipid

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

ionic bond

Formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another

Starch

Starch is a carbohydrate that is used for energy. It is made up of many glucose (monosaccharides) connected together.

Products

The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction.

active site

The part of an enzyme or antibody where the chemical reaction occurs.

evaporative cooling

The process in which the surface of an object becomes cooler during evaporation, a result of the molecules with the greatest kinetic energy changing from the liquid to the gaseous state.

Hydrophobic

Water fearing

aqueous solution

a solution in which water is the solvent

Proteins

amino acids

amino acids

building blocks of proteins

Carbohydrates

carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a specific ratio

saturated fats

fats that are solid at room temperature

Denaturation

loss of normal shape of a protein due to heat or other factor

Lipid

macromolecule made mostly from carbon and hydrogen atoms; includes fats, oils, and waxes

pH scale

measurement system used to indicate the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in solution; ranges from 0 to 14

organic molecules

molecules that contain carbon

Nucleotide

monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

Fat molecules typically contain long chains of carbon atoms. Animals tend to store fats for use when food resources are scarce. This is an advantage to the animal because

much energy can be gained by breaking the bonds between atoms in the fats

cellular energy

needed by cells to to work; found in ATP; stored in chemical bonds; released when chemical bonds are broken

inorganic molecules

non-carbon based molecules

Substrate

reactant of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction

trace elements

required by an organism in only minute quantities

monosaccarides are

simple sugars

Monomers

small unit that can join together with other small units to form polymers

catalyst

substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical reaction

chemical bond

the force that holds two atoms together

chemical reaction

the process by which one or more substances change to produce one or more different substances

Enzyme shape

very specific and can only match with matching substrate

Hydrophyllic

water loving

Buffers

weak acids or bases that can react with strong acids or bases to prevent sharp, sudden changes in pH

hydrogen bond

weak attraction between a hydrogen atom and another atom

non-covalent bonds

weak bonds; molecules organized into three-dimensional structures