THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE

Carbon

element #6, carbon is the primary element of life. Carbon is the central element in most organic molecules because each carbon atom can make four covalent bonds with other atoms. Carbon is one of the six main elements found in organic molecules (CHNOPS).

Substrate

The chemical compound(s) upon which enzymes act.

Covalent Bond

a bond between atoms formed when atoms share electrons.

Amino Acid

a building block (monomer) of proteins. There are 20 different amino acids.

Ionic Bond

a chemical bond that forms between oppositely charged ions. Another way of stating this is: a chemical bond that forms when one atom steals electrons from another.

Polymer

a large molecule made up of smaller building blocks known as monomers.

Electron

a negatively charged subatomic particle found in orbit around the nucleus of an atom.

Element

a pure substance made of only one kin of atom.

Monomer

a single building block of larger molecules known as polymers.

Enzyme

a special type of protein that acts as a biological catalyst.

Neutron

a subatomic particle with no charge, a neutron acts as glue holding the nucleus of an atom together.

Proton

a subatomic particle with positive charge, the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom determines the identity of the atom (1.e., to which element it belongs).

Isotope

an atom of a particular element that has a different number of neutrons.

Ion

an atom of a particular element that has either lost or gained electrons. Atoms that lose electrons have a positive charge, whereas atoms that have gained electrons have a negative charge.

Catalyst

any chemical agent that increases the speed of chemical reactions.

Hydrogen

element #1, hydrogen is one of the six main elements found in organic molecules (CHNOPS).

Phosphorus

element #15, phosphorus is one of the six main elements in organic molecules (CHNOPS).

Sulfur

element #16, sulfur is one of the six main elements in organic compounds (CHNOPS).

Oxygen

element #6, oxygen is one of the six main elements in organic molecules (CHNOPS).

Nitrogen

element #7, nitrogen is one of the six main elements found in organic molecules (CHNOPS).

Atom

the basic unit of all matter. Protons and neutrons are found in the nucleus, while electrons are found orbiting the nucleus.

Nucleotide

the building blocks (monomers) of nucleic acids, nucleotides are composed of a phosphate group, a 5-carbon sugar, and a nitrogen base. DNA contains the 5-carbon sugar deoxyribose, whereas RNA contains the 5-carbon sugar ribose.

Nucleus

the center of something. In an atom, the nucleus contains protons and neutrons. In a Eukaryotic cell, the nucleus contains the cell's DNA.

Active Site

the portion of an enzyme where the chemical reaction takes place.

Protein

one of the four classes of organic compounds, proteins are polymers made up of amino acids and are used for structure in the body.

Lipid

one of the four classes of organic molecules, Lipids used for long-term energy storage. Examples include fats, oils, and waxes.

Carbohydrate

one of the four classes of organic molecules, carbohydrates are used primarily for instant energy in cells. Made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Examples include sugars and starches.

Nucleic Acid

one of the four classes of organic molecules, nucleic acids store genetic information in cells. Nuleic acids are polymers made of monomers called nucleotides. Examples are DNA and RNA.