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
