AP Biology Test: The Chemistry of Life
Order by
72 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 elements | substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances |
| trace elements | elements that are required by an organism in small quantities |
| atom | the smallest unit of an element that retains its characteristic properties |
| protons | positively charged particles in the nucleus of an atom |
| neutrons | uncharged particles in the nucleus of an atom |
| nucleus | the core of an atom |
| electrons | negatively charged particles that spin around the nucleus of an atom |
| isotopes | atoms with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons |
| compound | when two or more different types of atoms are combined in a fixed ration |
| chemical reaction | when elements combine to form a substance with different properties |
| chemical bonds | how atoms of a compound are held together |
| ionic bond | formed between two atoms when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to the other |
| covalent bond | when electrons are shared between atoms |
| nonpolar covalent | if electrons are shared equally between atoms |
| polar covalent | if electrons are shared unequally between atoms |
| polar | molecules wit a partially positive charge and a partially negative charge |
| hydrogen bond | weak chemical bonds that form when a hydrogen atom that is covalently bonded to one electronegative atom is also attracted to another electronegative atom |
| adhesion | water molecules like to stick to other substances |
| cohesion | water molecules have tendency to stick together |
| surface tension | water molecules have a tendency to stick together making it difficult to break the surface of water |
| capillary action | water moves up plant vessels do to cohesion |
| heat capacity | the ability of a substance to store heat (the quantity of heat required to change the temperature of a substance by 1 degree) |
| acidic | a substance that contains more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions |
| basic/ alkaline | a substance that contains more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions |
| neutral | pH of 7. equal concentration of hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions |
| organic compounds | molecules with a carbon skeleton |
| inorganic compounds | molecules that do not contain carbon atoms |
| carbon | a versatile atom with the ability to bind to other atoms as well as atoms of its same kind |
| carbohydrates | organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio |
| monosaccharide | a carbohydrate with one sugar molecule |
| disaccharide | a carbohydrate with two sugar molecules |
| polysaccharide | a carbohydrate with many sugar molecules |
| glucose | a six-carbon monosaccharide with the chemical formula C6H12O6. plants produce it and cells break it down |
| fructose | a six-carbon monosaccharied with the chemical formula C6H12O6, a common sugar in fruits |
| glycosidic bond | the linking of two glucose molecules by removing a water molecule |
| dehydration synthesis/condensation | taking away a water molecule to make a bond between two atoms |
| hydrolysis | adding a water molecule to break up two atoms |
| polymer | a molecule with repeating subunits of the same general type |
| starch | a polysaccharide that plants use to stockpile alpha-glucose |
| plastids | structures made of starch in plants |
| cellulose | a polysacchardie made up of beta-glucose that lends structural support to the cell wall in plants |
| glycogen | a polysaccharide that allows animals to store glucose molecules in the liver and muscle cells |
| amino acids | organic molecules that serve as the building blocks of proteins |
| R group/side chain | the part of an amino acid that differentiates it from other amino acids |
| functional groups | distinctive groups of atoms that play a large role in determining the chemical behavior of the compound they are a part of |
| dipeptide | when two amino acids join |
| peptide bond | the bond between two amino acids by dehydration synthesis |
| polypeptide | a group of amino acids joined together in a string |
| protein | forms when a polypeptide chain twists and folds on itself to form a three-dimensional structure |
| lipids | molecules consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms not in a 1:2:1 ratio, fats, oils, and steroids |
| neutral fats | consists of three fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol |
| ester linkage | the forming of a triglyceride by each of the carboxyl groups of three fatty acids reacting with one of the three hydroyl groups of glycerol by dehydration synthesis |
| saturated | a fatty acid that has a single covalent bond between each pair of carbon atoms |
| unsaturated | a fatty acid with adjacent carbons joined by double bonds instead of single bonds |
| polyunsaturated | a fatty acid with many double bonds within the fatty acid |
| phospholipids | lipids that contain two fatty acid tails and one negatively charged phosphate head |
| hydrophobic | water hating |
| hydrophilic | water loving |
| amphipathic | a molecule (like a phospholipid) that has a hydrophobic and a hydrophilic region |
| steroid | a lipid with a basic structure of four linked carbon rings |
| fats | a lipid with a long hydrocarbon chain and a carboxyl group at the end, tend to be solid at room temperature and saturated |
| oils | a lipid with a long hydrocarbon chain and a carboxyl group at the end, tend to be liquid at room temperature and unsaturated |
| glycerol | the head of a triglyceride |
| nucleic acids | molecules made up of simple units of nucleotides and contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus |
| nucleotides | simple units that make up nucleic acids, DNA and RNA |
| DNA (deoxyribonucleic acids) | contains the hereditary blueprints of all life |
| RNA (ribonucleic acid) | essential molecule in protein synthesis |
| Oparin and Haldane | scientists that proposed the primitive atmosphere contained methane, ammonia, hydrogen, and water that combined in a chemical reaction that created organisms |
| Stanley Miller and Harold Urey | scientists that simulated a primitive atmosphere and proved that life could've developed from nonliving matter |
| heterotrophes | living organisms that rely on organic molecules for food |
| autotrophs (or producers) | organisms that make their own food |
| heterotroph hypothesis | the theory that the earliest life forms relied on other organic molecules for energy |
First Time Here?
Welcome to Quizlet, a fun, free place to study. Try these flashcards, find others to study, or make your own.