AP Biology Unit 1-Chemistry of Life Vocab

Theory

Summarizes a group of hypotheses

Hypothesis

an explanation to a question

Inductive Reasoning

derive generalizations based on a large number of specific observations

Experimental Group

The group that is exposed to the treatment that is being tested

Scientific Law

Statement of fact usually as a mathematical formula

Control Group

groups in the experiment that help eliminate experimental errors and biases of researchers

Deductive Reasoning

specific results are derived from general premises

Independent Variable

the one factor that is changed by the person doing the experiment

Constants

all the factors that stay the same in an experiment.

Alternative Hypothesis

the hypotheses that contain results that are NOT the null hypothesis

Null Hypothesis

a hypothesis which the researcher tries to disprove, reject or nullify

Dependent Variable

the factor which is measured in the experiment

Mean

the average of the data set

Median

the middle number in a range of data points

Central Tendencies

Statistics that describe the center of the data set.

Mode

the value that appears most often in a data set

Variability

the measure of how far a data set diverges from the central tendency

Range

the difference between the largest and smallest values

Standard Deviation

a measure of how spread out the data is from the mean

Standard Error of the Mean

used to determine the precision of and confidence in the mean value

Capillary Action

the upward movement of water due to the forces of cohesion, adhesion, and surface tension

Hydrogen Bonds

the partially positive hydrogen atom in one polar covalent molecule will bind the partially negative oxygen atom in another polar covalent molecule .

Hydrocarbons

organic molecules consisting only of carbon and hydrogen

Macromolecule

Large molecules formed with carbon backbones

Dehydration Reaction

bonds two monomers with the loss of water

Hydrolysis

breaks the bonds in a polymer by adding water

Polymers

chain like macromolecules of similar or identical repeating units that are covalently bonded together

Monomers

the repeating units that make up polymers

Disaccharide

two monosaccharides joined together by covalent bonds

Amino Acid

Molecules that have an amino group and a carboxyl group, monomer of polypeptides

Polypeptide

Many amino acids that are linked together with peptide bonds

Cellulose

tough substance that forms plant cell walls

Monosaccharide

simple sugars, can serve as building blocks for amino acids, or as monomers for di- and polysaccharides

Polysaccharide

polymer with many sugars joined via dehydration reactions

Glycogen

A polymer of glucose that animals use to store sugars

Hydrophobic

Water repelling/hating

Hydrophilic

Water attracting/loving

Glycosidic Linkage

a type of covalent bond that joins a sugar molecule to another sugar

Starch

A polymer of glucose that plants use to store sugars

Primary Structure

the linear chain of amino acids in a protein

Secondary Structure

Coils and folds due to hydrogen bonding within the polypeptide backbone of a protein (beta sheets and alpha helices)

Tertiary Structure

3D folding due to interactions between the side chains of the AAs

Quaternary Structure

Association of two or more polypeptides

Lipid/Fat

class of molecules that do not include true polymers, usually small and are hydrophobic

Fatty Acid

long carbon chains (carboxyl group at one end)

Phospholipid

Major component of cell membranes made of two fatty acids attached to a glycerol and a phosphate

Denature

the loss or change of a proteins shape that leads to loss or change of function

Protein

molecule consisting of polypeptides (polymers of amino acids) folded into a 3D shape

Steroid

Lipids that have four fused rings

DNA

Consists of two polynucleotides, forms a double helix. Holds genetic information

RNA

Single stranded polynucleotide, variable in shape. Used in transferring genetic information to proteins.

Nucleotide

Monomer of nucleic acids. Contain 3 parts: Nitrogenous base, Five carbon sugar (pentose), Phosphate group(s)

Nucleic Acid

polymers made of nucleotide monomers

Pyrimidine

one ring with 6 atoms

Purine

one ring with 6 atoms bonded to one ring with 5 atoms

Positive Control

Group not exposed to the experimental treatment or independent variable, but it IS exposed to a treatment known to produce the expected effect

Negative Control

Group not exposed to any treatment or exposed to a treatment that is known to have NO effect