Chapter 2: Chemical Basis of Life Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards based on the Chapter 2 Study Guide covering biochemistry, the structure of matter, and the chemical constituents of cells.

Biomarkers

Chemicals that herald disease and provide information about a person's health status.

Biochemistry

The study of the chemicals and chemical reactions that make up the human body.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass, which is composed of pure substances called elements.

Elements

The fundamental substances that make up matter.

Bulk elements

Elements required by the body in large amounts.

Trace elements

Elements required by the body in small amounts.

Ultratrace elements

Elements required by the body in extremely minute amounts.

Isotope

Atoms with the same atomic number but different atomic weights; they can be stable or unstable.

Atomic radiation

Energy or particles released by unstable isotopes as they decompose.

Molecule

A particle formed when two or more atoms are held together by chemical bonds.

Compound

A molecule formed when atoms of different elements combine.

Ion

An atom that has gained or lost electrons, resulting in an electrical charge.

Polar molecule

A molecule with an uneven distribution of charges, resulting in distinct positive and negative ends.

Acids

Substances that release hydrogen ions ($H^+$) in water.

Bases

Substances that release ions that can combine with hydrogen ions ($H^+$).

pH scale

A system used to measure the concentration of hydrogen ions ($H^+$) in a solution.

Buffer

Chemicals that resist changes in $pH$ by combining with or releasing hydrogen ions.

Organic chemical

Chemicals that contain both carbon ($C$) and hydrogen ($H$).

Inorganic chemical

Chemical substances found in the body, such as water ($H_2O$), oxygen ($O_2$), carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), and salts, which generally do not contain both carbon and hydrogen.

Carbohydrates

Organic substances that provide energy for cellular activities and are composed of monosaccharide building blocks.

Lipids

Organic substances including fats, phospholipids, and steroids that are generally insoluble in water.

Proteins

Organic substances used as structural materials, energy sources, or hormones, composed of amino acid building blocks.

Enzyme

A type of protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions in cells.

Denaturation

The process where a protein changes its shape and loses its unique function, often caused by exposure to excessive heat, radiation, or extreme $pH$ levels.

Nucleic acids

Organic substances composed of nucleotide building blocks that carry genetic information or aid in protein synthesis.