Chemistry of Life

Flashcards covering key concepts from the Chemistry of Life lecture notes.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass.

Element

Basic substances that matter is composed of; 92 naturally occurring elements.

CHNOPS

Main elements in living organisms: Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, Sulfur.

Atom

The smallest unit of matter, composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Ion

A charged atom that has either lost or gained electrons.

Isotopes

Atoms with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Chemical Bond

The force that holds atoms together in molecules.

Ionic Bond

A bond formed between a positively charged ion and a negatively charged ion.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when two atoms share electrons.

pH scale

A measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution.

Acid

Substance that releases H+ ions in solution.

Base

Substance that releases OH- ions and can accept H+ ions.

Organic Molecules

Molecules that have a carbon backbone and are essential for life.

Biomolecules

Large organic molecules important in living organisms, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Monomer

Small subunits that link together to form polymers.

Polymers

Large molecules formed by linking many monomers.

ATP

A nucleotide molecule used by cells for energy.

Enzyme

A protein that acts as a catalyst to speed up chemical reactions.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that involves the addition of water to break a bond.

Dehydration Synthesis

A reaction that removes water to link monomers together.