Water, Acids, Bases, and Organic Molecules

Flashcards covering key concepts related to water's properties, acids and bases, pH, buffers, and the diversity of organic functional groups.

Water as a solvent

Water is a versatile solvent due to its polarity, forming aqueous solutions where the solvent is water.

Hydration shell

A sphere of water molecules that surrounds each solute ion in a solution.

Hydrophilic

Substances that have an affinity for water, often polar or ionic.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not have an affinity for water, typically non-polar or non-ionic.

Acids

Substances that increase the concentration of hydrogen ions [H+] in a solution, acting as proton donors.

Bases

Substances that decrease the concentration of hydrogen ions [H+] in a solution, acting as proton acceptors.

pH

A measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution, defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration [H+].

Neutral solution pH

In a neutral aqueous solution, the concentration of hydrogen ions [H+] is 10^-7, resulting in a pH of 7.

Buffers

Substances that minimize changes in the concentrations of hydrogen and hydroxide ions in a solution, consisting of an acid-base pair.

Carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffering system

An example of a buffering system in blood, involving carbonic acid (H2CO3) and bicarbonate (HCO3-).

Hydroxyl group

A functional group (-OH) commonly found in alcohols, such as ethanol.

Carbonyl group

A functional group (C=O) present in ketones and aldehydes.

Carboxyl group

A functional group (-COOH) that characterizes carboxylic acids or organic acids, such as acetic acid.

Amino group

A functional group (-NH2) found in amines, such as glycine.

Sulfhydryl group

A functional group (-SH) found in thiols, such as cysteine.

Phosphate group

A functional group (-OPO3^2-) that characterizes organic phosphates.

Methyl group

A functional group (-CH3) found in methylated compounds.