AP Bio Vocab All Terms

trans fat

unsaturated fatty acid chain in which the configuration of the carbon-carbon double bonds is such that the hydrogen atoms are across from each other, as opposed to being on the same side

glycerol

three-carbon carbohydrate with three hydroxyl groups attached; a component of fats and oils

phospholipids

molecule that forms the bilayer of the cells membranes; has a polar, hydrophilic head bonded to two non polar, hydrophobic tails

steroids

type of lipid molecule having a complex of four carbon ringsw

waxes

sticky, solid, water-repellent lipid consisting of many long-chain fatty acids usually linked to long-chain alcohols

proteins

polymer of amino acids; often consisting of one or more polypeptides and having a complex three-dimensional shape

amino acids

organic molecule composed of an amino group and an acid groups; covalently bonds to produce peptide molecules

peptide bond

type of covalent bond that joins two amino acids

denaturation

loss of proteins or an enzyme’s normal shape, so it no longer functions

prions

infectious particle consisting of protein only and no nucleic acid

nucleic acids

polymer of nucleotides

coenzymes

nonprotein organic molecule that aids the action of the enzyme to which it is loosely bound

ATP

nucleotide with three phosphate groups

nucleotide

monomer of DNA and RNA consisting of a 5-carbon sugar bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group

complementary base pairing

hyr=drogen bonding between particular purines and pyrimidines; responsible for the structure of DNA and some RNA molecules

ADP

nucleotide with two phosphate groups that can accept another phosphate group and become ATP

organic chemistry

branch of science that deals with organic molecules, including those that are unique to living organisms

inorganic chemistry

branch of science that studies the chemical reactions and properties of all of the elements except hydrogen and carbon

biomolecules

organic molecule such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and fats

functional groups

specific cluster of atoms attached to the carbon skeleton of organic molecules that enters into reactions and behaves in a predictable way

isomers

molecules with the same molecules formula but a different structure, and therefore a different shape

polymer

macromolecule consisting of covalently bonded molecules

monomers

small molecule that is a subunit of a polymer

dehyrdation reaction

chemical reactions in which a water molecule is released during the formation of a covalent bond

hydrolysis reaction

splitting of a chemical bond by the addition of water, with the H+ going to one molecule and the OH- going to the other

monosaccharide

simple sugar; a carbohydrate that cannot be broken down by hydrolysis

glucose

six-carbon monosaccharide; used as an energy source during cellular respiration and as a monomer of the structural polysaccharides

ribose

pentose sugar found in RNA

deoxyribose

pentose sugar found in DNAdisaccharide

disaccharide

sugar that contains two monosaccharide units

starch

storage polysaccharide found implants that is composed of glucose molecules joined in a linear fashion with few side chains

cellulose

polysaccharide that is the major complex carbohydrate in plant cell walls

glycogen

storage polysaccharide found in animals; composed of glucose molecules joined in a linear fashion but having numerous brands

chitin

strong but flexible nitrogenous polysaccharide found in the exoskeleton of arthropods and in the cell walls of fungi

peptidoglycan

polysaccharide that contains short chains of amino acids; found in bacterial cell walls

lipids

class of organic compounds that tend to be soluble in nonpolar solvents; includes fats and oils

fats

organic molecules that contains glycerol and three fatty acids; energy storage molecule

oils

triglyceride, usually of plant origin, that is composed of glycerol and three fatty acids and is liquid in consistency due to many unsaturated bonds in the hydrocarbon chains of the fatty acids

triglycerides

neutral fat composed of glycerol and three fatty acids; typically involved in energy storage

fatty acid

molecule that contains a hydrocarbon chain and ends with an acid group

saturated fatty acid

fatty acid molecule that lacks double bonds between the carbons and its hydrocarbon chain. The chain bears the maximum number of hydrogens possible.

unsaturated fatty acid

fatty acid molecule that contains double bonds between some carbons of its hydrocarbon chain; contains fewer hydrogens than a saturated hydrocarbon chain

cell

the smallest unit of life that displays all the properties of life

cell theory

one of the major theories of biology, which states that all organisms are made up of cells, cells are capable of self-reproduction, and come only from preexisting cells

prokaryotic cells

cells that generally lack a membrane-bound nucleus and organelles

eukaryotic cells

type of cell that has a membrane-bound nucleus and membranous organelles

ribosomes

site of protein synthesis in a cell

cyanobacteria

photosynthetic bacterium that contains chlorophyll and releases oxygen

spirilla

long, rod-shaped bacterium that is twisted into a rigid spiral

bacillus

a rod-shaped bacterium

coccus

a spherical-shaped bacterium

cytoplasm

region of a cell between the nucleus, or the nucleoid region of a bacterium, and the plasma membrane

nucleoid

monomer of DNA and RNA consisting of a 5-carbon sugar bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group

plasmids

extra chromosomal ring of accessory DNA in the cytoplasm of prokaryotes

cell envelope

in a prokaryotic cell, the portion composed of the plasma membrane, the cell wall, and the glycocalyx

plasma membrane

membrane surrounding the cytoplasm that consists of a phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins; regulates entrance and exit of molecules from cell