Biology 150 Test 1 Vocabulary Review

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, chemical bonding, water properties, and biomolecules from Chapters 1 through 3.

Metabolism

The set of chemical processes in an organism involving the breakdown and building of molecules to perform work and utilize energy.

Homeostasis

The process of maintaining stable internal conditions and regulation within an organism.

Evolution

The process by which organisms adapt to their changing environments over time, developing adaptations that allow for survival.

Hypothesis

A possible, reasonable, and testable explanation for an observation.

Independent Variable

The single variable that is manipulated in an experiment.

Dependent Variable

The variable that is measured in an experiment to evaluate the effect of the independent variable.

Valence Shell

The outer electron shell of an atom, containing electrons that can be shared, released, or obtained.

Octet Rule

The rule stating that atoms with more than one electron shell want $8$ valence electrons.

Cation

A positively charged ion.

Anion

A negatively charged ion.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed by the attraction of oppositely charged ions through the transfer of electrons.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of $2$ or more electrons between atoms.

Electronegativity

An atom's affinity for electrons, which determines the location of electrons in a covalent bond.

Polar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond involving the unequal sharing of electrons, leading to partial charges on the atoms.

Non-polar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond involving the equal sharing of electrons between atoms.

High Heat Capacity

The amount of heat absorbed or lost by $1\,g$ of a substance to change its temperature by $1^\circ\text{C}$.

High Heat of Vaporization

The amount of energy required to change $1\,g$ of a substance from a liquid to a gas.

Cohesion

The property of water where water molecules are attracted to each other.

Adhesion

The property of water where water molecules are attracted to other polar molecules.

Monomer

A small subunit and smaller molecule that serves as a building block for biomolecules.

Polymer

A chain of monomers built by dehydration reactions and broken down by hydrolysis.

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction that builds polymers by removing water, producing a water molecule in the process.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks down polymers into monomers by adding and using up water.

Monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule and the monomer of carbohydrates, soluble in water and used for energy.

Disaccharide

A molecule formed by two linked sugars, such as sucrose or lactose.

Polysaccharide

Long chains of sugar monomers used for energy storage and structural support.

Saturated Fatty Acid

A straight lipid molecule called a fat that is solid at room temperature and typically comes from animals.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid

A bent lipid molecule called an oil that is liquid at room temperature and usually comes from plants.

Triglyceride

A lipid composed of glycerol and $3$ fatty acids, used for long-term energy storage.

Phospholipid

A lipid composed of a hydrophilic head and a hydrophobic tail that forms the bilayer of cell membranes.

Cholesterol

A type of sterol lipid important in cell membranes and used to synthesize steroid hormones like estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, and estradiol.

Amino Acid

The monomer of proteins, consisting of a central carbon atom attached to an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a unique R group side chain.

Fatty Acid Monomer Structure

A lipid monomer consisting of a carboxyl group attached to a long hydrocarbon chain.

Amino Acid Structure

The structural model of an amino acid showing the nitrogenous amino group, central carbon with an R group, and carboxyl group.

Monosaccharide Structure

A single ring sugar molecule composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms in a $1:2:1$ ratio.

Nucleotide Structure

The monomer of nucleic acids composed of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

DNA

A double-stranded helical nucleic acid containing adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine, which acts as the genetic blueprint.

RNA

A single-stranded non-helical nucleic acid containing adenine, cytosine, guanine, and uracil, representing active gene expression.

Carbohydrate & Lipid

Biomolecules that are important for energy storage.

Protein (Shape)

The biomolecule whose specific shape determines its function.

Carbohydrate (Composition)

The biomolecule composed of C, H, and O in a $1:2:1$ ratio.

Nucleic Acid (Examples)

The biomolecule group that includes DNA and RNA.

Lipid (Solubility)

The biomolecule that is insoluble in water (hydrophobic).

Protein, Carbohydrate, Nucleic Acid, & Lipid

The biomolecules that all contain carbon atoms.

Protein (Diversity)

The most diverse type of biomolecule.

Protein (Denaturation)

The biomolecule that can denature and lose its shape.

Nucleic Acid (Function)

The biomolecule responsible for storing genetic information.

Carbohydrate (Common Name)

The biomolecule that is also called sugar.