Structure of Biological Macromolecules

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and definitions related to the structure of biological macromolecules, chemistry, and electron behavior.

Atom

The basic unit of a chemical element, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Atomic Number (Z)

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which determines the element's identity.

Mass Number (A)

The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.

Valence Electrons

The electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that participate in chemical bonding.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

Ionic Bond

A bond formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in oppositely charged ions.

Lewis Structure

A diagram that represents the bonding between atoms and the lone pairs of electrons in a molecule.

Resonance Structures

Two or more valid Lewis structures that represent the same molecule due to electron delocalization.

VSEPR (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion)

A model used to predict the geometry of individual molecules based on the repulsion between electron pairs.

Molecular Geometry

The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Hydrophobic

Describes substances that do not mix with water; non-polar molecules are generally hydrophobic.

Hydrophilic

Describes substances that mix well with water; typically polar molecules.

Electronegativity

A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Polar Bond

A covalent bond between two atoms where the electrons are not shared equally.

Nonpolar Bond

A covalent bond where electrons are shared equally between the two atoms.

Hybridization

The concept of mixing atomic orbitals to form new hybrid orbitals suitable for the pairing of electrons.