Molecules of Life and Biological Macromolecules

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering organic and inorganic compounds, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids based on biology lecture notes.

Organic Compounds

Biological compounds containing carbon, which include proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.

Inorganic Compounds

Chemical compounds found in living organisms that do not contain carbon-hydrogen frameworks, such as salts, water ($H_2O$), and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$).

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules composed of Carbon, Hydrogen, and Oxygen ($C, H, O$) with simple sugars as monomers, serving as an easily used energy source.

Monosaccharides

Simple sugar monomers of carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose, ribose, and deoxyribose.

Disaccharides

Double sugars formed by joining two monosaccharides together, including lactose, sucrose, and maltose.

Polysaccharides

Complex carbohydrates made of many monosaccharide units joined together, including starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical reaction process that builds larger molecules from smaller ones by removing a water molecule ($H_2O$).

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction process that breaks down large molecules into smaller ones by adding a water molecule ($H_2O$).

Triglycerides

Neutral fats formed from one glycerol molecule combined with three fatty acid chains.

Phospholipids

Lipid molecules containing a polar phosphate head and non-polar fatty acid tails that make up most of the cell membrane.

Steroids

Lipid molecules characterized by a backbone of four carbon rings, including cholesterol and sex hormones like estrogen.

Saturated Fats

Fats with fatty acid chains containing only single bonds, which remain solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fats

Fats with fatty acid chains containing one or more double bonds, which remain liquid at room temperature.

Hydrophilic

"Water loving"; describes polar structures, such as the phosphate group head of a phospholipid, that are attracted to water.

Hydrophobic

"Water fearing"; describes non-polar structures, such as the fatty acid tails of a phospholipid, that repel water.

Amino Acids

The monomer building blocks of proteins, consisting of 20 types in the body, each containing an amine group, an acid group, and a variable R group.

Peptide Bond

The specific covalent bond that links amino acids together via dehydration synthesis to form proteins.

Denaturation

The process by which a protein loses its specific 3D shape and function due to external factors like heat, pH changes, or chemicals.

Active Sites

The specific region on an enzyme where a substrate molecule binds during a chemical reaction.

Essential Amino Acids

The 9 amino acids that the body cannot synthesize on its own and must obtain through the diet.

Antibodies

Specialized proteins that recognize foreign pathogens for destruction by the immune system.

Insulin

A protein chemical messenger that influences metabolism in the body.

Hemoglobin

An iron-containing protein responsible for the transport of oxygen in the body.

Actin and Myosin

Proteins responsible for muscle contraction.

Keratin

A structural protein that provides support to hair and nails.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as biological catalysts to speed up chemical reactions.

Nucleotides

The monomer building blocks of nucleic acids, composed of a phosphate group, a sugar, and a nitrogen base.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; a double-stranded nucleic acid containing deoxyribose sugar and thymine base, located in the cell nucleus, which directs protein synthesis and cell activities.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; a single-stranded nucleic acid containing ribose sugar and uracil base, located primarily in the cytoplasm.

Organic Molecules Summary Table

A review table detailing the elements, monomers, examples, and primary functions of carbohydrates, nucleic acids, proteins, and lipids.

Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis Reaction Diagrams

Diagrams illustrating dehydration synthesis (glucose + fructose -> sucrose + $H_2O$) and hydrolysis (maltose + $H_2O$ -> glucose + glucose).

Phospholipid Structure Diagram

A diagram depicting a phospholipid molecule showing its polar, hydrophilic phosphate head and non-polar, hydrophobic fatty acid tails.

Amino Acid Structure Diagram

A diagram showing the general chemical structure of an amino acid, including an amine group ($H_2N$), an acid group ($COOH$), a central carbon ($C$), and a variable R group.

Nucleotide Structure and Nucleic Acid Venn Diagram

Diagrams presenting the three structural components of a nucleotide alongside a Venn diagram comparing DNA and RNA characteristics.