The Chemistry of Life

Flashcards covering key concepts and definitions related to the chemistry of life, including biomolecules and cellular functions.

Proteins

Large biomolecules consisting of one or more long chains of amino acid residues.

Lipids

A group of biological molecules that are hydrophobic and include fats, oils, waxes, phospholipids, and steroids.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds made of sugar molecules that provide energy to the body.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers made of nucleotide monomers; they include DNA and RNA.

Fatty Acids

Building blocks of lipids, they can be saturated or unsaturated.

Saturated Fatty Acid

A type of fatty acid with no double bonds between carbon atoms, solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated Fatty Acid

A type of fatty acid that contains one or more double bonds causing kinks, liquid at room temperature.

Trans Fats

Industrial fats created by hydrogenating unsaturated fats, associated with health risks.

Triglycerides

Compounds formed from glycerol and three fatty acids; they store energy.

Hydrolysis

A chemical process in which water is used to break down compounds.

Phospholipids

Lipids that form the bilayer of cell membranes, composed of fatty acids, glycerol, and a polar group.

Steroids

Lipids characterized by a carbon structure of four fused rings, involved in signaling and structural roles.

Cholesterol

A type of steroid that is a major component of cell membranes and a precursor of steroid hormones.

Aldose

A type of monosaccharide that contains an aldehyde group.

Ketose

A type of monosaccharide that contains a ketone group.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides linked by glycosidic bonds; serve as energy storage and structural components.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide that serves as a form of energy storage in animals.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, composed of β-1,4 linkages.

Chitin

A polysaccharide that forms the exoskeletons of arthropods and fungal cell walls.

Lactose Intolerance

The inability to digest lactose, leading to gastrointestinal symptoms.

Nucleotide

Building blocks of nucleic acids, consisting of a nitrogenous base, a five-carbon sugar, and a phosphate group.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid, a nucleic acid involved in protein synthesis and carrying genetic information.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, the hereditary material in humans and most organisms.

Antiparallel

Referring to the orientation of the two strands of DNA, which run in opposite directions.

Base Pairing

The specific hydrogen bonding between nitrogenous bases in the DNA or RNA strands.

Phosphodiester Bond

The bond formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the hydroxyl group of another.

Eukaryotic Cells

Cells that contain a nucleus and membrane-bound organelles.

Prokaryotic Cells

Simple cells without a nucleus or membrane-bound organelles.

Cytoplasm

The gel-like substance inside cells that holds organelles.

Compartmentalization

The organization of cellular functions into specialized regions.

Phospholipid Bilayer

A double layer of phospholipids that forms the cell membrane, with hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.

Surface Area-to-Volume Ratio

A measure that describes how efficiently materials can move in and out of a cell, affecting cell size and metabolic rates.

Ribosomes

Cellular structures that synthesize proteins from amino acids.