BIO-111 Ch. 2 Critical Thinking Questions

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from questions 14–19 in OpenStax Biology 2e Chapter 2.

Ionic bonds

Bonds formed by the transfer of electrons, creating oppositely charged ions held together by electrostatic attraction; typically between metals and nonmetals.

Covalent bonds

Bonds formed by sharing electron pairs between atoms, which can be nonpolar or polar depending on electronegativity differences.

Hydrogen bonds

Weak bonds between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to a highly electronegative atom (such as O, N, or F) and another electronegative atom in a nearby molecule; crucial for the structure of water and biomolecules.

Van der Waals interactions

Weak, noncovalent forces arising from transient dipoles in molecules (including London dispersion forces) that influence molecular interactions and macromolecule structure.

Buffers

Solutions that resist changes in pH by neutralizing added acids or bases, typically comprising a weak acid and its conjugate base.

Surface tension

The cohesive tendency at a liquid surface that makes it behave as if its surface were covered with a stretched film; enables organisms to rest on or move across water.

Carbon's tetravalence

The property of carbon to form four covalent bonds with other atoms, enabling the vast diversity of organic molecules.

Saturated triglycerides

Triglycerides in which fatty acid chains contain no double bonds (are saturated with hydrogen); typically solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated triglycerides

Triglycerides in which one or more fatty acid chains contain one or more double bonds (often cis), causing kinks and typically being liquid at room temperature.