Unit 1 bio review

Characteristics of Life

The set of fundamental traits shared by all living organisms, including cellular organization, metabolism, homeostasis, growth, reproduction, response to stimuli, and evolutionary adaptation.

Homeostasis

The process by which living organisms maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions occurring within a living organism to maintain life and produce energy.

Cohesion

The attraction between molecules of the same substance, causing water molecules to stick to one another via hydrogen bonding.

Adhesion

The attraction between molecules of different substances, allowing water to cling to other polar surface materials.

High Specific Heat Capacity

The property of water requiring a relatively large amount of heat energy to raise its temperature, which buffers ecosystems against rapid temperature fluctuations.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules composed of monosaccharide monomers that serve as primary sources of short-term energy and structural support.

Lipids

Nonpolar biomolecules made of fatty acids and glycerol that function in long-term energy storage, insulation, and cell membrane structure.

Proteins

Biomolecules composed of amino acid chains linked by peptide bonds that perform catalysis, structural support, transport, and cellular regulation.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules composed of nucleotide monomers (DNA and RNA) that store and transmit genetic information.

Enzyme

A biological catalyst, usually a protein, that speeds up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy.

Active Site

The specific physical region on an enzyme where substrate molecules bind to undergo a chemical reaction.

Denaturation

The loss of a protein or enzyme's functional three-dimensional shape caused by extreme changes in temperature or pH.

Activation Energy

The minimum threshold of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.