Fundamentals of Microbiology - The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

This set of flashcards includes key vocabulary and definitions from the chapter on 'The Chemical Building Blocks of Life' in Microbiology.

Element

The most basic forms of matter that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical reactions.

Trace Elements

Minerals required by organisms in minute amounts, such as manganese (Mn), iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn).

Atomic Number

The number of protons in an atom, which defines each element.

Mass Number

The total number of protons and neutrons in an atom.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed by losing one or more electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed by gaining one or more electrons.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed between oppositely charged ions, usually resulting from the transfer of electrons.

Covalent Bond

A bond formed when two or more atoms share electrons.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond between a hydrogen atom in one molecule and an electronegative atom in another molecule.

Dehydration Reaction

A chemical reaction where smaller molecules combine to form a larger molecule, often releasing a molecule of water.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A process that breaks down larger molecules into smaller ones by adding water.

pH

A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, defined as pH = -log[H+].

Buffer

A substance that minimizes changes in pH by absorbing excess hydrogen or hydroxide ions.

Universal Solvent

A term often used to describe water, as it can dissolve many substances due to its polarity.

Hydrophilic

Substances that can dissolve in water.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not dissolve in water.

Valence Shell

The outermost electron shell of an atom that determines its chemical properties.

Polar Covalent Bond

A type of covalent bond where electrons are unequally shared between atoms, resulting in partial charges.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A bond in which electrons are shared equally between two atoms, resulting in no charge difference.