Chemistry of Life: Study Notes

Flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the Chemistry of Life lecture.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Element

A pure substance made of one type of atom.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element.

Four Most Abundant Elements in the Body

Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen.

Protons

Positive particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutrons

Neutral particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Electrons

Negative particles found in the electron cloud surrounding the nucleus.

Atomic Number

Number of protons in an atom; identifies the element.

Atomic Weight

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom.

Isotopes

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

Unstable/Reactive Atoms

Atoms with incomplete outer shells that can become stable by gaining, losing, or sharing electrons.

Chemical Bonds

Forces that hold atoms together; includes ionic and covalent bonds.

Ionic Bond

A bond where electrons are transferred, forming ions.

Covalent Bond

A bond where electrons are shared between atoms, forming molecules.

Cation

A positively charged ion.

Anion

A negatively charged ion.

Electrolyte

A substance that conducts electricity when dissolved in water.

Organic Compounds

Compounds that contain carbon and hydrogen.

Inorganic Compounds

Compounds that do not contain both carbon and hydrogen.

Properties of Water

Universal solvent, high heat capacity, cohesion, adhesion.

pH Scale

A scale from 0 to 14 that measures acidity (below 7) and alkalinity (above 7).

Dehydration

A process that builds molecules by removing water.

Hydrolysis

A process that breaks down molecules by adding water.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds such as glucose and glycogen.

Lipids

Organic compounds including phospholipids and steroids.

Proteins

Organic compounds made up of amino acids and enzymes.

Nucleic Acids

Organic compounds like DNA and RNA; composed of nucleotides which have sugar, phosphate, and a base.

Metabolism

All chemical reactions that occur within the body.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions and are not consumed in the process.

ATP

The main energy molecule of the cell.