Anatomy & Physiology: Chemical Basis of Life Vocabulary Flashcards

A complete list of vocabulary flashcards defining key chemical, molecular, and biological terms from Chapter 2.

Atom

The smallest particle exhibiting chemical properties of an element.

Cations

Positively charged ions produced from the loss of one or more electrons.

Anions

Negatively charged ions produced from the gain of one or more electrons.

Chemical Compounds

Stable associations between two or more elements combined in a fixed ratio.

Ionic Compounds

Structures composed of ions held together in a lattice structure by ionic bonds.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds between cations and anions held together by electrostatic forces.

Molecular Compounds

Covalently bonded molecules where electrons are shared between atoms of two or more different elements.

Molecular Formula

A chemical representation that indicates the exact number and type of atoms in a molecule.

Structural Formula

A chemical representation that indicates the number, type, and spatial arrangement of atoms within a molecule.

Isomers

Molecules that possess the same number and type of elements, but are arranged differently in space.

Electronegativity

The relative attraction of each atom for electrons.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond formed when two atoms have equal attraction for electrons, resulting in equal sharing.

Polar Covalent Bond

A covalent bond formed when atoms share electrons unequally due to differing electronegativity.

Amphipathic Molecules

Large molecules that contain both polar and nonpolar regions.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak attraction between a partially positive hydrogen atom and a partially negative atom in polar molecules.

Organic Molecules

Molecules containing carbon that are or were part of a living organism.

Inorganic Molecules

Molecules that lack carbon, including water, salts, acids, and bases.

Cohesion

The attraction between water molecules caused by hydrogen bonding.

Surface Tension

The inward pulling of cohesive forces at the surface of water.

Adhesion

The attraction between water molecules and a substance other than water.

Specific Heat

The amount of energy required to increase the temperature of $1\,\text{gram}$ of a substance by $1\,^\circ\text{C}$.

Heat of Vaporization

The heat required for $1\,\text{gram}$ of a substance to release molecules from a liquid phase into a gaseous phase.

Hydrophilic

Water-loving property of polar molecules and ions that allows them to dissolve in water.

Hydrophobic

Water-fearing property of nonpolar molecules that prevents them from dissolving in water.

Hydrophobic Exclusion

The process where cohesive water molecules force out nonpolar molecules.

Acid

A proton donor that dissociates in water to produce $H^+$ and an anion, increasing free $H^+$ concentration.

Base

A proton acceptor that accepts $H^+$ when added to a solution, decreasing free $H^+$ concentration.

pH

A measure of relative $H^+$ concentration in a solution, ranging between $0$ and $14$.

Buffers

Substances that help prevent pH changes when excess acid or base is added by accepting or donating $H^+$.

Biological Macromolecules

Large organic molecules synthesized by the body that always contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

Polymers

Molecules made up of repeating subunits called monomers.

Dehydration Synthesis

A condensation reaction during biomolecule synthesis where one subunit loses an $-\text{H}$ and another loses an $-\text{OH}$, forming a covalent bond and producing water.

Hydrolysis

A chemical breakdown reaction where water is used, adding an $-\text{H}$ to one subunit and an $-\text{OH}$ to another.

Lipids

A diverse group of fatty, water-insoluble biological molecules functioning in energy storage, membrane structure, and hormone synthesis.

Lipogenesis

The formation of triglycerides from glycerol and fatty acids when excess nutrients exist.

Lipolysis

The breakdown of stored triglycerides when nutrients are needed.

Glycogenesis

The process of binding excess glucose monomers together to form glycogen.

Glycogenolysis

The process where the liver hydrolyzes glycogen into glucose monomers as needed.

Gluconeogenesis

The process where the liver forms glucose from non-carbohydrate sources.

Primary Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids linked covalently by peptide bonds in a protein.

Conformation

The three-dimensional shape of a protein that is crucial for its proper biological function.

Denaturation

A conformational change to a protein that disturbs its biological activity, usually caused by heat or pH changes.