Basic Chemistry for Veterinary Technology

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering atomic structure, chemical bonding, reactions, fluids and electrolytes, tonicity, pH balance, and biomolecules from basic veterinary technology chemistry.

Atom

A tiny building block of matter composed of subatomic particles, where protons and neutrons form the central nucleus and electrons remain outside the nucleus.

Nucleus

The central core of an atom formed by protons and neutrons.

Element

A pure substance made of only one kind of atom, such as carbon ($C$), hydrogen ($H$), oxygen ($O$), and nitrogen ($N$).

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses one or more electrons, such as $Na^+$, $K^+$, or $Ca^{2+}$.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains one or more electrons, such as $Cl^-$ or bicarbonate ($HCO_3^-$).

Molecule

A chemical particle composed of a group of two or more atoms bonded together.

Covalent bond

A type of chemical bond formed when atoms share pairs of electrons.

Ionic bond

A chemical bond resulting from the electrostatic attraction between positively and negatively charged ions.

Hydrogen bond

A weak intermolecular attraction that helps polar molecules, such as water molecules, attract each other.

Reactants

The starting materials that enter into and undergo change during a chemical reaction.

Products

The resulting substances made or formed by a chemical reaction.

Synthesis reaction

A chemical process that combines smaller units together to build larger, more complex molecules.

Decomposition reaction

A chemical process that breaks larger molecules down into smaller constituent parts.

Metabolism

The entire set of chemical reactions occurring within an organism, encompassing both building and breaking processes.

Dehydration synthesis

A reaction that joins smaller units into larger molecules while releasing a molecule of water.

Hydrolysis

A reaction that breaks down joined units into smaller units through the addition of water.

Intracellular fluid (ICF)

The body fluid compartment located entirely within the interior of cells.

Extracellular fluid (ECF)

All body fluid located outside of cells, subdivided into interstitial fluid and intravascular plasma.

Interstitial fluid

The extracellular fluid occupying the microscopic spaces between tissue cells.

Intravascular plasma

The liquid extracellular fluid portion of blood contained within blood vessels.

Solvent

The liquid medium in a solution that dissolves another substance (such as water).

Solute

The substance that dissolves in a solvent to form a homogeneous solution (such as salt).

True solution

A homogeneous mixture containing dispersed individual molecules or ions that remain dissolved indefinitely when left standing.

Colloid

A mixture containing larger molecules, clusters, or droplets (such as milk) that generally remain dispersed without settling out.

Coarse suspension

A heterogeneous mixture containing larger particles (such as muddy water) that can settle out over time when left standing.

Crystalloid

A solution containing small dissolved ions or molecules, such as sodium and chloride ions in saline, capable of easily passing through membranes.

Colloid fluid

An intravenous or clinical fluid containing larger dispersed macromolecules, such as albumin dispersed in water.

Electrolyte

A mineral substance that dissociates into charged ions in water, helping to regulate fluid balance and support muscle, nerve, and cardiac function.

Osmosis

The net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of lower nonpenetrating solute concentration toward an area of higher nonpenetrating solute concentration.

Tonicity

The ability of an extracellular solution to alter cell volume, depending strictly on the concentration of solutes that do not readily penetrate the cell membrane.

Isotonic solution

A solution with an effective solute concentration similar to the intracellular fluid, causing no net movement of water and maintaining cell size.

Hypotonic solution

A solution with a lower effective solute concentration than the intracellular fluid, resulting in net water entry into the cell and cell swelling.

Hypertonic solution

A solution with a higher effective solute concentration than the intracellular fluid, driving net water movement out of the cell and causing the cell to shrink.

Acid

A chemical compound that donates hydrogen ions ($H^+$) in solution, resulting in a lower $pH$.

Base

A chemical compound that accepts hydrogen ions ($H^+$) in solution, resulting in a higher $pH$.

Buffer

A substance or chemical system that resists and reduces sudden shifts in $pH$ to help stabilize normal biological function.

Organic compound

A chemical compound usually structured around carbon frameworks, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Inorganic compound

A chemical compound that lacks carbon frameworks, including water, mineral salts, ions, and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$).

Monosaccharide

A simple sugar consisting of a single sugar unit, such as glucose or fructose.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate composed of two joined monosaccharide units, such as sucrose or lactose.

Polysaccharide

A complex carbohydrate composed of many joined sugar units, such as glycogen, starch, or cellulose.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide that serves as the primary glucose storage molecule in animals, stored chiefly in the liver and skeletal muscle.

Triglyceride

A lipid composed of one glycerol molecule bound to three fatty acids that provides energy storage (about $9\,kcal/g$), padding, and insulation.

Phospholipid

A structural lipid composed of a phosphate-containing hydrophilic head and hydrophobic fatty acid tails, serving as the principal component of cell membranes.

Steroid

A class of lipids distinguished by a core framework of four interconnected carbon rings, including cholesterol and steroid hormones.

Saturated fatty acid

A fatty acid chain with single carbon-carbon bonds only, allowing tight packing that usually makes fat mixtures solid at room temperature.

Unsaturated fatty acid

A fatty acid chain containing at least one carbon-carbon double bond, often rendering fat mixtures liquid at room temperature.

Primary structure

The linear sequence of amino acids linked together in a polypeptide chain.

Secondary structure

The local folding and coiling patterns along a polypeptide backbone, such as helices and pleated sheets.

Tertiary structure

The complete, overall three-dimensional folding conformation of a single polypeptide chain.

Quaternary structure

The structural assembly formed when two or more distinct polypeptide chains come together to form a functional protein complex.

Enzyme

A specialized protein that acts as a catalyst to accelerate specific biochemical reactions without being consumed in the process.

Nucleotide

The monomer building block of nucleic acids, consisting of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

The primary energy-transfer molecule in living cells that releases usable energy through hydrolysis ($ATP + water \rightarrow ADP + phosphate$).