Biochemistry

Flashcards covering key concepts in biochemistry including definitions of compounds, structural components, and functions.

Biochemistry

The study of the chemical composition and reactions of living matter.

Inorganic Compounds

Compounds that do not contain carbon, such as water, salts, and many acids and bases.

Organic Compounds

Compounds that contain carbon, which include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Water

The most abundant inorganic compound; accounts for 60%-80% of cell volume.

High Heat Capacity

The ability of water to absorb and release heat with little temperature change.

Polar Solvent

Water's ability to dissolve and dissociate ionic substances.

Acids

Substances that donate protons (H+) in solution.

Bases

Substances that accept protons (H+) in solution.

pH Scale

A measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in a solution.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules, such as glucose and ribose.

Disaccharides

Sugars formed from two monosaccharides, like sucrose.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides, such as starch and glycogen.

Lipids

Fats that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen but less than carbohydrates.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with single covalent bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.

Proteins

Complex molecules made from amino acids that perform a wide range of functions.

Enzymes

Globular proteins that act as biological catalysts.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers of nucleotides, including DNA and RNA.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; an organic molecule that stores and releases energy.

Biochemistry

The study of the chemical composition and reactions of living matter.

Inorganic Compounds

Compounds that do not contain carbon, such as water, salts, and many acids and bases.

Organic Compounds

Compounds that contain carbon, which include carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Water

The most abundant inorganic compound; accounts for 60\%-80\% of cell volume.

High Heat Capacity

The ability of water to absorb and release heat with little temperature change.

Polar Solvent

Water's ability to dissolve and dissociate ionic substances.

Acids

Substances that donate protons (H^+) in solution.

Bases

Substances that accept protons (H^+) in solution.

pH Scale

A measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions (H^+) in a solution.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules, such as glucose and ribose.

Disaccharides

Sugars formed from two monosaccharides, like sucrose.

Polysaccharides

Long chains of monosaccharides, such as starch and glycogen.

Lipids

Fats that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen but less than carbohydrates.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with single covalent bonds between carbon atoms.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.

Proteins

Complex molecules made from amino acids that perform a wide range of functions.

Enzymes

Globular proteins that act as biological catalysts.

Nucleic Acids

Polymers of nucleotides, including DNA and RNA.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; an organic molecule that stores and releases energy.

Salts

Ionic compounds that dissociate into ions in water and function as electrolytes.

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical process used to join monomers into polymers by the removal of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks bonds between monomers by adding a water molecule.

Phospholipids

Modified triglycerides containing two fatty acid chains and a phosphate group, crucial for cell membrane structure.

Amino Acids

The monomeric building blocks of proteins, containing an amine group (-NH_2), an acid group (-COOH), and a variable R group.

Primary Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain.

Activation Energy

The minimum energy requirement necessary to trigger a chemical reaction.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; a double-stranded helix containing genetic information with bases A, G, C, and T.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; typically single-stranded, used in protein synthesis with bases A, G, C, and U.