AP BIO: 1.2 Elements of Life

AP Biology Unit 1

Adrenaline

Adrenaline is a hormone produced by adrenal glands during high-stress or physically exhilarating situations, triggering the body's 'fight or flight' response.

Aldehyde

Aldehydes are organic compounds that have a carbonyl group located at the end of the carbon skeleton. They are represented by the structural formula R-CHO.

Amines

Amines are organic compounds and a type of functional group that contain nitrogen atoms with a lone pair. They play a significant role in the formation of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins.

Amino Acids

Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins. They are the building blocks of life and are vital for a number of functions in the body.

Amino Group

An amino group is a functional group that consists of a nitrogen atom attached by single bonds to hydrogen atoms, alkyl groups, aryl groups, or a combination of these three.

Atomic Mass Number

The atomic mass number of an atom is the total number of protons and neutrons in its nucleus.

Atomic Number

The atomic number of an element is the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It defines the chemical properties of the element and its place in the periodic table.

Atoms

Atoms are the smallest unit of an element that maintains the properties of that element. They're composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Calcium (Ca)

Calcium is a chemical element that is essential for living organisms, including humans. It's the most abundant mineral in the body and plays a crucial role in various bodily functions such as bone formation, blood clotting, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission.

Carbon (C)

Carbon is a chemical element with the symbol C and atomic number 6. It is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds.

Carbon-14

Carbon-14 is a radioactive isotope of carbon with an atomic nucleus containing 6 protons and 8 neutrons. It's presence in organic materials is the basis of the radiocarbon dating method to date archaeological, geological, and hydrogeological samples.

Carbonyl Group

A carbonyl group is characterized by a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom (C=O). It's found in many types of organic compounds including aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, and esters.

Carboxyl Group

A carboxyl group is a functional group consisting of a carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and single-bonded to another oxygen which is in turn bonded to a hydrogen atom (-COOH).

Chlorine (Cl)

Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. It's an essential mineral for humans and is used in the process of making proteins and DNA.

Compounds

A compound is a substance formed when two or more chemical elements are chemically bonded together.

DNA and RNA

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) and RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) are nucleic acids that carry genetic information in cells. DNA provides instructions for growth, development, functioning, and reproduction while RNA translates those instructions into proteins.

Electron Shells

Electron shells are energy levels where electrons reside around an atom's nucleus. Each shell can hold a certain number of electrons.

Electrons

Electrons are subatomic particles with a negative electric charge. They orbit around the nucleus of an atom.

Energy Level

In quantum mechanics, an energy level is a quantized state of an atom or molecule where it can exist. It represents the potential energy of the particle and determines how likely it is to transition between different states.

Enzymes

Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms without being consumed in the process.

Functional Groups

Functional groups are specific groupings of atoms within molecules that have their own characteristic properties, regardless of the other atoms present in a molecule. They determine how organic molecules participate in chemical reactions.

Hydrogen (H)

Hydrogen is a chemical element with the symbol H and atomic number 1. With a standard atomic weight of 1.008, hydrogen is the lightest element in the periodic table.

Hydroxyl Group

A hydroxyl group is a functional group consisting of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to one hydrogen atom (-OH). It makes a molecule polar and increases its ability to form hydrogen bonds.

Insulin

Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. It allows cells to take in glucose from the bloodstream and use it as energy.

Isotopes

Isotopes are versions of a chemical element that have different numbers of neutrons but same number of protons.

Ketone

A ketone is an organic compound characterized by the presence of a carbonyl group in which the carbon atom is covalently bonded to an oxygen atom and two other carbon atoms.

Macromolecules

Large complex molecules that make up living organisms; they include carbohydrates, proteins, lipids (fats), and nucleic acids.

Magnesium (Mg)

Magnesium is a chemical element with the symbol Mg and atomic number 12. It's a shiny gray solid which bears a close physical resemblance to the other five elements in the second column (group 2, or alkaline earth metals) of the periodic table.

Matter

Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. It's what everything in the universe is made of, including living organisms.

Methane(CH4)

Methane is a colorless, odorless gas consisting of one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms. It's the main component of natural gas and is also produced by organic decay processes.

Neutrons

Neutrons are subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom. They have no electric charge and a mass slightly larger than that of a proton.

Nitrogen (N)

Nitrogen is a chemical element with the symbol N and atomic number 7. It was first discovered and isolated by Scottish physician Daniel Rutherford in 1772.

Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is a series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms, including nitrogen fixation and decomposition.

Nitrogen Fixation

Nitrogen fixation is a process where N2 (atmospheric nitrogen) is converted into NH3 (ammonia). This process makes atmospheric nitrogen accessible to living organisms.

Nucleic Acids

Nucleic acids are large biomolecules essential for all known forms of life. They include DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid), which carry genetic information.

Octet Rule

The octet rule is a chemical rule of thumb that states that atoms tend to combine in such a way that they each have eight electrons in their valence shells, giving them the same electronic configuration as a noble gas.

Organic Molecules - Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, Nucleic Acids

Carbohydrates provide quick fuel for cells. Lipids store long-term energy and insulate bodies. Proteins perform most cell functions including catalyzing reactions. Nucleic Acids store genetic information.

Oxygen (O)

Oxygen is a chemical element with symbol O and atomic number 8. It's essential for life on Earth because it's part of water molecules and used by cells for respiration process.

Phosphate Group

A phosphate group is a molecule in the chemical form PO4 that is part of many important biological structures such as DNA, RNA, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and phospholipids.

Phospholipids

These are a type of lipid molecule that is the main component of the cell membrane. They're made up of two fatty acid chains and a phosphate group attached to a glycerol backbone.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a chemical element that plays a crucial role in the structure and function of living organisms. It's an essential component of DNA, RNA, ATP (adenosine triphosphate), and phospholipids.

Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus is a chemical element that plays an important role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats. It is also needed for building strong bones along with calcium.

Potassium (K)

Potassium is a chemical element that is crucial for the proper functioning of cells, tissues, and organs in the body. It helps maintain fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contractions.

Protons

Protons are positively charged particles found within atomic nuclei.

Radioactive Isotopes

Radioactive isotopes, also known as radioisotopes, are unstable forms of elements that decay over time, releasing radiation in the process.

Radiocarbon

Radiocarbon, or carbon-14, is a radioactive isotope of carbon that has six protons and eight neutrons in its nucleus. It occurs naturally in small amounts in the atmosphere and gets absorbed by living organisms.

Sodium (Na)

Sodium is a chemical element with the symbol Na (from Latin "natrium") and atomic number 11. It's vital for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction.

Sulfhydryl Group

A sulfhydryl group (-SH) is a functional group consisting of a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. It can be found in some amino acids and proteins.

Sulfur (S)

Sulfur is a chemical element with the symbol S and atomic number 16. It's an essential element for all life, being a component of certain amino acids and vitamins.

Tetra-valence

Tetra-valence refers to the ability of certain atoms, like carbon, to form four bonds with other atoms.