Bio 100: Introduction to Chemistry, Atoms, and Bonds

A set of vocabulary flashcards reviewing foundational concepts in chemistry and biology including matter, atomic structure, subatomic particles, isotopes, and types of chemical bonds.

Matter

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

Mass

A measure of the amount of material in an object.

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical reactions.

Naturally Occurring Elements

The $92$ elements that occur naturally.

Essential Elements

The $25$ naturally occurring elements required by humans.

Four Major Body Elements

Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen, which make up 96\text{\null}\% of human body weight.

Trace Elements

Elements required by an organism only in very small amounts, such as copper or iron.

Molecule

A group of atoms bonded together.

Compound

A molecule composed of two or more different elements.

Atom

The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle with a mass of $1$ located in the atomic nucleus.

Neutron

A subatomic particle with no charge (neutral) and a mass of $1$ located in the atomic nucleus.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle with no mass located floating surrounding the nucleus that participates in chemical reactions.

Atomic Number

The unique number of protons found in all atoms of a particular element.

Atomic Mass

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons for an element.

Isotopes

Variants of a particular element that have the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Chemical Reaction

A process in which one or more substances result in either sharing or transferring electrons.

Energy Shells

Orbitals surrounding the atomic nucleus at various distances that contain electrons.

Valence Shell

The outer shell or orbital furthest from the nucleus that is important for bonding.

Ion

An atom or molecule that is electrically charged as a result of either gaining or losing electrons.

Anion

An ion with a net negative charge formed when an atom gains electrons.

Cation

An ion with a positive charge formed when an atom loses electrons.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed between oppositely charged ions through the transfer of electrons.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.