AP Biology Exam Review: Unit 1 - Chemistry of Life

AP Biology Exam Review Flashcards on Chemistry of Life, covering topics such as the properties of water, biological molecules (nucleic acids, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates), enzymes, and experimental design.

Why do organisms exchange matter with the environment?

Molecules and atoms from the environment used to build new molecules.

Which elements move from the environment to organisms to build essential molecules?

Carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

What properties of water are crucial for living systems?

Cohesion, adhesion, high specific heat capacity, universal solvent properties, and high heat of vaporization.

What are the structural components of a nucleotide?

A five-carbon sugar (deoxyribose or ribose), a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base (A, T, G, C, or U).

What are the structural differences between DNA and RNA?

DNA is double-stranded with deoxyribose and bases A, G, C, T; RNA is single-stranded with ribose and bases A, G, C, U.

What are the different types of RNA and their functions?

mRNA (copies genetic message), rRNA (attaches mRNA and makes up ribosomes), tRNA (carries amino acids).

What is the primary structure of a protein?

The specific order of amino acids.

What are the components of the secondary protein structure?

Beta pleated sheets or alpha helices, formed by hydrogen bonds.

What is the tertiary structure of a protein?

Overall 3D shape of a protein, influenced by R group interactions (hydrophobic, hydrophilic, ionic bonding).

What is the quaternary structure of a protein?

More than one polypeptide chain.

What are the main types of lipids?

Fats, waxes, oils, and sterols.

What are carbohydrates composed of and how are they linked?

Made of sugar monomers linked by dehydration synthesis.

What are the different types of carbohydrates and their functions?

Glucose (immediate energy), starch (stored energy in plants), glycogen (stored energy in animals), cellulose (plant cell wall).

What defines the ends of nucleic acids?

3' and 5' carbons of the sugar.

What defines the ends of proteins?

Amino (NH2) and carboxyl (COOH) ends.

What does CHNOPS stand for?

Carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

What are the different types of chemical bonds?

Ionic (transfer of electrons), covalent (sharing of electrons), hydrogen (weak bonds between hydrogen and negatively charged atoms), and hydrophobic interactions (congregation of nonpolar compounds).

What is pH and what does it measure?

Acid-base scale (0-14) based on the number of H+ ions.

What are enzymes?

Biological catalysts (made of protein) that speed up reactions by lowering activation energy.

What is the active site of an enzyme?

The location where the reaction occurs.

What factors affect enzyme rate?

pH, temperature, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration.

What is competitive inhibition?

A molecule that competes for the active site; overcome by adding more substrate.

What is non-competitive inhibition (allosteric inhibition)?

A molecule that attaches at the allosteric site and changes the shape of the enzyme; cannot be overcome by adding more substrate.

Where on the enzyme does the substrate bind?

Active site

What is an allosteric site?

A location on the enzyme, other than the active site, where molecules can bind and affect enzyme activity.

What is a monomer?

A building block (or subunit) of a polymer.

What is a polymer?

A large molecule made up of many monomers bonded together.

Are lipids polar or nonpolar?

Nonpolar

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the reaction.

Catalyst

What is denaturation?

Loss of normal shape of a protein due to heat or other factor

What is a disaccharide?

A double sugar, consisting of two monosaccharides joined by dehydration synthesis.

What is a hydrogen bond?

The attraction between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom.

What does hydrophilic mean?

Having an affinity for water.

What does hydrophobic mean?

Lacking affinity for water.

A very large organic molecule composed of many smaller molecules

Macromolecule

What is a monosaccharide?

A single sugar molecule such as glucose or fructose, the simplest type of sugar.

What is a nonpolar molecule?

A compound in which electrons are equally shared between two atoms

A polymer (DNA or RNA) consisting of many nucleotide monomers; serves as a blueprint for proteins and, through proteins, for all cellular structures and activities.

Nucleic Acid

A molecule containing carbon.

Organic Molecule

The covalent bond between two amino acid units, formed by a dehydration reaction.

Peptide Bond

What is a polar molecule?

A molecule that has an uneven distribution of electrons, resulting in a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other

A functional biological molecule consisting of one or more polypeptides folded and coiled into a specific three-dimensional structure.

Protein

What is a substrate?

A substance that is acted upon by an enzyme