AP Bio Unit 1 Exam Review

polar

Molecule with partial charges. Mixes with water.

nonpolar

No partial charges. Do not mix with water.

cohesion

Water molecules sticking to each other.

adhesion

Water molecules sticking to other surfaces.

solute

Something dissolved in a solution.

solvent

Dissolving agent of a solution.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space

Protons

positively charged subatomic particles

Electrons

negatively charged subatomic particles

Neutrons

the particles of the nucleus that have no charge

ground state

The lowest energy state of an atom

excited state

when an atom absorbs energy, its electrons move to a higher energy level

isotope

Atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons

tracer

A radioactive isotope that can be followed through the steps of a chemical reaction or industrial process

half-life

length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay

covalent bond

A chemical bond that involves sharing a pair of electrons between atoms in a molecule

ionic bond

Formed when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another

double bond

A covalent bond in which two pairs of electrons are shared between two atoms

triple bond

a covalent bond in which two atoms share three pairs of electrons

Hydrophobic

Water fearing

Hydrophilic

water loving

hydrogen bond

A type of weak chemical bond formed when the slightly positive hydrogen atom of a polar covalent bond in one molecule is attracted to the slightly negative atom of a polar covalent bond in another molecule.

specific heat

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree celcius

capillary action

the combined force of attraction among water molecules and with the molecules of surrounding materials

surface tension

the force that acts on the surface of a liquid and that tends to minimize the area of the surface. Due to cohesion among water molecules

spring overturn

the vertical mixing of lake water that occurs in early spring, assisted by winds that drive the surface currents

pH

hydrogen ion concentration

Buffer

weak acid or base that can react with strong acids or bases to help prevent sharp, sudden changes in pH

Isomers

Two different molecules that have the same chemical formula

Enantiomers

isomers that are mirror images of each other

cellulose

Carbohydrate component of plant cell walls.

starch

Storage polysaccharide of plants.

glycogen

Extremely branched polymer of glucose.

chitin

Polysaccharide found in arthropod exoskeletons and fungal cell walls.

-ose

Suffix of a sugar.

cholesterol

Steroid common in cell membranes, also in many hormones.

peptide bond

Bonds that connect amino acids.

primary structure

linear chain of amino acids.

secondary structure

Results from the hydrogen bonding of the linear chains. Either an alpha helix or beta pleated sheet.

tertiary structure

3-dimensional conformation that results from interactions between alpha helices or beta sheets.

quaternary structure

Results from two or more polypeptide subunits.

dehydration synthesis

Condensation reaction where molecules are connected by loss of a water molecule.

hydrolysis

Reaction where water split into two hydrogens and one oxygen; this breaks a polymer.

plasma membrane

The membrane at the boundary of every cell that acts as a selective barrier, thereby regulating the cell's chemical composition.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar molecules. glucose, fructose, galactose

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides. starches

Lipids

Energy-rich organic compounds, such as fats, oils, and waxes, that are made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

saturated fats

A fat that is solid at room temperature and found in animal fats, lards, and dairy products. All carbons are completely filled with hydrogens

unsaturated fats

A fat that is liquid at room temperature and found in vegetable oils, nuts, and seeds. have at least one double bond.

Steroids

lipids characterized by a carbon skeleton consisting of four fused rings

Phospholipids

A molecule that is a constituent of the inner bilayer of biological membranes, having a polar, hydrophilic head and a nonpolar, hydrophobic tail.

Proteins

Chains of amino acids. Used for growth, repair, cell signaling, regulation, enzymes, and movement.

amino acids

monomers of proteins. 20 different kinds

Polypeptide

A polymer (chain) of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. aka protein

conformation

The particular three-dimentional shape of a protein molecule

Keratin

a fibrous protein forming the main structural constituent of hair, feathers, hoofs, claws, horns, etc.

protein specificity

the ability of a protein to bind to a certain ligand or a group of related ligands

Denaturing

changing the conformation of a protein through, pH, temperature, or salt concentration changes

chaperonins (chaperone proteins)

protein molecules that assist the proper folding of other proteins

Prion

Any of various infectious proteins that are abnormal forms of normal cellular proteins, that proliferate by inducing the normal protein to convert to the abnormal form, and that in mammals include pathogenic forms. Mad Cow Disease, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's

xray crystallography

an important method used to determine a protein's three-dimensional structure

Bioinformatics

The use of computers, software, and mathematical models to process and integrate biological information from large data sets.

RNA

single-stranded nucleic acid that contains the sugar ribose. ribonucleic acid

DNA

deoxyribonucleic acid, a self-replicating material present in nearly all living organisms as the main constituent of chromosomes. It is the carrier of genetic information.

nucleic acids

DNA and RNA are examples of this macromolecules

Nucleotide

monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base

Deoxyribose

A five-carbon sugar that is a component of DNA nucleotides

3 prime to 5 prime

The DNA template reads from which direction

functional groups

the components of organic molecules that are most commonly involved in chemical reactions