Biol1150: Water & the Chemistry of Life

This set of flashcards covers key vocabulary terms related to the chemistry of life and the properties of water, relevant for the Biol1150 course.

Chemical Bonds

Molecules are formed by interactions between atoms via sharing or transferring valence electrons.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom that are involved in forming bonds.

Covalent Bonds

Bonds formed by sharing a pair of valence electrons between atoms.

Ionic Bonds

Bonds formed when one atom transfers electrons to another, resulting in charged ions.

Electronegativity

A measure of the tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Polar Molecule

A molecule with an uneven distribution of charge, leading to positive and negative poles.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weak interactions formed between a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom and another electronegative atom.

Hydrophilic

Substances that interact well with water and dissolve in it.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not interact well with water and do not dissolve in it.

Functional Groups

Specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules.

Isomers

Compounds with the same molecular formula but different structural arrangements and properties.

Surface Tension

The cohesive property of water that allows it to resist external force, resulting from the hydrogen bonding among water molecules.

High Specific Heat

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius.

Water's Unique Properties

Water is cohesive, adhesive, denser as a liquid than as a solid, and has a high capacity for absorbing heat.

Biological Medium

Water is crucial for life on Earth as it serves as the solvent in which biological reactions occur.

Nucleotide

The building blocks of nucleic acids, consisting of a nitrogenous base, sugar, and phosphate group.

Plasma Membrane

A membrane that separates the interior of all cells from the outside environment.

Molecule

A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound.

Nucleotide Structure

Nucleotides consist of a phosphate group, a five-carbon sugar, and a nitrogenous base.

Van der Waals interactions

Weak attractions between molecules or parts of molecules that result from transient local partial charges.

Polar Covalent Bond

A type of bond formed when electrons are shared unequally between two atoms.