Life Sciences

Elements

a substance that cannot be broken down chemically to other substances

compound

contains two or more different elements in a fixed ratio

Isotopes

an element differ from each other in neutron number and therefore mass

Chemical bonds

Interactions between atoms that enable them to complete their valence shells.

Covalent bonds

a type of chemical bond formed when two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons to achieve stability in their valence shells.

Molecules

two or more atoms bonded together in a covalent bond

Chemical reactions

electronegativity

the process by which the electrons from atoms are attracted - for atoms which are the same they share electronegativity and are non-polar covalent bonds - electrons are closer to the foremost electronegative atom in a polar covalent bond

hydrogen bond

when a hydrogen that is positively charged and an electronegative atom with partial negative charge bond

Chemical equilibrium

an equilibrium between forward and reverse reaction rates

cohesion

hydrogen bonding allows water molecules to become close to each other thus cohesion

specific heat

the specific heat for water is high and when hydrogen bond breakage occurs heat is absorbed and there is a release in heat when hydrogen bonds are formed

Hydrophilic

hydrophilic substances like water

hydrophobic

these substances don’t like water

organic compounds

living matter made from carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen - the diversity in biology results from carbon’s ability to make a larger number molecules with specific structures

Hydrocarbons

it has carbon and hydrogen

Isomers

compounds that have similar molecular formulas with differing properties and structures

Three differing isomers

structural isomers, cis-trans isomers, and enantiomers

ATP (adenosine triphosphate)

adenosine attached to three different phosphate groups

polymers

proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, are polymers which are chains of monomers

dehydration reactions

monomers can become larger molecules through the dehydration reactions process where water molecules are released

hydrolysis

when polymers disassemble through a reversal process - an abundant variety of polymers can be made through a small amount of monomers