Notes on Vocab

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means, consisting of atoms with the same number of protons.

Cation

A positively charged ion with more protons than electrons.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

A molecule that carries energy within cells, serving as the main energy currency.

Steroid

A type of lipid with a carbon skeleton of four fused rings, including hormones like testosterone and cholesterol.

Compound

A substance made of atoms from two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds.

Anion

A negatively charged ion with more electrons than protons.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks bonds between two molecules by adding water, often breaking down polymers into monomers.

Cholesterol

A lipid molecule essential for animal cell membranes and a precursor for steroid hormone synthesis.

Essential elements

Chemical elements required for an organism's survival, growth, and reproduction.

Ion

An atom or molecule with an electric charge due to the loss or gain of electrons.

Dehydration synthesis

A chemical reaction where two molecules are covalently bonded with the removal of a water molecule, synthesizing polymers from monomers.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing permanent change.

Trace elements

Elements required by an organism in minute quantities.

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond between two molecules due to electrostatic attraction between a proton and an electronegative atom.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as biological catalysts, speeding up chemical reactions in cells.

Polypeptide

A polymer of amino acids linked by peptide bonds.

Matter

Anything that has mass and occupies space.

Reactant

A substance that participates in and undergoes change during a chemical reaction.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, serving as a major energy source for living organisms.

Peptide bond

A covalent bond formed between two amino acids during protein synthesis.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element that retains its properties.

Product

The substances formed during a chemical reaction.

Monomer

A small molecule that can combine with others to form a polymer.

Protein

A polymer made of amino acids that performs various functions in living organisms.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles with no charge found in an atom's nucleus.

Chemical equilibrium

The state where the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the reverse reaction, keeping concentrations constant.

Polymer

A large molecule composed of repeating structural units (monomers).

Amino acid

Organic molecules that are the building blocks of proteins, containing an amino group and a carboxyl group.

Protons

Positively charged subatomic particles found in an atom's nucleus.

Cohesion

The attraction between molecules of the same substance, leading to surface tension in liquids.

Monosaccharide

The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of a single sugar molecule like glucose.

Levels of protein structure

The four organizational levels of a protein molecule:primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary structures.

Electrons

Negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit an atom's nucleus.

Adhesion

The attraction between molecules of different substances.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate made of two monosaccharides joined together, such as sucrose.

Atomic nucleus

The dense central part of an atom, composed of protons and neutrons.

Surface tension

The elastic tendency of liquids to minimize surface area, caused by molecular cohesion at the surface.

Polysaccharide

A carbohydrate polymer made of many monosaccharides linked together, such as starch or cellulose.

Atomic mass

The mass of an atom, expressed in atomic mass units (amu), approximately equal to the number of protons and neutrons.

Specific heat

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

Glycosidic linkage

A covalent bond that joins a carbohydrate molecule to another group, which may be another carbohydrate.

Atomic number

The number of protons in an atom's nucleus, determining the element's chemical properties.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture composed of two or more substances.

Starch

A polysaccharide made of glucose units, serving as a major energy storage form in plants.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

A nucleic acid involved in protein synthesis and genetic information transmission in some viruses.

Isotope/Radioactive isotope

Variants of a chemical element differing in neutron number, with radioactive isotopes being unstable and emitting radiation.

Solvent

The substance in which the solute is dissolved