Molecular Biology and Organic Chemistry Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms and definitions covering chemical bonding properties, organic chemistry basics, and biological macromolecules based on the lecture transcript.

electronegativity

The tendency for an atom of a given chemical element to attract shared electrons.

polar covalent bonds

Covalent bonds that are oppositely charged.

nonpolar covalent bonds

Covalent bonds that are equally charged.

hydrogen bonding

A specific type of molecular interaction that exhibits partial covalent character.

cohesion

The attraction of molecules for other molecules of the same kind.

adhesion

The attraction of molecules of one kind for molecules of a different kind, which can be strong for water especially with other molecules.

organic molecules

Any molecule that contains carbon.

hydrocarbons

Organic compounds consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

macromolecules

Large molecules consisting of carbohydrates (such as sugars), lipids (fats), proteins, and nucleic acids (such as dna).

carbohydrates (cho)

Molecules that include essential nutrients like sugars, starches, and fiber.

protein

Large, complex molecules made of amino acids that send signals between cells.

lipids

Fatty compounds that perform a variety of functions in your body.

nucleic acids

Large biomolecules that play essential roles in all cells and viruses, serving as the primary information-carrying molecules in cells.

hydrolysis reactions

The reverse of condensation reactions.

monomers

Basic molecular units that can interlink with other monomer molecules to form polymers which are larger macromolecules.

polymers

A large class of materials consisting of many small molecules named monomers that are linked together.

peptide bond

An amide type of covalent chemical bond linking two consecutive alpha-amino acids from C1 (carbon number one).

phosphodiester bonds

Bonds between the phosphate group and the sugar molecules in DNA or RNA.