Lecture Notes on Matter, Bonds, and Macromolecules

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and definitions from lectures on matter, chemical bonds, macromolecules, and membrane transport.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass, composed of elements.

Element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Atom

The smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element.

Compound

A substance formed when two or more different elements are chemically bonded together.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond that involves the sharing of electron pairs between atoms.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract electrons toward itself in a chemical bond.

Hydrophobic

Tending to repel or fail to mix with water.

Hydrophilic

Having an affinity for water; tends to dissolve in or mix with water.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond formed when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom is attracted to another electronegative atom.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond resulting from the attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Polysaccharides

Carbohydrates that are made up of more than two monosaccharides.

Lipids

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, including fats, phospholipids, and steroids.

Protein Structure

The specific three-dimensional arrangement of a protein, determined by its amino acid sequence.

Nucleotide

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

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Active Transport

The movement of molecules across a membrane, against their concentration gradient, requiring energy.

Macromolecule

A large complex molecule, typically composed of thousands of atoms, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.