OpenStax Biology 2e Chapter 2 The Chemical Foundation of Life

acid

molecule that donates hydrogen ions and increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution

adhesion

attraction between water molecules and other molecules

aliphatic hydrocarbon

hydrocarbon consisting of a linear chain of carbon atoms

base

molecule that donates hydroxide ions or otherwise binds excess hydrogen ions and decreases the hydrogen ions' concentration in a solution

cohesion

intermolecular forces between water molecules caused by the polar nature of water; responsible for surface tension

electron

negatively charged subatomic particle that resides outside of the nucleus in the electron orbital; lacks functional mass and has a negative charge of -1 unit

heat of vaporization of water

high amount of energy required for liquid water to turn into water vapor

hydrocarbon

molecule that consists only of carbon and hydrogen

hydrogen bond

weak bond between slightly positively charged hydrogen atoms and slightly negatively charged atoms in other molecules

hydrophilic

describes ions or polar molecules that interact well with other polar molecules such as water

hydrophobic

describes uncharged nonpolar molecules that do not interact well with polar molecules such as water

isomers

molecules that differ from one another even though they share the same chemical formula

molecule

two or more atoms chemically bonded together

nonpolar covalent bond

type of covalent bond that forms between atoms when electrons are shared equally between them

polar covalent bond

type of covalent bond that forms as a result of unequal electron sharing, resulting in creating slightly positive and negative charged molecule regions

proton

positively charged particle that resides in the atom's nucleus; has a mass of one amu and a charge of +1

specific heat capacity

the amount of heat one gram of a substance must absorb or lose to change its temperature by one degree Celsius