Biological Concepts and Chemical Reactions

Flashcards covering key biological concepts and chemical reactions as derived from the lecture notes.

Chemical Bonds

Attracting forces between elements.

Ionic Bonds

Attraction between ions of opposing charges.

Cations

Positively charged ions formed by losing electrons.

Anions

Negatively charged ions formed by gaining electrons.

Covalent Bonds

Sharing of two or more valence electrons between atoms.

Electronegativity

An atom's affinity for electrons in a bond.

Polar Covalent Bond

Unequal sharing of electrons between different elements, resulting in charge separation.

Non-Polar Covalent Bond

Equal sharing of electrons between the same elements, with no charge separation.

pH

Negative logarithm of hydrogen ion concentration in solutions.

Acid

Substance that increases hydrogen ion concentration and lowers pH when dissolved in water.

Base

Substance that decreases hydrogen ion concentration in solutions.

Buffers

Substances that maintain pH stability by resisting changes in hydrogen ion concentration.

Monomers

Simple building blocks that make up larger molecules.

Polymers

Large molecules made up of many monomers linked together.

Carbohydrates

Organic molecules that serve as the primary fuel source for cellular activities.

Lipids

Nonpolar molecules important for energy storage and membrane structure.

Proteins

Composed of amino acids, important for structure and function in cells.

Nucleic Acids

Molecules composed of nucleotides, essential for genetic information.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions.

Photosynthesis

The metabolic pathway that converts light energy into stored chemical energy.

Respiration

Metabolic pathways that harvest energy from glucose.

Endosymbiotic Theory

The theory that eukaryotic cells originated from symbiotic relationships between prokaryotic cells.