General Chemistry and Biological Molecules Lecture Review

Vocabulary flashcards generated from the lecture transcript covering chemical reactions, factors affecting reaction rates, mixtures, solutions, pH, buffers, organic macromolecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids), and ATP.

Reactants

All chemical components located on the left side of a chemical equation that undergo a chemical reaction.

Products

All chemical components located on the right side of a chemical equation created as a result of a chemical reaction.

Synthesis Reaction

A chemical reaction that combines two separate reactants to make one larger molecule ($A + B \rightarrow AB$).

Decomposition Reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks down one larger molecule or structure into two individual products ($AB \rightarrow A + B$).

Exchange Reaction

A chemical reaction where components of the reactants swap places to form two new products ($AB + C \rightarrow A + BC$).

Enzyme

A biological catalyst that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up or becoming part of the final product.

Activation Energy

The amount of energy required within a system for reactants to go through a reaction and form a product.

Organic Compound

A chemical compound that contains both carbon and hydrogen.

Inorganic Compound

A chemical compound that does not contain both carbon and hydrogen together.

Specific Heat of Water

The property that enables water to retain its temperature longer than any other fluid or material.

Solution

A clear, homogeneous mixture where dissolved particles do not scatter light or settle out, such as seawater or aquarium water.

Colloid

A homogeneous mixture containing particles that scatter light but do not settle out, such as milk or Jell-O.

Suspension

A heterogeneous mixture containing suspended particles that eventually settle out over time, such as mud or blood.

Solute

The substance in a mixture that is being dissolved.

Solvent

The substance in a mixture that dissolves the solute, with water serving as the universal solvent.

Monomer

A singular molecular unit or building block.

Polymer

A long chain composed of multiple linked monomer units.

Dehydration Synthesis Reaction

A reaction that links monomers together by removing a hydroxyl group and a hydrogen to form water ($H_2O$) as a product.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks covalent bonds between monomers by adding a molecule of water.

Acid

A substance that releases hydrogen ions into a solution, lowering the solution's pH.

Base

A substance that releases free-floating hydroxyl groups into a solution, raising the solution's pH.

Buffer

A substance or conjugate pair that neutralizes small amounts of acids or bases to maintain a solution within a specific pH range.

Homeostatic Blood pH Range

The physiological pH range of human blood, which is $7.35$ to $7.45$.

Monosaccharide

A single sugar unit, such as hexoses (glucose, galactose) and pentoses (fructose).

Polysaccharide

A complex carbohydrate consisting of many linked monosaccharides, used in the body for carbohydrate storage as glycogen.

Triglyceride

A fat molecule consisting of a glycerol head attached to three fatty acid side chains via dehydration synthesis.

Saturated Fat

A fat molecule containing fatty acid chains with only single-bonded methylated carbon atoms.

Unsaturated Fat

A fat molecule containing a double bond within its fatty acid chain, creating a bend in the structure.

Phospholipid

A lipid with a polar (water-loving) head and a nonpolar (water-fearing) tail, forming the fundamental barrier of cell membranes.

Prostaglandins

Signaling lipid molecules that regulate blood pressure and pain sensations.

Peptide Bond

The covalent bond that links the amino group of one amino acid to the carboxyl group of another.

Primary Structure

The linear sequence of amino acids joined together as produced by ribosomes.

Secondary Structure

The localized folding of a protein chain into structures like an $\alpha$-helix or a $\beta$-pleated sheet.

Tertiary Structure

The complex, three-dimensional folding of a single protein chain where secondary structures fold upon themselves.

Quaternary Structure

A complex protein structure formed by the interaction and assembly of multiple tertiary protein units, such as hemoglobin.

Substrate

The specific reactant molecule that binds to an enzyme to undergo a chemical reaction.

Purines

A category of nitrogenous bases that includes adenine and guanine.

Pyrimidines

A category of nitrogenous bases that includes cytosine, thymine (found only in DNA), and uracil (found only in RNA).

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

A double-stranded helical nucleic acid containing a deoxyribose sugar and the bases adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)

A single-stranded nucleic acid containing a ribose sugar and the bases adenine, uracil, cytosine, and guanine.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

A high-energy nucleotide consisting of adenine, ribose sugar, and three phosphate groups that serves as the cellular source of energy.