Final biology test

Macromolecules

Large carbon-based molecules found in all living things.

Monomers

The smaller building blocks that link together to form polymers.

Polymers

Large molecules formed from the combination of smaller monomers.

Carbohydrates

Organic macromolecules that serve as the main source of energy and structural components in plant cell walls.

Monosaccharide

The monomer of carbohydrates; an example is glucose.

Polysaccharide

The polymer of carbohydrates; examples include starch, cellulose, and glycogen.

Proteins

Macromolecules made up of amino acids that build body structures and function as enzymes.

Amino acid

The monomer of proteins.

Polypeptide

The polymer of proteins.

Enzymes

Proteins that act as biological catalysts to speed up chemical reactions without being used up.

Lipids

Organic compounds not true polymers, made of glycerol and fatty acids, that store energy and make up cell membranes.

Nucleic Acids

Macromolecules that store genetic information; examples include DNA and RNA.

Activation energy

The energy required to start a chemical reaction, which enzymes help lower.

Denaturation

The process by which enzymes lose their shape and functionality due to extreme conditions.

Digestion

The process of breaking down large, insoluble food molecules into small, soluble molecules for absorption.

Mechanical digestion

The physical breakdown of food, such as chewing and grinding.

Chemical digestion

The breakdown of food into molecules using enzymes and acids.

Respiration

A chemical reaction that occurs in cells to release energy from glucose, which can be aerobic or anaerobic.

Neurons

Specialized cells that carry messages in the nervous system.

Photosynthesis

A chemical reaction in green plant cells that converts carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen using light energy.

Ecosystem

A community of living things and their non-living environment.

Producers

Organisms that make their own food using sunlight or chemicals.

Consumers

Organisms that cannot produce their own food and must eat other organisms.

Food chain

A sequence that shows how energy moves from one organism to another, starting with a producer.

Predator

An animal that hunts and eats other animals.

Prey

The animal that is hunted and eaten by predators.