Chapter 2: Chemistry of Life

Vocabulary flashcards generated from Chapter 2: Chemistry of Life lecture review topics.

Matter

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

Energy

The capacity to do work or put matter into motion, existing as kinetic or potential energy.

Element

A fundamental substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical methods.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element that retains the unique chemical properties of that element.

Molecule

A combination of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

Compound

A substance formed when two or more different kinds of atoms bind together chemically.

Atomic Symbol

A one- or two-letter chemical shorthand designation representing a specific element.

Atomic Number

The number of protons contained in the nucleus of an atom, uniquely identifying an element.

Atomic Mass

The sum of the masses of an atom's protons and neutrons.

Subatomic Particles

The fundamental components of an atom: positively charged protons, uncharged neutrons, and negatively charged electrons.

Isotopes

Structural variations of an element that have the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons.

Ion

An atom or group of atoms that carries an electrical charge due to gaining or losing electrons.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons.

Ionic Bond

A chemical bond formed by the complete transfer of electrons between atoms, resulting in oppositely charged ions that attract.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond formed when two or more atoms share electrons.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak attraction between a hydrogen atom covalently bound to one electronegative atom and another electronegative atom.

Metabolism

The sum total of all chemical reactions that occur in living cells, consisting of anabolic and catabolic processes.

Organic Compound

A carbon-containing compound found in living organisms, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Inorganic Compound

A compound lacking carbon-hydrogen bonds, such as water, salts, acids, and bases.

Mixture

A physical combination of two or more substances that retains their individual properties, classified as solutions, colloids, or suspensions.

Salt

An ionic compound containing cations other than $H^+$ and anions other than $OH^-$ that dissociates in water.

Electrolyte

A substance that ionizes in solution and gains the capacity to conduct an electrical current.

Acid

A substance that releases hydrogen ions ($H^+$) in solution, acting as a proton donor.

Base

A substance that accepts hydrogen ions ($H^+$) or releases hydroxyl ions ($OH^-$) in solution, acting as a proton acceptor.

Carbohydrates

Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen that serve as the main source of cellular fuel.

Lipids

Water-insoluble organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, divided into neutral fats, phospholipids, and steroids.

Proteins

Organic macromolecules made of amino acid monomers joined by peptide bonds that perform structural and functional roles in living organisms.

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical reaction in which two monomers are covalently joined together by removing a molecule of water.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction in which polymers are broken down into smaller subunits by the addition of a water molecule.

Peptide Bond

The covalent bond formed between two amino acid monomers through dehydration synthesis.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts, typically proteins, that speed up chemical reactions by lowering activation energy.

Nucleic Acids

Organic polymers composed of nucleotide monomers that store and express genetic information.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; a double-stranded nucleic acid that serves as the cell's genetic material.

RNA

Ribonucleic acid; a single-stranded nucleic acid involved in carrying out protein synthesis instructions.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the primary energy currency of the cell used to power cellular metabolism.