Properties of Water and Biomolecules

A comprehensive set of flashcards covering the properties of water, types of biomolecules, structural elements, and key biochemical processes related to organic compounds.

Cohesion

The property of water that allows it to stick to itself, contributing to surface tension.

Adhesion

The property of water that allows it to stick to other substances.

Capillary action

The ability of water to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of external forces.

High specific heat

The property of water that allows it to absorb a lot of heat before increasing in temperature.

Polarity

The distribution of electrical charge around water molecules, leading to hydrogen bonding.

Solvent

Water's ability to dissolve many substances, making it a universal solvent.

Density

The quality of water that is most dense at 4°C and less dense when frozen.

Hydrogen bonds

Weak bonds formed between a hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom.

Covalent bonds

Bonds formed when atoms share electrons.

Ionic bonds

Bonds formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.

Glycosidic linkage

A type of bond that connects monosaccharides to form carbohydrates.

Peptide bonds

Covalent bonds formed between amino acids in proteins.

Phosphodiester linkage

The bond that connects nucleotides in nucleic acids.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules made up of monosaccharides; includes starch and cellulose.

Lipids

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules, including fats and steroids.

Proteins

Macromolecules made of amino acids with four levels of structure: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary.

Nucleic acids

Biomolecules that store and transmit genetic information; includes DNA and RNA.

Monomers

Small, single units that combine to form polymers.

Polymers

Large molecules formed by linking many monomers together.

Functional groups

Specific groups of atoms within molecules that determine the characteristics of the molecules.

Directionality

The orientation of a molecule or polymer that has direction-dependent properties.

Denaturation

The process by which proteins lose their structure and function due to external stress.

Dehydration synthesis

An anabolic reaction where monomers combine to form polymers with the loss of a water molecule.

Hydrolysis

A catabolic reaction where polymers are broken down into monomers by the addition of water.

Hydrophobic

Substances that repel water.

Hydrophilic

Substances that are attracted to water.

Ribose vs deoxyribose

Ribose is a sugar with an -OH group at the 2' carbon, while deoxyribose is a modified sugar with -H at that position.

pH

A measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution; lower pH indicates higher H+ ion concentration, making it more acidic.