AP Bio Unit 1: Chemistry of Life

Polarity

Difference in atomic electronegativity in a molecule

Electronegative

Oxygen is slightly _______

Covalent

This type of bond between atoms is created when they chare electrons

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond between negative and positive regions of separate molecules

Cohesion

A property of water when it is attracted to itself

Adhesion

A property of water when it is attracted to other molecules

Surface Tension

Higher bonding at the surface of water

Capillary Action

the process of a liquid flowing in a narrow space in opposition to or at least without the assistance of any external forces like gravity.

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed

Carbon

This element allows the creation of large, complex molecules that are used to store energy and form basic cell structures

Macromolecules

a molecule containing a very large number of atoms, such as a protein, nucleic acid, or synthetic polymer.

Organic Molecules

These are molecules that are made of carbon and hydrogen, and can include other elements

Dehydration Synthesis

The process of combination of two molecules with the elimination of a water molecule

Hydrolysis

The process of splitting apart a polymer into monomers with the addition of a water molecule

Monomer

A molecule that can be bonded with others of its kind to create a polymer

Monosacchride

Monomer of a carbohydrte

Carbohydrate

This macromolecule is a major fuel and building material

• Made of sugar monomers strung together

• Lines, rings, and branches

Starch

This carbohydrate has easily breakable bonds and is a source of sugar and energy

Cellulose

This carbohydrate bonds in alternate directions and is not easy to break, so it is used as structural support for plants

1:2:1

Ratio of CHO in Carbohydrates

C, H, O

Elements in a carbohydrate

Proteins

These macromolecules are composed of amino acids. They serve as structural support, biochemical catalysts, hormones, enzymes, building blocks, and initiators of cellular death

Amino Acids

Monomers of proteins

C, H, O, N

Elements of protein

Amino Group

This part of a amino acid is basic

Carboxyl Grou

This part of an amino acid is acidic

R-Group / Sidechain

This gives each amino acid proteins specific characteristics, including size, polarity, and pH

It can be hydrophobic, hydrophilic, or ionic

Polypeptide

The primary structure of all proteins. It is a specific order of amino acids and determines the overall shape

Primary

This structure of proteins is a linear chain. New amino acids are added at the carboxyl terminus and it is held together by covalent (peptide) bonds

Carboxyl Terminus

Amino acids are added to a polypeptide chain from this end

Secondary

This structure of a protein is comprised of local folding: alpha helices and beta-sheets

Tertiary

This is the overall 3D shape of a protein and is very stable and rich in potential energy

This is where disulfide bridges, hydrogen bonding, covalent bonding, and hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity play a part

Quaternary

This protein structure is when sometimes, several proteins need to combine in order to function

Lipid

Fats (storing energy, signaling, etc.)

• Fats composed of hydrocarbons

• No long, stringy molecules

• Nonpolar macromolecules → Not a polymer through dehydration synthesis

• Differences in saturation determine structure + function

• Saturated Fatty Acid: only single bonds in the chain → pack closely together → butter is solid at room temperature

• Unsaturated Fatty Acid: Double bonds that change the direction of the macromolecule: cannot pack as closely together → oil is liquid at room temperature

• Energy rich

• Triglycerols: 3 molecules of fatty acids

Hydrocarbons

Monomers of lipids

C,H,O, P

elements of lipids

Saturated

This fatty acid has only only single bonds in the chain → pack closely together → butter is solid at room temperature

Unsaturated

This fatty acid has Double bonds that change the direction of the lipid: cannot pack as closely together → oil is liquid at room temperature

Phospholipids

These lipids are in membranes and have polar and nonpolar regions

Nucleic Acids

These macromolecules are Large, complex organic molecules

• Store + transfer information

• DNA: contains info + determines characteristics

  • Directs cell activities

  • Missing oxygen

  • (Adenine, Thymine); (Cytosine, Guanine)

• RNA: store + transfer info from DNA to manufacture proteins

  • Acts as enzymes

  • 2 hydroxyls

  • (Adenine, Uracil);(Cytosine, Guanine)

• Made of nucleotides (1000s of linked monomers)

  • Phosphate +nitrogenous base + pentose sugar

C,H,O,N,P

Elements of nucleic acids

Nucleotides

Monomers of nucleic acids

Deoxyribose

This is the type of sugar in the nucleotide monomer for DNA: double-stranded sugar phosphate

Ribose

This is the type of sugar in the nucleotide monomer for RNA: single-stranded sugar phosphate

Ionic Bond

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