Properties of Water, Biomolecules, and Enzymes Review

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms related to the properties of water, biomolecules (carbohydrates, lipids), and enzymes, based on lecture notes from September 2025.

Water (H
H
₂O)

A molecule made of Hydrogen and Oxygen, scientifically known as dihydrogen oxide.

Capillary action

The property of water that allows it to go against gravity.

Covalent bonds

Strong bonds that exist between atoms within a water molecule.

Hydrogen bonds

Bonds that connect many molecules of water together, breaking easier than covalent bonds.

Cohesion

The property where water molecules attach to other water molecules.

Adhesion

The property where water molecules attach to other things, such as xylem.

Surface tension

A property allowing liquid to resist external force, linked to cohesion.

Molecule

Atoms bonded together by covalent bonds.

Polar molecule

A molecule that has electric areas due to unequal sharing of electrons, like water.

Solvent

The substance that is being dissolved.

Solute

The substance that is dissolving.

Universal Solvent

Water's property that enables it to dissolve many substances.

Biomolecules (Macromolecules)

Molecules found in living organisms, including carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins.

Monomer

A small molecule; the basic unit that can combine with others to form a polymer.

Polymer

A long chain composed of many monomers.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules whose monomers are monosaccharides (e.g., glucose) and polymers are disaccharides (e.g., sucrose, lactose) or polysaccharides.

Lipids (Fats)

Biomolecules that do not have monomers, store long-term energy, and can be hydrophobic or hydrophilic.

Polar covalent bond

A covalent bond that has uneven sharing of electrons.

Enzymes

Protein molecules that act as biological catalysts, often ending in -ase (e.g., Lactase).

Catalyst

Something that sets off or speeds up chemical reactions without being consumed.

Reactants

The starting molecules in a chemical reaction.

Products

The new molecules formed from a chemical reaction.

Substrate

The specific reactants that bind to an enzyme.

Active site

The specific region on an enzyme where the substrate binds.

Denatured enzyme

An enzyme that has become disformed and useless because it is in a wrong environment.