Biology

Monomers

Small molecular units that can join together to form larger structures called polymers.

Polymers

Large molecules made up of many repeating monomer units.

Condensation Reaction

A chemical reaction where two molecules are joined together, creating a bond and releasing water.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A process that breaks chemical bonds between two molecules by adding water.

Carbohydrates

Biological molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, typically consisting of sugar units.

Monosaccharides

Single sugar units, such as glucose.

Disaccharides

Carbohydrates composed of two monosaccharides linked together, such as sucrose and maltose.

Lactose

A disaccharide sugar composed of glucose and galactose, found in milk.

Polysaccharides

Large carbohydrate molecules made from many monosaccharide units, examples include starch, glycogen, and cellulose.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants, composed of amylose and amylopectin.

Cellulose

A structural polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, composed of beta-glucose units.

Glycogen

A highly branched storage polysaccharide found in animal tissues, primarily in muscles and the liver.

Triglycerides

A type of lipid made up of glycerol and three fatty acids, serving as energy storage.

Phospholipids

Molecules consisting of a glycerol, two fatty acids, and a phosphate group, forming cell membranes.

Saturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids with no double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in a straight chain.

Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Fatty acids containing one or more double bonds between carbon atoms, resulting in a bent chain.

Lock and Key Model

A model of enzyme action which suggests that the enzyme's active site is complementary to the shape of the substrate.

Induced Fit Model

A revised model of enzyme action where the enzyme changes shape slightly to fit the substrate better during the reaction.

Enzymes

Proteins that accelerate chemical reactions in biological processes by lowering activation energy.

Primary Structure of Proteins

The sequence of amino acids in a polypeptide chain, determining its unique characteristics.

Secondary Structure of Proteins

The localized folding of the polypeptide chain into structures like alpha helices and beta-pleated sheets.

Tertiary Structure of Proteins

The overall three-dimensional shape of a polypeptide, formed by further folding and interactions.

Quaternary Structure of Proteins

A complex formed when more than one polypeptide chain interacts to produce a functional protein.