BIO 400 vocabulary

Organisms

Living things with 7 specific properties (wherever found).

Systems

Collections of interacting parts.

Self-organization

The ability for an organism to grow and develop on its own. Offspring are given a set of instructions and some genetic material, which is used to build early versions of given organisms.

Self-regulation

The ability for an organism to control it’s own internal conditions and activities- repair and change things to adapt.

Evolution

The ability for organisms to adapt to changing environments over generations (not for immediate survival, bigger picture).

Hierarchical Organization

Consists of nested systems- our planet has millions of different systems, all of which interact with one another.

Cells

The smallest unit that can have all the properties of life.

Genetic system

Information for structure and function is inherited as DNA molecules in each cell. DNA molecules represent the ______________ on our planet.

Gene expression

When DNA directs the synthesis of RNA and proteins, which then cause growth, development, and other behaviors.

Metabolic systems

Chemical reactions that transform energy and matter to build and maintain life. Change one chemical compound to another (different systems interacting, causing change).

Enzymes

Proteins that catalyze (speed up) specific chemical reactions.

Catalyze

To speed up chemical reactions.

Feedback regulation

Output (or product) of a process regulates the process itself (creating a feedback loop). Ex: thermostat does not need to be managed, it automatically regulates temperature.

Negative feedback

Self-limiting. Output of the process shuts the process down.

Positive feedback

Self-reinforcing. Output of the process speeds up the process itself (ex: contractions and pregnancy).

Divergence

_________ (different changes) of lineages leads to new species.

Paramecium

A single celled organism, which uses cilia to swim.

Hydrophilic

Water soluble substances. Surface atoms have polar covalent and/or ionic bonds.

Hydrophobic

Non-water soluble substances. Substances have non-polar covalent bonds.

Dissociation of water

The transfer of an H+ ion (proton) from one H2O to another.

Hydronium ion

Product of the dissociation of water - H3O+ (but often abbreviated as H+).

Hydroxide ion

Product of the dissociation of water - OH-.

The pH scale

Measure the concentration of H+ (hydronium) ions on a scale of 0-14.

Logarithmic

As in the pH scale, a change of 1 point means there is a 10x change in [H+] (concentration).

Acids

Raise [H+] (concentration) and lower [OH-] when dissolved in water. Ex: HCl (hydrogen atoms will quickly find an oxygen to bond to, forming hydronium).

Bases

Lower [H+] (concentration) and raise [OH-] when dissolved in water. Ex: NH4+ (ammonia is able to pull a proton either off a water molecule to create a hydroxide OR off of a hydronium ion to convert it back into water).

Ocean acidification

CO2 absorption by H2O lowers its pH.

Elements

Substances that can’t be broken down to simpler substances by chemical reactions.

Chemical reactions

Rearrange chemical bonds between atoms.

Hydrogen

H

Oxygen

O

Nitrogen

N

Carbon

C

Calcium

Ca

Phosphorous

P

Potassium

K

Sodium

Na

Sulfur

S

Chlorine

Cl

Magnesium

Mg

Atoms

Smallest particle that retains the properties of elements. Made up of 3 subatomic particles.

Protons

Positively charged subatomic particles located in the nucleus (center of the atom).

Electrons

Negatively charged subatomic particles which orbit the nucleus.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles with no charge, located in the nucleus.

Atomic number

The number of protons that an atom has. Atoms of the same element have the same ____________.

Isotopes

Atoms of an element with a different number of neutrons and a different atomic mass.

Atomic mass

Weight of an atom in daltons (Da).

Radioisotope

Isotope with an unstable nucleus that emits raditation

Radiation

Energy and/or particles emitted by isotopes with unstable nuclei.

Radioactive decay

Transformation of radioisotope into a different element. Occurs when the emission changes the atomic number.

Molecules

2 or more atoms held together by covalent bonds. Some contain only one element.

Compound

A mixture of elements. Compounds have different properties compared to their elements.

Molecular formula

The notation that describes the number and kind of atoms in a molecule. Ex: H2O for water.

Structural formula

The notation that shows the arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Chemical reactions

The making and or breaking of covalent bonds.

Reactants

The molecules at the start of a reaction.

Products

The molecules at the end of a reaction.

Chemical equation

Shows chemical reaction using molecular formulas. Indicates number and type of molecules included. Ex: the formation of H2O (2H2 + O2 —> 2H2O).

Electron orbitals

Spaces around nucleus containing electrons. Hold up to 2 electrons each.

Shell model

Representation of occupied orbitals.

Valence

Number of covalent bonds an element forms. Usually equal to the number of unpaired electrons in the outermost shell.

Groups

Columns of elements in periodic table. Have the same number of electrons in their outer shell.

Covalent bonding

Atoms share 1 or more pairs of electrons to fill outermost shells. Each shared pair is a bond.

Non-polar covalent bonds

Atoms equally share electrons. Occurs between atoms of the same element, also occurs between C and H.

Polar covalent bonds

Unequal sharing of electrons by two atoms. Electrons spend more time around the atom with the highest electronegativity. Creates a partial negative charge on that atom and the other atom has a partial positive charge.

Electronegativity

An element’s affinity for electrons.

Hydrogen bond

Attraction of H atom in a polar covalent bond to a partial-charged atom in another polar covalent bond. Weak, but important. Ex: between H2O and NH3.

Ions

Electrically charged atoms. Have an unequal number of protons and neutrons. There are 2 different types of ions.

+ ions

Lost electrons.

- ions

Gained electrons.

Ionic bonds

2 ions held together by opposite charge. Strong, but weak in the presence of water.

Van der Waals interactions

Attraction between 2 adjacent atoms due to temporary dipoles in their electron clouds. Weak and caused by close proximity.

Dipoles

Temporary polarization in electron clouds.

Organic chemistry

Study of carbon compounds. Carbon forms the backbone of all biological molecules.

Tetrahedron

Pyramidical geometric arrangement formed when there are four single bonds. Ex: Methane (CH4).

Functional groups

Atoms that give organic compounds unique properties, including water solubility and the ability to participate in chemical reactions.

Non-covalent interactions

Can cause molecules to stick or group together. Include H-bonds, ionic bonds, Van der Waals, and hydrophobic forces.

Binding

Molecules sticking together by non-covalent interactions.

Methyl group

Hydrophobic: - CH3

Sulfhyrdyl group

Hydrophobic: - SH

Weakly polar, low solubility in water, but reactive.

Hydroxyl group

Hydrophilic: - OH

Carbonyl group

Hydrophilic: - CO

Carboxyl group

Hydrophilic, acidic: - COOH

Amino group

Hydrophilic, basic: - NH2

Phosphate group

Hydrophilic, acidic: - OPO3²-

Phosphate group

Functional group that confers energy to C compounds.

Dehydration reaction

Used to link monomers into polymers or other complex structures.

Monomers

Small subunits.

Polymers

Chain of monomers, also known as macromolecules.

Hydrolysis reaction

Breaks polymers into subunits.

Carbohydrates

Monomers contain 1 H2O for each C (CH2O)N. Most have suffix “-ose” in name. Water soluble.

Monosaccharides

“Simple sugars” (composed of 1 unit) that conform to CH2O setup.

Monosaccharides

Most are sweet tasting and have a 3-6 C backbone.

Fuel, subunits, raw material.

Cells use monosaccharides as _____, ___________, and ___________.

Disaccharides

Sugars made of 2 monosaccharides.

Glycosidic linkage

Region formed by dehydration reaction between monosaccharides.

Glycosidic linkages

___________________ can trap one or both subunits in their ring form.

Fuel

Cells use disaccharides as _____.

Selective Permeability

Ability of membranes to control what passes through.

Membrane sidedness

Inside and outside surfaces are functionally distinct due to orientation of proteins and lipid (set during synthesis).