Lesson 1

Flashcards covering key concepts and vocabulary from the biology and chemistry lecture notes.

Biology

The scientific study of living organisms and the study of life.

Living Organisms

Entities that exhibit biological processes such as growth, reproduction, and response to stimuli, including humans, plants, and bacteria.

Unicellular Organisms

Organisms made up of a single cell, such as bacteria and amoeba.

Multicellular Organisms

Organisms composed of more than one cell, such as humans and plants.

DNA

The molecule that carries the genetic instructions for life and is stored in the nucleus of the cell.

Metabolism

The set of chemical reactions that transform energy within living organisms, including processes like digestion.

Organic Molecules

Molecules primarily composed of carbon and produced by living organisms, including carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.

Atoms

The smallest unit of matter that cannot be broken down by chemical methods.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element that have a different number of neutrons, resulting in different mass but the same chemical properties.

Chemical Bonds

Forces that hold atoms together in molecules, including covalent, ionic, and hydrogen bonds.

Covalent Bonds

Strong chemical bonds formed when two atoms share electrons.

Ionic Bonds

Weaker bonds formed when one atom transfers electrons to another, resulting in positive and negative ions.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weakest attractions between molecules that contain polar covalent bonds, commonly involving hydrogen.

Cohesion

The property of water that allows molecules to stick to each other, contributing to surface tension.

pH Scale

A scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution based on the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+).

Acids

Substances that release more H+ ions than OH- ions in a solution, typically having a sour taste.

Bases

Substances that release more OH- ions than H+ ions in a solution and are slippery and bitter.

Hydrophilic

Substances that can dissolve in water, typically polar molecules or ions.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not dissolve in water, typically non-polar molecules.