Anatomy & Physiology: Basics in Chemistry

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts from anatomy and chemistry basics relevant to the notes.

Matter

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object.

Weight

Gravitational force acting on an object.

Solid

Definite shape and definite volume.

Liquid

Definite volume; shape of the container.

Gas

No definite shape or volume.

Element

Fundamental units of matter.

Atom

Smallest particle of an element that has the chemical properties of that element.

Proton

Positively charged particle located inside the nucleus.

Neutron

Neutral particle located inside the nucleus.

Electron

Negatively charged particle located outside the nucleus in the electron cloud.

Atomic Number

Number of protons in each atom.

Mass Number

Number of protons plus neutrons in an atom.

Isotopes

Forms of the same element with the same number of protons/electrons but different neutrons.

Valence Electrons

Outermost electrons; determine bonding characteristics.

Electron Shell

Concentric energy levels where electrons are located outside the nucleus.

Octet Rule

Valence shell tends to be full with 8 electrons, leading to bonding.

Ionic Bond

Bond formed by transfer of electrons and attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent Bond

Bond formed by sharing one or more pairs of electrons.

Ion

Charged atom formed by gain or loss of electrons.

Electronegativity

Ability of an atom to pull electrons toward itself.

Polar Covalent Bond

Unequal sharing of electrons due to different electronegativities.

Nonpolar Covalent Bond

Electrons shared equally; atoms have similar electronegativities.

Molecule

Two or more atoms bound covalently.

Compound

Chemical combination of two or more different types of atoms.

Intermolecular Forces

Weak attractions between molecules or ions and molecules.

Hydrogen Bond

Attraction between polar molecules; weaker than ionic/covalent bonds; important for solubility.

Dissociation

Ionic compounds dissolve in water and separate into ions.

Electrolyte

Dissociated ions that can conduct an electrical current.

Synthesis (Anabolism)

Two or more reactants form a larger molecule; energy-requiring.

Decomposition (Catabolism)

A molecule breaks into smaller products; energy-releasing.

Exchange Reactions

Combination of synthesis and decomposition; AB + CD → AC + BD.

Reversible Reactions

Reaction that can proceed in both directions.

Equilibrium

Rate of product formation equals rate of reactant formation.

Energy

Ability to do work.

Kinetic Energy

Energy in action; energy doing work.

Potential Energy

Stored energy; inactive until used.

Conservation of Energy

Total energy in the universe is constant; energy changes form, not created/destroyed.

Chemical Energy

Stored energy in chemical bonds; reactions may require or release it.

Catalyst

Lowers activation energy; increases reaction rate without being consumed.

Enzyme

Protein catalyst that speeds reactions in the body.

Concentration

Amount of reactants; higher concentration can increase reaction rate.

Temperature

Higher temperature generally increases reaction rate (within limits).

Acid

Proton donor; pH below 7.

Base

Proton acceptor; relates to H+ concentration in solution.

pH

0–14 scale of acidity/basicity; below 7 acidic, 7 neutral, above 7 basic.

Buffer

Controls pH by binding or releasing H+ to resist pH changes.

Salt

Compound of a positive ion (not H) and a negative ion formed from acid-base exchange.

Inorganic Chemistry

Chemistry of substances that do not contain carbon.

Organic Chemistry

Chemistry of carbon-containing substances (with exceptions like CO2).

Oxygen (O2)

Small, nonpolar inorganic molecule essential for life.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Inorganic molecule produced when food is metabolized.

Water (H2O)

Polar molecule with polar covalent bonds; hydrophilic vs hydrophobic properties.

Hydrophilic

Molecules attracted to water.

Hydrophobic

Molecules not attracted to water.

Carbohydrates

Contain C, H, O; H:O ratio of 2:1; main building blocks are monosaccharides.

Monosaccharide

Simple sugar (e.g., glucose, fructose).

Disaccharide

Two sugars (e.g., sucrose, lactose).

Polysaccharide

Many sugars; long chains of glucose (e.g., starch, glycogen, cellulose).

Glycogen

Main storage form of glucose in humans.

Starch

Polysaccharide found in plants; digestible by humans.

Cellulose

Polysaccharide in plants; not digestible by humans; provides fiber.

Functions of Carbohydrates

Provide energy; part of other biomolecules; fiber aids bulk.

Lipids

Contain C, H, O; lower O to C ratio than carbohydrates; insoluble in water.

Triglycerides

Most common fat; glycerol + three fatty acids; fatty acids 14–18 carbons.

Phospholipids

Polar head (phosphate) is water-loving; nonpolar tail is water-fearing; major cell membrane component.

Eicosanoids

Regulatory lipids derived from fatty acids (e.g., prostaglandins).

Steroids

Four-ring structure; cholesterol is a building block; part of cell membranes.

Amino Acids

Building blocks of proteins; 20 naturally occurring; 8 are essential.

Proteins

Contain C, H, O, N, sometimes S and P; regulate processes, transport, protection, structure.

Protein Structure (Primary to Quaternary)

Primary: linear amino acid sequence; Secondary: hydrogen bonds form beta-sheets/alpha-helices; Tertiary: 3D folding; Quaternary: multiple tertiary units.

Denaturation

Loss of protein shape and function due to heat or pH changes.

Nitrogenous Bases

Single-ring: T, C, U; Double-ring: A, G.

DNA

Double-helix with A–T and C–G pairing; stores genetic information.

RNA

Single-stranded; bases A, U, C, G.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

Energy currency of cells; energy stored in and released from phosphate bonds.