Introductory Chemistry for Anatomy and Physiology

These flashcards provide a comprehensive review of atomic structure, chemical bonding, metabolism, and the relationship between chemistry and human physiology based on the lecture notes.

Chemistry

The study of an atomic structure and atomic reactions.

Atom

The smallest stable unit of matter in our body.

Protons

Positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles that have no charge and add mass to the atom; found in the nucleus.

Atomic number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Atomic mass

The total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Isotope

An element that has the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Electrons

Negatively charged subatomic particles found orbiting or circling the nucleus in shells or energy levels.

Nucleus

The central part of an atom containing protons and neutrons.

Electron shells

Also called orbits or energy levels, these are the areas outside the nucleus where electrons are found.

Innermost orbit

The electron shell closest to the nucleus which can hold a maximum of 2 electrons.

Second through eighteenth orbits

Subsequent energy levels that carry a maximum of 8 electrons each.

Valence electrons

Electrons found in the outermost shell that are responsible for chemical bond formation.

Octet rule

The principle that atoms will gain, lose, or share electrons to fill their outermost shell to become stable.

Stable atom

An atom whose outermost electron shell is completely filled; it does not tend to enter chemical reactions.

Unstable atom

An atom with an unfilled outer shell; these participate in chemical reactions and are most important to biology.

Element

A substance composed of only one type of atom that cannot be broken down into simpler substances in chemical reactions.

Trace elements

Chemical elements required by living organisms in very small amounts, such as copper, zinc, and selenium.

$$Carbon\,14$$

A radioactive isotope with 6 protons and 8 neutrons.

Radioactive isotope

An unstable isotope that emits radiation as it breaks down.

Radioactive decay

The process through which radioactive isotopes break down.

Oxygen

The most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Carbon

The second most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Hydrogen

The third most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Nitrogen

The fourth most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Calcium

The fifth most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Phosphorus

The sixth most abundant element in the body by total body weight percentage.

Potassium

An important element found in the body, listed after phosphorus in descending order of body weight percentage.

Chemical bonds

Attractions that hold atoms together to form molecules and compounds.

Ionic bond

An electromagnetic attraction between atoms where one atom loses an electron and becomes positively charged while another gains an electron and becomes negatively charged.

Anions

Negatively charged atoms that have gained an electron.

Cations

Positively charged atoms that have lost electrons.

Ion

An atom that has a charge through the loss or gain of electrons.

Sodium Chloride ($NaCl$)

A compound formed by an ionic bond between a positively charged sodium ion ($Na^+$) and a negatively charged chloride ion ($Cl^-$).

Covalent bond

The strongest type of chemical bond, formed when electrons are shared between atoms.

Nonpolar covalent bond

A bond between two atoms where each atom shares electrons equally.

Polar covalent bond

A bond in which one of the atoms has a stronger pull for the shared electrons than the other.

Water molecule ($H_2O$)

An example of a polar covalent bond where the oxygen side is more negative and the hydrogen side is more positive.

Hydrogen bond

The weakest chemical bond, occurring between the slightly positive region of one hydrogen and the slightly negative region of another atom, often seen between water molecules.

Free radicals

Highly reactive atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons in their outer shell that cause damage to cell membranes.

Antioxidants

Substances that bind to free radicals to prevent them from doing damage to cells.

Surface tension

A property created by hydrogen bonding between water molecules that allows objects like paper clips to float.

Physiology

The study of how the body, including cells, tissues, and organs, functions.

Metabolism

The sum total of all chemical reactions occurring in the body.

Homeostasis

A state of chemical and thermal balance maintained through chemical reactions.

Anabolic reactions

Building or synthesis reactions that use energy to create larger structures.

Catabolic reactions

Breakdown or decomposition reactions that release energy by breaking chemical bonds.

Reactants

The starting substances in a chemical reaction, often listed to the left of the arrow in an equation.

Products

The substances resulting from a chemical reaction, listed to the right of the arrow in an equation.

Balanced equation

A chemical equation where the number and type of atoms in the reactants are exactly equal to those in the products.

ATP

The form of energy used in the body, produced during reactions like the breakdown of glucose.

Enzyme

A protein produced by cells to initiate specific chemical reactions and decrease the amount of activation energy needed.

Exergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that results in a net release of energy.

Endergonic reaction

A chemical reaction that absorbs or uses energy.

Activation energy

The amount of energy needed to get a chemical reaction started.

Levels of Organization

The hierarchical structure from atoms to molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, and the organism.

Cell

The smallest living subunit of organization.

Subatomic particles

The three components of an atom: protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Energy levels

An alternative term for electron shells or orbits surrounding the nucleus.

Orbit

A term used interchangeably with shell or energy level to describe the location of electrons.

Metallic bond

A fourth kind of bond mentioned as existing in chemistry classes but not covered in detail for biology.

Velcro analogy

A comparison used to describe the relatively weak nature of hydrogen bonds.

Broken line

The graphical representation used to demonstrate a weak hydrogen bond in molecular diagrams.

Initiate

To get a specific chemical reaction started, which is the role of an enzyme.

Specificity

The characteristic of enzymes that allows them to start only very unique and unique chemical reactions.

Growth, maintenance, and repair

Specific body functions that depend on chemistry and interactions between atoms.

Muscle contraction

A physiological function that relies on chemical reactions for energy and execution.

Electrical impulses

Signals generated in the body through chemical processes.

Secretions

The release of substances by cells, which is a process dependent on chemistry.

Transport

The movement of substances in the body, which is a physiological function driven by chemistry.

Copper

A specific trace element required by living organisms in small amounts.

Zinc

A trace element necessary for life mentioned alongside copper.

Selenium

A trace element required for biological function in minimal quantities.

Reference element

An element used as a standard for comparison, such as carbon with 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

Radioactive waste

The residue left behind after the breakdown of radioactive isotopes.

Carbon-12

The reference element for isotopes of carbon, containing 6 protons and 6 neutrons.

$$H_2$$

The stable molecular form of hydrogen where two atoms share electrons.

$$O_2$$

The molecular form of oxygen where two atoms share two electrons to fill their outer shells.

Polarity

The distribution of electrical charge over a molecule, as seen in the partial charges of a water molecule.

Oxygen side of water

The more negatively charged region of a polar water molecule due to oxygen's stronger pull on electrons.

Hydrogen side of water

The more positively charged region of a polar water molecule.

$$C_6H_{12}O_6$$

The chemical formula for glucose, a reactant that provides energy when reacted with oxygen.

Glucose reactant molarity

The specific reactant in the balanced equation: 1 mole of $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Oxygen reactant molarity

The specific reactant in the balanced equation: 6 moles of oxygen ($6\,O_2$).

Water product molarity

One of the results of glucose metabolism: 6 moles of water ($6\,H_2O$).

Carbon dioxide product molarity

One of the results of glucose metabolism: 6 moles of carbon dioxide ($6\,CO_2$).

Direction of reaction

Represented by an arrow; reactants are on the left and products are on the right in one-way reactions.

Catastrophe mnemonic

A memory aid for catabolic reactions: think 'catastrophe' where everything is falling apart or breaking down.

Anabolic steroids mnemonic

A memory aid for anabolic reactions: think of steroids making someone bigger through building.

Net release of energy

Occurs when the energy released is greater than the activation energy needed for a reaction.

Absorption of energy

Occurs when the energy needed to start a reaction is greater than the energy released at the end.

Ingredients and Cake analogy

A comparison where reactants are ingredients and the product is the cake.

Atomic interactions

The fundamental cause of physiology and the functioning of cells and tissues.

Molecules

Formed by the attraction of atoms to each other through chemical bonding.

Compounds

Substances formed from the chemical interaction of different types of atoms.

Smallest living subunit

Defined in earlier lectures as the cell.

Smallest unit of matter

Defined as the atom.

Decending order of elements

The ranking of important body elements from highest percentage of body weight to lowest.

Intertwined biology and chemistry

The concept that the way the body functions cannot be separated from chemical reactions.