Biological Molecules and Chemical Reactions Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary terms from the lecture notes covering biological macromolecules, energy molecules, and metabolic chemical reactions.

Dehydration Synthesis Reaction

A chemical reaction that builds larger molecules by removing a molecule of water.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A chemical reaction that breaks down a large molecule into smaller parts by adding water.

Organic Molecule

A carbon-based molecule that serves as a building block of living things.

Functional group

A specific cluster of atoms on a molecule that gives it distinct chemical properties and behaviors.

Monosaccharide

A single sugar molecule; the simplest building block of carbohydrates (e.g., glucose).

Disaccharide

A sugar molecule made of two monosaccharides linked together (e.g., table sugar).

Polysaccharide

A complex carbohydrate made of a long chain of many sugar molecules (e.g., starch or cellulose).

Fatty Acid

A long chain of carbon and hydrogen atoms that acts as a building block for most fats and lipids.

Phospholipid

A type of lipid that makes up cell membranes, featuring a "water-loving" head and a "water-fearing" tail.

Triglyceride

A type of fat found in your blood (often stored for long-term energy).

ATP

The primary "energy currency" molecule that powers activities inside a cell.

ADP

The lower-energy molecule left over after ATP releases its energy (like an uncharged battery).

RNA

A single-stranded molecule that carries genetic instructions from DNA to help build proteins.

DNA

A double-stranded molecule that stores the genetic blueprint for an organism.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of DNA and RNA, made of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogen base.

Denature

When a protein loses its natural folded shape and stops working properly, usually due to extreme heat or changes in pH.

Amino Acid

Organic molecules that link together in chains to form proteins.

Protein

A large, complex molecule made of folded chains of amino acids that performs most of the important functions in a cell.

Hydrophobic

"Water-fearing"; substances that repel or do not mix with water (like oil).

Hydrophilic

"Water-loving"; substances that easily mix with or dissolve in water (like salt or sugar).