Unit 01: Organic Compounds - Key Vocabulary

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering biogeochemical cycles and organic chemistry terms from the notes.

Water cycle

Movement of water across the earth and atmosphere in liquid, gas, and solid forms.

Carbon cycle

Movement of carbon in various forms through nature; plants remove carbon via photosynthesis and respiration releases carbon back into the atmosphere.

Nitrogen cycle

Movement of nitrogen through living and non-living systems on Earth; bacteria and lightning fix atmospheric nitrogen into usable forms for nucleic acids and proteins.

Phosphorus cycle

Slow movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere; phosphorus does not enter the atmosphere and is important for nucleic acids and ATP.

Atom

The most basic unit of all matter.

Element

Pure substances that consist entirely of one type of atom and cannot be broken down by chemical means.

Periodic Table of Elements

A systematic arrangement of elements (example: carbon) used to categorize elements.

Proton

Positively charged (+) particles inside the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

Particles that carry no charge (0) and are found inside the nucleus of an atom.

Electron

Negatively charged (-) particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.

Atomic nucleus

Location in an atom where the protons and neutrons are held.

Electron shell/cloud

Location in an atom where the electrons are held; innermost shell holds 2 electrons and outer shells hold 8; atoms are not stable unless the outermost shell is filled.

Valence electron

Outermost electrons that participate in bonding.

Molecule

Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.

Compound

Substance formed by the combination of two or more different elements bonded together in definite proportions.

Covalent bond

A bond in which one or more electrons are shared between two or more atoms.

Ionic bond

A bond in which electrons are transferred from one atom to another.

Hydrogen bond

An attraction between a slightly positive hydrogen atom and an electronegative atom; occurs between water molecules.

Reactant

Substance changed during a chemical reaction; what goes into the reaction.

Product

Substance created by a chemical reaction; what comes out of the reaction.

Chemical reaction

A process that changes one set of chemicals into another, while conserving matter and energy; nothing is created or destroyed.

Activation energy

Amount of energy that needs to be absorbed for a chemical reaction to start.

Hydrolysis reaction

Reaction that uses water to break molecules apart.

Dehydration reaction

Reaction that removes a water molecule to join molecules together.

Solvent

Substance that dissolves the solute.

Solute

A substance that is dissolved by a solvent.

Adhesion

The attractive force between molecules of different substances; water attracting to other substances.

Cohesion

The attractive force between molecules of the same substance; water molecules attract to other water molecules due to polarity.

Surface tension

The force that acts on the surface of a liquid as a result of cohesion.

Capillary action

The tendency of water to rise in a hollow tube due to the attraction of the surface of a liquid to the surface of a solid; used by plants to bring water up from roots.

Polar molecule (polarity)

A molecule with a difference in electronegativity due to unequal pull of electrons between atoms.

Nonpolar molecule

A molecule in which the atoms share electrons equally.

High specific heat

The ability of water to resist changes in temperature; requires energy to break hydrogen bonds between water molecules.

Universal solvent

A substance that dissolves most substances; water is polar and dissolves other polar molecules and ionic compounds.

Homeostasis

The process of maintaining stable and balanced internal conditions for living organisms.

Vitamin

An organic molecule that works with enzymes to regulate cell function, growth, and development.

Mineral

A naturally occurring inorganic material essential to the nutrition of an organism.

Water Molecule (H2O)

A molecule needed for building and breaking down biological molecules.

Carbon Atom

An atom used to build carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Nitrogen Atom

An atom used to build proteins and nucleic acids.

Phosphorus Atom

An atom used to build nucleic acids, ATP, and is necessary in the construction of cell membranes.

Organic compounds

Compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Inorganic compounds

Compounds that do NOT contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Monomer

A small carbon unit that can join together with other small carbon units to form a polymer.

Polymer

A large compound formed from combinations of many monomers joined together.

Monosaccharide

The most basic type of carbohydrate, a single sugar molecule.

Glycerol/fatty acid

Monomer components of lipids.

Amino acid

One of 20 different organic molecules that become the monomer of protein; contains a central carbon, an amino group, and a carboxyl group.

Nucleotide

Monomer of nucleic acids made up of a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group, and a nitrogenous base.

Carbohydrate

Organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio; primary energy source; includes sugars and starches.

Disaccharide

Two sugar molecules joined together through a dehydration reaction (example: sucrose).

Polysaccharide

Many monosaccharides joined together through a dehydration reaction.

Glucose

Monosaccharide made by plants during photosynthesis.

Fructose

Monosaccharide found in fruits.

Starch

Polysaccharide made by plants that can be broken down as an energy source.

Cellulose

Polysaccharide found in plant cell walls; provides structure and dietary fiber.

Glycogen

Polysaccharide made by animals to store energy.

Lipid

Organic compound composed mainly of carbon and hydrogen; nonpolar and insoluble in water; includes fats, oils, waxes, and steroids; phospholipids are key in cell membranes.

Saturated fat

Fats with many hydrogen atoms and only single carbon–carbon bonds.

Unsaturated fat

Fats with fewer hydrogen atoms and at least one carbon–carbon double bond.

Cholesterol

Lipid with a ring structure; important component of cell membranes and hormones.

Triglyceride

Lipids that contain three fatty acids bonded to glycerol.

Protein

Organic compound made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen; built from amino acids; proteins fold into specific shapes to perform functions.

Polypeptide

Chain of amino acids joined together.

Peptide bond

Bond formed after a dehydration reaction that links amino acids.

Nucleic acid

Organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus; carries genetic information.

RNA (Ribonucleic acid)

A type of nucleic acid that transmits genetic information through protein synthesis; contains adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid)

A type of nucleic acid that stores genetic information; contains adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine.

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering the activation energy.

Lock and key model

A model explaining how enzymes and substrates are specific and complementary to each other.

Active site

The specific site on an enzyme where a substrate binds.

Substrate

Substance acted upon by an enzyme.

Enzyme-substrate complex

The molecule formed when an enzyme binds with the substrate.

Denature

To change the shape and functionality of a protein due to changes in pH, temperature, or salinity.