Module 1: Matter & Energy Govern the Properties of Life

matter

anything that has mass and takes up space (gas, liquid, solid)

molecule

a chemical made up of two or more atoms

organic molecules

biological molecules that contain carbon (usually bonded to a hydrogen)

carbon cycle

an intricately linked network of geological and biological processes that shuttles carbon among rocks, soil, ocean, air, and organisms

organic molecules

biological molecules that contain carbon

matter ___, energy ___

cycles, flows

atomic number

number of protons in an atom

atomic mass

number of protons and neutrons in an atom

element

a chemical that cannot be further broken down by the methods of chemistry

isotopes

atoms of the same element that have different numbers of neutrons

ions

electrically charged atoms (have gained/lost one or more electrons)

energy level/electron shell

the area in space where electrons circle around the nucleus

valence electrons

the electrons in an element’s outermost energy level

chemical bond

a type of attraction between atoms that holds them together

covalent bond

a pair of electrons are shared between the two atoms

electronegativity

the ability of atoms to attract electrons to themselves

polar covalent bond

electrons are shared unequally between two atoms

nonpolar covalent bond

electrons are shared equally between two atoms

ionic bond

two ions with opposite electrical charges associate with each other because of the differences in charge

chemical reaction

a process by which atoms or molecules are transformed into different molecules

polymers

long chains built from monomers

monomers

smaller repeating subunits that make up polymers

proteins

organic molecules that do much of the cell’s work

amino acids

the repeating subunits that make up proteins

nucleic acids

responsible for encoding and transmitting genetic information

two types of nucleic acid

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid)

nucleotides

the repeating subunits that make up nucleotides

DNA

the genetic material in all organisms

carbohydrates

organic molecules that store energy in their chemical bonds

monosaccharides

the repeating subunits that make up carbohydrates

lipids

organic molecules that are hydrophobic

hydrophobic

“water fearing” - nonpolar molecules that don’t dissolve in water (tend to associate with other lipids and minimize their contact with water)

hydrophilic

“water loving” - polar molecules that readily associate with and dissolve in water