BSC1005 Non Major BC section 5

Broward College BSC1005 Section 5 Flashcards

What is matter?

Anything that occupies space and has mass.

What is an element?

A substance that cannot be broken down chemically into other substances.

What is an atom?

The smallest unit of an element that still retains the element’s chemical properties.

What three subatomic particles make up atoms?

Protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Where are protons and neutrons found? What charge do they have?

In the nucleus; protons are positive and neutrons are neutral.

Where are electrons located and what is their charge?

They move around the nucleus in energy levels and have a negative charge.

What determines the atomic number of an element?

The number of protons.

What determines the mass number of an atom?

The total number of protons plus neutrons.

What is an isotope?

Different forms of the same element with the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

What are valence electrons?

Electrons in the outermost shell that determine how an atom will react.

What is a molecule?

Two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

What is a compound?

A molecule made of atoms from different elements.

What is a chemical bond?

A force that holds atoms together.

What is a covalent bond?

A bond formed when atoms share electrons.

What is an ionic bond?

A bond formed when one atom transfers electrons to another.

Why do elements in the same column of the periodic table behave similarly?

They have the same number of valence electrons.

What is polarity?

Unequal sharing of electrons that leads to partial charges on a molecule.

Why is water a polar molecule?

Oxygen pulls electrons closer than hydrogen, creating partial charges.

What does hydrophilic mean?

Attracted to water.

What does hydrophobic mean?

Repelled by water.

What is cohesion?

The attraction between water molecules.

What is adhesion?

The attraction between water and other substances.

What is surface tension?

The tight surface layer formed by cohesive forces among water molecules.

What is capillary action?

The movement of water through narrow spaces due to cohesion and adhesion.

Why does water have a high specific heat?

Hydrogen bonds allow it to absorb or release large amounts of heat with little temperature change.

Why is high heat of vaporization important?

It allows evaporation, like sweating, to cool surfaces.

Why is water called the universal solvent?

Because it can dissolve many different substances.

What is an acid?

A substance that increases hydrogen ion concentration.

What is a base?

A substance that decreases hydrogen ion concentration.

What is the pH scale?

A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is.

What is neutral pH?

pH 7.

What is an organic molecule?

A carbon-containing molecule associated with life.

What is a macromolecule?

A large molecule built from smaller subunits.

What is a monomer?

A small building block molecule.

What is a polymer?

A large molecule made of repeating monomers.

What is dehydration synthesis?

A reaction that builds polymers by removing water.

What is hydrolysis?

A reaction that breaks polymers by adding water.

What are carbohydrates mainly used for?

Energy storage and structural support.

What is a monosaccharide?

A simple sugar and the monomer of carbohydrates.

What is a polysaccharide?

A carbohydrate made of many sugar units.

What are lipids used for?

Long-term energy storage and building membranes.

What is a phospholipid?

A lipid that forms the structure of cell membranes.

What is the monomer of proteins?

Amino acids.

What do proteins do in cells?

They perform most cellular functions.

What is an enzyme?

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions.

What is the monomer of nucleic acids?

Nucleotides.

What does DNA do?

Stores hereditary information.

What does RNA do?

Helps in making proteins.

Why is protein shape important?

The shape determines the function.

How do molecular machines inside cells work?

Proteins change shape to move materials and perform tasks.