The Chemical Building Blocks of Life

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts from the lecture on the chemical building blocks of life, focusing on biological molecules, their structures, and functions.

Macromolecules

Large biological molecules including nucleic acids, proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Monomer

Small, similar chemical subunits that link together to form polymers.

Polymer

Long molecules built by linking together similar chemical subunits called monomers.

Dehydration Synthesis

Formation of large molecules by the removal of water.

Hydrolysis

Breakdown of large molecules by the addition of water.

Isomer

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms.

Structural isomer

Isomers that differ in the arrangement of atoms.

Stereoisomer

Isomers that differ in the orientation of groups attached to the carbon skeleton.

Covalent bond

A type of strong chemical bond formed when two atoms share electrons.

Carbohydrates

Molecules with a 1:2:1 ratio of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; used for energy storage and structural support.

Functional groups

Specific molecular groups that influence the chemical behavior of a molecule.

Glycosidic Linkage

Covalent bond between two monosaccharides.

Monosaccharide

The simplest form of carbohydrate, consisting of one sugar molecule.

Disaccharide

Carbohydrate formed from two monosaccharides linked by a glycosidic bond.

Polysaccharide

Long chains of monosaccharides linked through dehydration synthesis.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that provides structural support in plant cell walls and cannot be broken down by most organisms.

Carbon

Element that forms the framework for biological molecules and can form up to four covalent bonds.

Hydrocarbons

Molecules consisting exclusively of carbon and hydrogen, typically nonpolar.