Introduction to Chemical Reactions and Metabolism

Vocabulary flashcards covering chemical reaction types, metabolism, reactants, and products based on the lecture transcript.

Reactants

The starting point or starting materials in a chemical reaction.

Products

The end result produced by a chemical reaction.

Metabolism

The sum of all the chemical reactions occurring in your body.

Decomposition reaction

A chemical reaction where things break down into smaller parts, also known as a catabolic reaction.

Catabolic reaction

A reaction where materials fall apart or break down into smaller products, synonymous with a decomposition reaction.

Synthesis reaction

A reaction where new bonds are built to create a new molecule out of smaller parts, also known as an anabolic reaction.

Anabolic reaction

A reaction that builds up something larger by synthesizing new bonds, synonymous with a synthesis reaction.

Exchange reaction

A reaction where components switch between bonds and rearrange into different products while keeping the same individual components.

Reversible reaction

A back-and-forth reaction that can go both ways, constantly forming and breaking bonds.

Double arrow

The symbol used in chemical notation to show that a reaction is reversible and can go either way.