11TH GRADE AP BIOLOGY - Unit 1 ___ Notes

Water

Essential for all life, composed of H2O with unique properties due to hydrogen bonding.

Hydrogen Bond

A connection between water molecules that contributes to water's unique properties.

Polarity

Water is polar, meaning it has a partial positive charge on one side and a partial negative charge on the other.

Hydrophilic

Substances that interact with and dissolve in water.

Hydrophobic

Substances that do not interact with or dissolve in water.

Meniscus

The curved surface of water in a container, caused by adhesion to the container.

Cohesion

The attraction of water molecules to each other, leading to surface tension.

Capillary Action

The movement of water within porous materials due to adhesion, cohesion, and surface tension.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius; water has a high specific heat.

Heat of Vaporization

The energy needed to convert one gram of liquid into gas at constant temperature; water requires a lot of heat for this process.

Solute

A substance that can dissolve in a solvent, such as water.

Solidification

The process where water molecules form a crystal structure when temperatures drop, resulting in ice being less dense than liquid water.

Atom

The most basic unit of an element, composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Proton

A positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom that defines the element's atomic number.

Neutron

A neutral particle in the nucleus of an atom that can vary in number.

Electron

A negatively charged particle that orbits the nucleus and can change in number.

Carbon

An essential element for life, forming the backbone of important molecules like proteins and DNA.

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outer shell of an atom that participate in chemical reactions.

Functional Groups

Specific groups of atoms within molecules that determine the molecule's properties and reactivity.

Amino Acids

The building blocks of proteins, composed of C, H, O, N, and sometimes P.

ATP

A molecule that stores and releases energy in cells, essential for life.

Ionic Bonding

The attraction between oppositely charged ions, resulting from electron transfer.

Covalent Bonding

The sharing of electrons between two atoms, which can be polar or nonpolar.

Macromolecules

Large molecules essential for life, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Polymer

A long chain of monomers that form macromolecules.

Dehydration Synthesis

A reaction where two monomers bond, releasing a water molecule.

Hydrolysis Reaction

A reaction where a bond is broken with the addition of a water molecule.

Enzyme

A catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions, including dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis.