AP Biology Module 3 Vocabulary

Functional Group

A group of one or more atoms that has a particular chemical property on its own, regardless of what it is attached to.

Ribose

A pentose sugar commonly found in RNA

Deoxyribose

The pentose sugar component of DNA

Disaccharide

Two simple sugars joined by a covalent bond; an example is sucrose.

Polysaccharide

A polymer of simple sugars. They provide long-term energy storage or structural support.

Complex Carbohydrate

A long, branched chain of monosaccharides.

Cell Membrane/Plasma Membrane

The membrane that surrounds the cytoplasm of the cell, separating the inside of the cell from the outside of the cell

Triacylglyceral

A lipid composed of a glycerol backbone and three fatty acids

Glycerol

A 3-carbon molecule with hydroxyl groups attached to each carbon; a component of triacylglycerol

Fatty acid

A long chain of carbons attached to a carboxyl group; three chains attached to glycerol form a triacylglycerol, a lipid used for energy storage.

Saturated

Describes fatty acids that do not contain double bonds; the maximum number of hydrogen atoms is attached to each carbon atom, filling the carbons with hydrogen atoms.

Unsaturated

Describes fatty acids that contain carbon-carbon double bonds.

Van der Waal force

An interaction of temporary polarized molecules because of the attraction of opposite charges

Steroid

A type of lipid; the precursor molecule for cholesterol and steroid hormones.

Phospholipid

A type of lipid and major component of the cell membrane