Biology Notes on Osmosis, Tonicity, Membrane Structure, and Macromolecules

These flashcards cover key concepts on osmosis, tonicity, membrane structure, and macromolecules that are essential for understanding cell biology.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration.

Tonicity

The ability of a solution to cause a cell to gain or lose water based on the concentration of solutes in the solution.

Isotonic

A solution with the same concentration of solutes as the inside of a cell, leading to no net water movement.

Hypertonic

A solution with a higher concentration of solutes outside the cell, causing water to move out of the cell.

Hypotonic

A solution with a lower concentration of solutes outside the cell, causing water to move into the cell.

Passive Transport

The movement of substances across a cell membrane without the use of energy, relying on concentration gradients.

Diffusion

The process by which solutes spread from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Macromolecules

Large complex molecules including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids, composed of smaller units called monomers.

Hydrophilic

Substances that interact well with water; often polar molecules.

Hydrophobic

Substances that repel water; typically non-polar molecules.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.

Hydrolysis

The chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water, breaking down polymers into monomers.

Glycolipids

Lipids with carbohydrate chains attached, important for cell recognition.

Phospholipids

Molecules that form the bilayer of cell membranes, composed of two fatty acids and a phosphate group.

Nucleic Acids

Biopolymers essential for all known forms of life, including DNA and RNA, made up of nucleotides.

Electronegativity

The tendency of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond, leading to the formation of polar and non-polar molecules.