Unit 2 - Molecules of Life (HBio)

Amino acid

The building blocks of proteins, consisting of an amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain.

Carbohydrate

Organic compounds made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually with a hydrogen to oxygen atom ratio of 2:1.

Cellulose

A polysaccharide that forms the cell wall of plants and is used for structural support.

Chitin

A structural polysaccharide that forms the exoskeleton of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.

Cholesterol

A type of lipid that is a key component of cell membranes and a precursor to steroid hormones; can also cause health issues if it builds up in arteries.

Dehydration reaction

A chemical reaction that involves the removal of water to form a bond between molecules.

Denaturation

The process in which proteins lose their structure and function due to external stress or compounds.

Deoxyribose

A sugar molecule that is a component of DNA.

Disaccharide

A carbohydrate formed by the combination of two monosaccharides.

Fat

A type of lipid that is used by the body for energy storage and insulation.

Fatty acid

A carboxylic acid with a long aliphatic tail, which can be saturated or unsaturated.

Glucose

A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms.

Glycerol

A three-carbon molecule that forms the backbone of triglycerides and phospholipids.

Glycogen

An energy storage polysaccharide found in animals, consisting of glucose units.

Hydrocarbon

Compounds composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon, typically used as fuels.

Hydrolysis reaction

A chemical process that splits a molecule by the addition of water.

Hydrophilic

Molecules that are attracted to water, often polar or charged.

Hydrophobic

Molecules that repel water, often nonpolar.

Inorganic molecule

A compound that does not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Insoluble

Substances that do not dissolve in a solvent.

Lipid

A diverse group of hydrophobic molecules including fats, oils, and steroids.

Macromolecule

Large complex molecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

Monomer

A small molecule that can join together to form larger molecules (polymers).

Monosaccharide

The simplest form of carbohydrates, consisting of single sugar units.

Nitrogenous base

Components of nucleotides in DNA and RNA, including adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine.

Nonpolar

Molecules that do not have a charge, and do not mix well with water.

Nucleotide

The basic building block of nucleic acids, composed of a sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogenous base.

Organic molecule

Molecules that contain carbon and are found in living organisms.

Phosphate group

A functional group consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms, crucial in DNA and energy transfer.

Phospholipid

A type of lipid that forms the cell membrane, containing hydrophilic heads and hydrophobic tails.

Polar

Molecules that have a charge distribution, making them soluble in water.

Polypeptide

A chain of amino acids linked by peptide bonds, which folds into a functional protein.

Polysaccharide

Carbohydrates composed of long chains of monosaccharides.

Primary structure

The sequence of amino acids in a protein, defining its unique characteristics.

Protein

Large biomolecules made up of one or more long chains of amino acid residues, essential for structure and function.

Ribose

A five-carbon sugar that is a component of RNA.

Saturated fatty acid

Fatty acids that do not contain double bonds between carbon atoms.

Soluble

Substances that can dissolve in a solvent.

Starch

A storage polysaccharide in plants, composed of glucose monomers.

Trans fat

A type of unsaturated fat that has been partially hydrogenated, known to impact health negatively.

Triglyceride

A type of fat formed from glycerol and three fatty acids, used for energy storage.

Unsaturated fatty acid

Fatty acids that contain one or more double bonds between carbon atoms.