Fundamentals of Biochemistry (CHY1025) - Unit 1: Introduction to Chemistry and Biochemistry

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Unit 1: Introduction to Chemistry and Biochemistry, including fundamental concepts in atoms, bonding, acids and bases, reactions, nomenclature, and biomolecules.

Biochemistry

The branch of science that studies chemical processes in living organisms, including organic chemistry, REDOX reactions, and enzymatic reactions.

Atom

The basic building block of matter; the smallest unit of an element.

Nucleus

The positively charged center of an atom that contains protons and neutrons.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle located in the nucleus.

Neutron

An electrically neutral subatomic particle located in the nucleus.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, giving different atomic masses.

Atomic theory

The idea that matter is composed of atoms, elements differ by atom types, compounds form from atoms in fixed ratios, and reactions rearrange atoms but do not alter them.

Periodic table

A tabular arrangement of elements organized by similar properties and increasing atomic number.

Element

A substance consisting of atoms with the same number of protons; cannot be broken down into simpler substances by chemical means.

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed by sharing electrons between atoms, usually between nonmetals.

Ionic bond

A bond formed by transfer of electrons between a metal and a nonmetal, creating oppositely charged ions.

Metallic bond

A bond in metals where electrons are delocalized, forming a 'sea of electrons' around positive ions.

Functional group

A specific group of atoms within a molecule that determines its characteristic properties and reactivity (examples include alcohols, amines, carboxyls, ketones, ethers).

Biomolecule

A molecule essential to life, such as carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Macromolecule

A large biomolecule built from long chains (polymers) of monomers, e.g., proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, lipids.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules consisting of sugars and their polymers; major energy source; glucose is a key simple sugar.

Lipids

A diverse group including triglycerides, phospholipids, steroids; energy storage and membrane structure; prostaglandins are a notable class.

Proteins

Biomolecules made of amino acids; perform structural, enzymatic, and signaling roles; typically built from 20 amino acids.

Nucleic acids

Macromolecules made of nucleotides; include DNA and RNA involved in genetic information and protein synthesis.

Water polarity

Water’s unequal electron distribution makes it polar, with a partial negative on oxygen and partial positive on hydrogens.

pH

A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is, defined as the negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration (-log[H+]).

Acid

A substance that dissociates to release H+ ions in water, lowering pH.

Base

A substance that dissociates to produce OH- ions in water, raising pH.

Chemical reaction

A process in which bonds are broken and new bonds form, transforming reactants into products.

Reactants

Substances that react at the start of a chemical reaction.

Products

Substances formed as the result of a chemical reaction.

Balancing chemical equations

Ensuring the same number and type of atoms appear on both sides of the equation, reflecting conservation of matter.

IUPAC nomenclature

A standardized system for naming chemical substances based on fixed rules.

Binary ionic compounds

Compounds formed from a metal cation and a nonmetal anion; named with the cation first and the anion second (cation often ends with -ium; anion ends with -ide).

Covalent binary compounds

Compounds formed by sharing electrons; prefixes denote the number of atoms; the element with more metallic character is named first.

Polyatomic ions

Ions made of two or more atoms with a net charge (e.g., ammonium NH4+, sulfate SO4^2-, carbonate CO3^2-, hydroxide OH-).

Organic compound naming

Names consist of prefixes, a parent hydrocarbon, and a suffix indicating the functional family (e.g., -ane for alkanes, -ol for alcohols).

Alkanes (prefixes)

Saturated hydrocarbons named by carbon count: methane, ethane, propane, butane, pentane, etc.

Alkyl prefixes

Substituent fragments added to the parent name with -yl endings (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl).

Cycloalkanes/cyclic compounds

Cyclic naming rules determine whether the ring is the parent or a substituent; numbering aims for the lowest set of locants.

Alcohols naming

Alcohols are named with the suffix -ol; choose the longest chain containing the OH group and number to give the lowest locant for the OH-bearing carbon.

Aldehydes

Named with the suffix -al; the carbonyl carbon is designated C-1 in the parent chain.

Ketones

Named with the suffix -one; carbonyl carbon receives the lowest possible number.

Carboxylic acids

Named with the suffix -oic acid; the carboxyl carbon is C-1 in the parent chain.

Functional group priority

In naming, higher-priority suffixes (e.g., carboxylic acids) determine the parent and numbering order over lower-priority groups.

Amines

Organic compounds with the -amine suffix; examples include methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine.

Nucleic acids

Long chains of nucleotides; DNA and RNA; RNA types include mRNA, rRNA, and tRNA.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in the cell, including catabolic and anabolic pathways, driven by enzymes and energy sources like carbohydrates.

Anabolism

Metabolic processes that build larger macromolecules from smaller units, using energy.

Catabolism

Metabolic processes that break down macromolecules to release energy.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate; the primary energy currency of the cell.