AP Biology Unit 3 - Cellular Energetics Vocabulary

activation energy

minimum energy required for a process or reaction to occur

substrate

molecule acted upon by an enzyme

hydrolysis

a chemical reaction in which water is used to break down a compound; this is achieved by breaking a covalent bond in the compound by inserting a water molecule across the bond

active site

area of the enzyme that binds to a substrate

inhibitor (chemical)

a substance that slows down or prevents a particular chemical reaction or other process or which reduces the activity of a particular reactant, catalyst, or enzyme

denatured

destroying the characteristic properties of a protein or other biological macromolecule by heat, acidity, or other effects that disrupt its molecular conformation

ATP

carries energy within cells (adenosine triphosphate)

plant pigments

molecules that absorb light at different wavelengths and give plants their characteristic colors

enzyme-catalyzed reaction

chemical reaction that is sped up by an enzyme

trophic levels

food chain of an ecosystem

null hypothesis

a statement that proposes that there is no relationship between two or more variables

byproduct (chemical)

a secondary product derived from a production process, manufacturing process or chemical reaction

metabolic process

chemical reactions that take place in the body to convert nutrients into energy

concentration gradient

when a solute is more concentrated in one area than another

negative control in experiments

a group that does not receive any treatment and should not show any change during the experiment

allosteric site

a site that allows molecules to either activate or inhibit (or turn off) enzyme activity