The Chemistry of Living Things

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to matter, energy, changes in substances, and chemical bonding from the lecture 'The Chemistry of Living Things'.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass.

Element

A pure substance made of only one kind of atom.

Atom

The building block of matter; the smallest possible particle of an element.

Electron

A sub-atomic particle with a negative charge.

Proton

A sub-atomic particle with a positive charge.

Neutron

A sub-atomic particle with no charge (neutral).

Energy

The ability to do work; especially in biology, the driver of the physical and chemical processes necessary for life.

Temperature

A measurement of the average kinetic energy of the particles within a substance.

Types of Energy

Includes Mechanical (kinetic and potential), Acoustic, Light, Thermal, Electrical, and Chemical energy.

Physical change

A change in a substance that does not change the identity of the substance (e.g., a change of form or state).

Chemical change

A change in a substance that causes it to change its chemical identity.

Law of Conservation (of matter & energy)

The amount of matter and energy in the universe never changes.

Bond

An electrostatic attraction that forms between atoms when they share or transfer electrons.

Compound

A pure substance made from two or more elements that are chemically combined.

Ionic Compounds

Compounds formed when atoms give away or receive valence electrons, transforming into oppositely charged ions that attract. Typically form between a metal and a nonmetal.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom gives away valence electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom receives valence electrons.

Covalent Compounds

Compounds formed when atoms share their valence electrons instead of donating them. Usually form between two nonmetals.

Molecule

A particle consisting of two or more atoms covalently bonded together.