Matter & Energy Vocabulary Terms

Amino Acids

Amino Acids

The building block of proteins

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

An organic compound produced by respiration and used as a source of usable energy.

Biochemical Process

A chemical reaction (either breakdown or synthesis) that occurs in living organisms.

Building block/subunit

A small molecule used to build a larger one.

Cell respiration

The process that creates ATP using nutrients like glucose.

Chemical bonds

A force that holds atoms together to form molecules. This is the part of the molecule that stores energy.

Chemical Energy

Energy stored in the bonds of molecules. It can be released or absorbed during chemical reactions.

Chemical Reaction

Process which rearranges the atoms in molecules to form new molecules.

Chloroplast

This cell structure is the site of photosynthesis.

Chromatography

A lab technique used to separate molecules in a liquid mixture.

Digestion/Break down

Process which breaks apart larger molecules into smaller ones.

Element

The simplest type of substance. It consists of one type of atom with all the same properties. (i.e. oxygen, carbon, nitrogen).

Energy

The ability to do work and produce change.

Enzymes

A biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions in all cells.

Fat

Large organic molecule used for insulation. Contains a large amount of energy due to its large number of chemical bonds.

Glucose/simple sugar

An energy rich compound that is the building block of starch. It is converted to APT during cellular respiration.

Inorganic molecules

A molecules that does NOT contain BOTH carbon & hydrogen.

Matter

All things in the universe that are not energy. It has mass and takes up space.

Mitochondria

This cell structure is the site of cellular respiration.

Molecule/compound/substance

A substance consisting of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

Nutrient

A substance obtained by either photosynthesis or digestion that provide the body with materials necessary to carry out the cell’s basic processes.

Organic molecule

A molecules that contains BOTH carbon and hydrogen.

pH

A measure of relative acidity. An internal environmental factor that influences enzyme action.

Photosynthesis

The process that creates glucose using the energy of the sun.

Products

Substances made in chemical reactions.

Protein

An organic compound whose building block is amino acids. They make up parts of the body/cell and carry out activities of the body/cell.

Raw materials

Substances used up in a chemical reaction.

Solar energy

Radiant energy transmitted by the sun. used in the process of photosynthesis.

Starch

Large organic molecule made of simple sugars.

Substrate/reactant

A substance that an enzyme changes

Synthesis

A life process that involves combining simple substances into more complex substances.