Biochemisty Flashcards

chemical bonding

1
Q

How do compounds stick together?

A

Compounds stick together through chemical bonding, where atoms interact to form molecules.

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2
Q

What are the three main types of chemical bonds?

A

The three main types of chemical bonds are ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and hydrogen bonds.

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3
Q

What is an ionic bond, and provide an example?

A

In an ionic bond, electrons are transferred between atoms. For example, table salt (sodium chloride, NaCl) is formed through ionic bonding.

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4
Q

What happens during covalent bonding, and give an example?

A

Covalent bonding involves atoms sharing one or more electrons. An example is methane (CH4), where carbon and hydrogen atoms share electrons.

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5
Q

Explain a hydrogen bond and provide an example.

A

Hydrogen bonds are weak, intermolecular bonds formed when the positive side of one polar molecule is attracted to the negative side of another polar molecule. Water (H2O) exhibits hydrogen bonding

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6
Q

Why is a hydrogen bond relatively weak?

A

Hydrogen bonds are relatively weak because they involve attractive forces between oppositely charged sides of molecules.

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7
Q

Diagram the polarity of a water molecule

A

A water molecule is polar, with the oxygen side having a slightly negative charge (red) and the hydrogen side having a slightly positive charge (blue)

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8
Q

How is a covalent bond different from an ionic bond?

A

In a covalent bond, atoms share electrons, whereas in an ionic bond, electrons are transferred from one atom to another.

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9
Q

When does covalent bonding occur, and how does it work?

A

Covalent bonding occurs when atoms share electrons, forming molecules held together by shared electron pairs.

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10
Q

Why do oxygen and hydrogen bond well?

A

Oxygen and hydrogen bond well because oxygen is slightly negative (red), and hydrogen is slightly positive (blue), leading to attraction between the opposite charges.

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11
Q

What is ionic bonding?

A

Ionic bonding involves the transfer of electrons between atoms, resulting in the formation of ions with opposite charges that are attracted to each other.

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12
Q

How does chlorine bond with sodium?

A

Chlorine bonds with sodium by accepting an electron from sodium, forming an ionic bond.

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13
Q

How many valence electrons does oxygen have?

A

Oxygen has 6 valence electrons.

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14
Q

What are the four main types of organic compounds that make up living things?

A

proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids.

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15
Q

What are the monomers used to make carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids?

A

Carbohydrates: Monosaccharides (simple sugars)
Proteins: Amino acids
Nucleic acids: Nucleotides

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16
Q

What are examples of lipids?

A

Examples of lipids include fats, oils, and waxes. Phospholipids are important components of cell membranes.

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17
Q

What are examples of proteins?

A

Examples of proteins include enzymes, antibodies, and muscle fibers. Proteins serve various functions in living organisms

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18
Q

Why is carbon valuable to organisms?

A

Carbon is valuable to organisms because of its unique ability to form diverse chemical bonds, allowing it to create complex organic molecules essential for life.

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19
Q

What function do both lipids and carbohydrates share, and how do they differ in this regard?

A

Both lipids and carbohydrates serve as energy storage molecules. Lipids store long-term energy, while carbohydrates store short-term energy.

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20
Q

How is the solubility of lipids different from the solubility of carbohydrates?

A

Lipids are generally insoluble in water (hydrophobic), while carbohydrates are soluble in water (hydrophilic).

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21
Q

What smaller units can proteins be broken down into?

A

Proteins can be broken down into smaller units called amino acids.

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22
Q

What two nucleic acids are used by organisms?

A

The two main nucleic acids used by organisms are DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA (ribonucleic acid).

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23
Q

what do bubbles in a beaker inducate?

A

Bubbles indicate the formation of vapor, signaling a chemical reaction.

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24
Q

How many chemical reactions occur in the cells of living organisms every second?

A

Thousands of chemical reactions occur every second in every cell of a living organism.

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25
Q

What are the smallest pieces that matter can be broken down into?

A

Matter can be broken down into elements, which are substances that cannot be further simplified.

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26
Q

What is an atom, and where is it found?

A

An atom is the smallest particle of matter with chemical properties of an element and is found in all matter.

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27
Q

What are the three main subatomic particles that make up an atom?

A

Protons, neutrons, and electrons are the three main subatomic particles in an atom.

28
Q

What determines the identity of an element?

A

The number of protons in an atom’s nucleus, known as its atomic number, determines its identity as an element.

29
Q

What are ions, and how are they depicted?

A

Ions are atoms that have gained or lost electrons, resulting in a positive (+) or negative (-) charge.

30
Q

What is the periodic table, and how is it organized?

A

The periodic table is an organization of elements based on their unique characteristics, such as atomic number, and is divided into groups and periods.

31
Q

What is a molecule, and can it contain different elements?

A

A molecule is a combination of two or more atoms, and it can contain different elements.

32
Q

What is a compound, and how does it differ from an element?

A

A compound is a combination of two or more different elements, and it has different properties from its constituent elements.

33
Q

What is a chemical reaction, and what are its components?

A

A chemical reaction is a process that forms or breaks bonds between atoms, with reactants combining to form products.

34
Q

What are cells primarily made of?

A

Cells are primarily made of compounds, which are in turn made of atoms.

35
Q

What is an element?

A

An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances with different properties.

36
Q

What is the difference between a molecule and a compound?

A

A molecule is any combination of two or more atoms, while a compound is a combination of two or more different elements.

37
Q

Describe the composition of an atom.

A

An atom consists of a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons in orbit.

38
Q

Who developed the periodic table?

A

The periodic table was developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869.

39
Q

What is the atomic number of nitrogen, and in what state does it exist at room temperature?

A

The atomic number of nitrogen is 7, and it exists as a gas at room temperature.

40
Q

What is the atomic number of oxygen, and in what state does it exist at room temperature?

A

The atomic number of oxygen is 8, and it exists as a gas at room temperature.

41
Q

What is the atomic number of carbon, and in what state does it exist at room temperature?

A

The atomic number of carbon is 6, and it exists as a solid at room temperature.

42
Q

What is the atomic number of phosphorus, and from what was it originally isolated? In what state does it exist at room temperature?

A

The atomic number of phosphorus is 15, and it was originally isolated from urine. Phosphorus exists as a solid at room temperature.

43
Q

What is a lipid? Provide three examples.

A

A lipid is an organic compound, such as fat or oil. Examples of lipids include triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids

44
Q

Butter is a fat that is a solid at room temperature. What type of fatty acid does butter contain? How do you know?

A

Butter contains saturated fatty acids. It is a solid at room temperature because saturated fatty acids have straight chains that can be tightly packed together.

45
Q

Explain why molecules of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids have different shapes.

A

Saturated fatty acids have straight chains due to carbon atoms being bonded to as many hydrogen atoms as possible. Unsaturated fatty acids have bent chains because some carbon atoms are not bonded to as many hydrogen atoms, causing the chains to bend.

46
Q

Which lipid is the main component of cell membranes?

A

Phospholipids are the main components of cell membranes.

47
Q

What is a carbohydrate?

A

A carbohydrate is an organic compound, such as sugar or starch, used to store energy and composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

48
Q
A
49
Q

List three facts about glucose.

A

Glucose is a monosaccharide.
Its chemical formula is C6H12O6.
It is a major source of energy for cells.

50
Q

Assume that you are trying to identify an unknown organic molecule. It contains only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and is found in the cell walls of a newly discovered plant species. What type of organic compound is it? Why?

A

The unknown organic molecule is likely a carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and are used by plants to form structures like cell walls.

51
Q

Compare and contrast the structures and functions of simple sugars and complex carbohydrates.

A

Simple sugars (monosaccharides) are single sugar molecules and serve as a major source of energy.

Complex carbohydrates (polysaccharides) are composed of chains of simple sugars and have functions including energy storage and forming structural components in living organisms.

52
Q

What are proteins made out of?

A

Proteins are made out of amino acids.

53
Q

What determines the primary structure of a protein?

A

The primary structure of a protein is determined by the sequence of its amino acids.

54
Q

State two functions of proteins

A

Two functions of proteins are structural support (keeping cells’ shape) and enzymatic activity (speeding up chemical reactions).

55
Q

What are enzymes?

A

Enzymes are proteins that act as biological catalysts, speeding up biochemical reactions in cells.

56
Q

Describe the role of hemoglobin.

A

Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells that binds with oxygen, allowing blood to carry oxygen from the lungs to cells throughout the body.

57
Q

Why is carbon essential to all known life on Earth?

A

Carbon is essential to life on Earth because of its unique ability to form a wide variety of chemical bonds, allowing it to create complex organic molecules necessary for life.

58
Q

What is an organic compound? Provide an example.

A

An organic compound is a compound containing carbon atoms. An example is glucose, a type of carbohydrate.

59
Q

List the four main classes of organic compounds. Provide examples of each.

A

Carbohydrates (e.g., glucose, starch, glycogen)
Lipids (e.g., cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids)
Proteins (e.g., enzymes, antibodies)
Nucleic Acids (e.g., DNA, RNA, ATP)

60
Q

What is condensation, and how does it relate to organic compound formation?

A

Condensation is a chemical process where two molecules bond together to form a larger organic compound while producing water as a byproduct. It is essential for building complex organic molecules

61
Q

What is hydrolysis, and how does it relate to organic compounds?

A

Hydrolysis is the reverse of condensation. It involves breaking down large organic compounds into their monomeric units by adding water. It is the process opposite to condensation.

62
Q

What is a phosphodiester bond?

A

A phosphodiester bond is the type of chemical bond that joins nucleotides in nucleic acids like DNA and RNA. It involves the phosphate group linking two sugar molecules in the nucleotide backbone.

63
Q

Identify the three parts of a nucleotide

A

The three parts of a nucleotide are sugar, phosphate group, and nitrogen base.

64
Q

What is DNA?

A

DNA, or deoxyribonucleic acid, is a nucleic acid that contains genetic instructions and is responsible for carrying genetic information.

65
Q

What are complementary base pairs? Give an example.

A

Complementary base pairs are pairs of nitrogen bases in DNA that bind together with specific hydrogen bonds. An example is adenine (A) always pairing with thymine (T), and guanine (G) always pairing with cytosine (C).

66
Q

Describe the shape of DNA.

A

DNA has a double helix shape, resembling a spiral staircase, formed by two polynucleotide chains with complementary base pairing.

67
Q

How are DNA and RNA related to proteins?

A

DNA contains the genetic instructions for the correct sequence of amino acids in proteins. RNA uses the information in DNA to assemble the correct amino acids and facilitate protein synthesis