The Chemistry of Life

Question 1

Elements That Make Up The Most Biomass

Answer 1

• Oxygen (O)
• Carbon (C)
• Hydrogen (H)
• Nitrogen (N)

Question 2

Trace Elements

Answer 2

Elements that are required by an organism in small amounts

Question 3

Atom

Answer 3

The smallest unit of an element that retains its characteristic properties

Question 4

Protons

Answer 4

Positively charged particles that are found in the core of an atom

Question 5

Neutrons

Answer 5

Non charged particles that are found in the core of an atom

Question 6

Electrons

Answer 6

Negatively charged particles that orbit the core of an atom

Question 7

Nucleus

Answer 7

The core of an atom

Question 8

Isotopes

Answer 8

Atoms that have the same number of protons but differ in the number of neutrons

Question 9

Chemical Compound

Answer 9

Two or more different types of atoms combined in a fixed ratio

Question 10

Chemical Bonds

Answer 10

Hold together the atoms in a compound

Question 11

Ionic Bond

Answer 11

Formed between two atoms when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to the other

Question 12

Covalent Bond

Answer 12

Formed when electrons are shared between atoms

Question 13

Nonpolar Covalent

Answer 13

Formed when electrons are shared equally between atoms

Question 14

Polar Covalent

Answer 14

Formed when electrons are not shared equally between atoms

Question 15

Polar

Answer 15

Molecules that have partially positive and partially negative charges

Question 16

Hydrogen Bond

Answer 16

Weak chemical bond that form when a hydrogen atom that is covalently bonded to one electronegative atom is attracted to another electronegative atom

Question 17

Cohesion

Answer 17

Molecules having the tendency to stick together

Question 18

Adhesion

Answer 18

Molecules having the tendency to stick to other things

Question 19

Heat Capacity

Answer 19

Ability of a substance to store heat

Question 20

Properties of Water

Answer 20

• Polar
• Cohesive
• Adhesive
• High Heat Capacity
• Solvent
• High Surface Tension

Question 21

Acid

Answer 21

A substance that contains a lot of hydrogen ions (0-6.9 pH)

Question 22

Neutral

Answer 22

A substance that contains no hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions (7 pH)

Question 23

Base/Alkaline

Answer 23

A substance that contains a lot of hydroxide ions (7.1-14 pH)

Question 24

pH Scale

Answer 24

Measures the alkalinity or acidity of a substance

Question 25

Organic Compounds

Answer 25

Chemical compounds that contain carbon atoms

Question 26

Inorganic Compounds

Answer 26

Chemical compounds that do not contain carbon atoms (Except for Carbon Dioxide)

Question 27

Four Types of Organic Compounds

Answer 27

- Carbohydrates - Proteins - Lipids - Nucleic Acids

Question 28

Carbohydrates

Answer 28

Organic compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio

Question 29

Monosaccharides

Answer 29

Single sugars (Monomers)

Question 30

Disaccharides

Answer 30

Two sugars

Question 31

Polysaccharides

Answer 31

Many sugars (Polymers)

Question 32

Two Most Common Sugars

Answer 32

- Glucose | - Fructose

Question 33

Polymer

Answer 33

A molecule with repeating subunits of the same general type

Question 34

Most Common Polysaccharides

Answer 34

- Starch - Cellulose - Glycogen

Question 35

Plastid

Answer 35

Plant storage for glucose in the form of starch

Question 36

Amino Acids

Answer 36

Organic molecules that serve as the building blocks of proteins (Contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen)

Question 37

Four Important Parts to an Amino Acid

Answer 37

- Amino Group (-NH2) - Carboxyl Group (-COOH) - Hydrogen - R Group

Question 38

R Group/Side Chain

Answer 38

The variable group that helps determine what amino acid the polymer will be

Question 39

Functional Groups

Answer 39

The distinctive groups of atoms that play a large role in determining the chemical behavior of the compound they are a part of`

Question 40

Dipeptide

Answer 40

Two amino acids joined together

Question 41

Peptide Bond

Answer 41

The bond formed between two amino acids

Question 42

Polypeptide

Answer 42

Amino acids joined together in a string

Question 43

Protein

Answer 43

The three-dimensional structure formed after a polypeptide chain twists and folds

Question 44

Lipids

Answer 44

Consist of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms but not in a 1:2:1 ratio

Question 45

Common Lipids

Answer 45

- Fats - Oils - Phospholipids - Steroids

Question 46

Neutral Fats

Answer 46

Simple lipids, consist of three fatty acids and one molecule of glycerol

Question 47

Ester Linkage

Answer 47

Linkage formed between the glycerol molecule and the fatty acids

Question 48

Saturated

Answer 48

Lipid that has a single covalent bond between each pair of carbon atoms

Question 49

Unsaturated

Answer 49

Lipid that has adjacent carbons joined by double bonds

Question 50

Polyunsaturated

Answer 50

Fatty acid that has many double bonds

Question 51

Hydrophobic

Answer 51

Water hating molecules

Question 52

Hydrophillic

Answer 52

Water loving molecules

Question 53

Amphipathic

Answer 53

Molecules that have both a hydrophillic and a hydrophobic region

Question 54

Nucleic Acids

Answer 54

Organic molecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorous

Question 55

Nucleotides

Answer 55

Monomers of nucleic acids (A, T, U, C, G)

Question 56

Common Types of Nucleic Acids

Answer 56

- Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) | - Ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Question 57

Oparin and Haldane

Answer 57

Scientists that proposed that the primitive atmosphere contained the following gases: - Methane (CH4) - Ammonia (NH3) - Hydrogen - Water

Question 58

Stanley Miller and Harold Urey

Answer 58

Scientists that simulated the Oparin and Haldane hypothesis and found that amino acids could be created in that atmosphere

Question 59

Heterotrophs (Consumers)

Answer 59

Living organisms that rely on organic molecules for food

Question 60

Autotrophs (Producers)

Answer 60

Organisms that make their own food