Unit 2: The Chemistry of Life

Question 1

Activation Energy

Answer 1

the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction

Question 2

Active Site

Answer 2

location on an enzyme where the substrate binds

Question 3

Adhesion

Answer 3

An attraction between water molecules and another substance

Question 4

Amino Acid

Answer 4

The building blocks of a protein

Question 5

Bond

Answer 5

a lasting attraction between atoms of elements that allows for the formation of chemical compounds/molecules

Question 6

Buffer

Answer 6

a weak acid or weak base that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH; help keep pH constant in body tissues to help maintain homeostasis

Question 7

Capillary Action

Answer 7

property of water that allows water molecules to move against the force of gravity in narrow spaces

Question 8

Cellulose

Answer 8

polysaccharide that makes up the cell walls of plant cells

Question 9

Carbohydrate

Answer 9

commonly called “sugars”; made of monomers called monosaccharides and often end in -ose

Question 10

Cohesion

Answer 10

an attraction between water molecules

Question 11

Cuticle (Plant)

Answer 11

The waxy, waterproof layer that covers the leaves and stems of most plants.

Question 12

Denatured Enzyme

Answer 12

process that occurs when an enzyme is exposed to extreme temperatures/pHs; changes the shape of an enzyme’s active site so that it can no longer bind to substrate molecules

Question 13

Disaccharide

Answer 13

sugar made of two monosaccharides; ex. is sucrose which is made when glucose is linked to fructose

Question 14

Enzymes

Answer 14

proteins that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction; convert molecules called “substrates” into “products”; often end in -ase; called “biological catalysts”

Question 15

Glycogen

Answer 15

polysaccharide that stores excess sugar in the liver and muscles of animals

Question 16

Insulin

Answer 16

a protein hormone that lowers the amount of glucose in the blood to help maintain homeostasis

Question 16

Hemoglobin

Answer 16

protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells; is defective in sufferers of sickle cell anemia

Question 17

Hormone

Answer 17

signaling molecules made by various glands throughout the body that affect metabolism and growth/development; examples include estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin.

Question 18

Lipid

Answer 18

usually made of 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule; fats, waxes, and oils are examples; provide twice as many calories per gram than do carbs/proteins; used for long-term energy storage, insulation, cell membrane structure, and waterproofing

Question 19

Lock and Key Model

Answer 19

mechanism by which a substrate binds to an enzyme’s active site; reflects how specific each enzyme’s shape is

Question 20

Monomer

Answer 20

building block or subunit of a polymer; smallest molecules in each class of biomolecules

Question 21

Nucleic Acid

Answer 21

made of monomers called nucleotides; examples are DNA and RNA

Question 21

Monosaccharide

Answer 21

the smallest, simple sugars; ex. is glucose

Question 22

Nucleotide

Answer 22

monomer of a nucleic acid; made of a sugar, a phosphate, and a nitrogenous base

Question 23

Organic

Answer 23

carbon-based molecules that have bonds to hydrogen

Question 24

Peptide Bond

Answer 24

chemical bond between the amino acids of a protein

Question 25

pH

Answer 25

a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is; the range is 0-6 acid; 7 neutral; 8-14 base

Question 26

Polarity

Answer 26

Molecules having uneven distribution of charge; ex. water

Question 27

Polymer

Answer 27

the largest biological molecules made of monomers; also called macromolecules

Question 27

Polypeptide

Answer 27

a long, linear chain of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds; a precursor to a protein that is not yet functional

Question 28

Polysaccharide

Answer 28

the largest carbohydrates; made up of many monosaccharides; examples include: starch, glycogen, chitin, and cellulose
protein

Question 29

Product

Answer 29

everything on the right side of a chemical equation

Question 30

Protein

Answer 30

Macromolecules made into amino acids

Question 31

Reactant

Answer 31

Everything on the left side of a chemical equation

Question 32

Starch

Answer 32

polysaccharide that stores food in plants

Question 33

Steroid

Answer 33

cholesterol-based hormone; ex. testosterone

Question 34

Substrate

Answer 34

molecule that binds to the enzyme’s active site

Question 35

Matter

Answer 35

Anything that occupies space and has mass

Question 36

Mass

Answer 36

Quantity of matter

Question 37

Weight

Answer 37

Pull of gravity

Question 38

ATP

Answer 38

Adenosine Triphosphate, the chemical form of energy which can be used by cells to start chemical reactions or can be produced by cells during chemical reactions