Nature of Matter
What is the difference between an atomic number and atomic mass?
Atomic number refers to the number of protons a specific element has. Atomic mass is the number of protons and neutrons added together.
What is a suspension? Give an example.
A suspension is a substance that does not have the ability to dissolve in water. Some common examples would be blood, flour and lipids.
Explain the importance of carbohydrates in living organisms.
Most living things use carbs as their main source of energy. Plants and a few other living things use carbs for structural purposes.
Identify the reactant(s) in the chemical reaction, CO2 + H2O → H2CO3.
CO2 & H2O
A chlorine atom that has 17 protons and 18 neutrons is called
The isotope, Chlorine-35
What kind of heat specificity does water have? Why is this important?
Water has a high heat capacity or specificity which allows it to take on high levels of energy without changing its temperature levels. This allows it to stabilize temperatures in aquatic habitats as well as maintain the temperature of our cells, which absorb high levels of energy from our body.
Which macromolecule stores energy? It is also important for insulation and creates the cell membrane for all cells.
Lipids
The energy needed to get a reaction started is the
Activation Energy
Explain the importance of valence electrons. How many valence electrons do atoms want?
Valence electrons are the electrons found in the outer electron shell around the nucleus of the atom. They are responsible for any bonds that form between atoms. Atoms desire to have a full octet or 8 valence electrons.
Describe pH. Why is it important?
pH refers to the Hydrogen concentration in certain substances. The scale ranges from 1 to 14 with 7 being neutral. Molecules that fall below 7 on the scale are considered acidic and have a higher concentration of H+ (Hydrogen ions). Molecules with a pH higher than a 7 are basic or alkaline and have a higher concentration of OH- (Hydroxide ions). pH is important because it is vital for our bodies to maintain homeostasis.
What is the monomer of proteins?
Amino Acids
Enzymes affect the reactions in living cells by changing the....
rate of reaction (speeding it up)
Describe a covalent bond. How many covalent bonds exist?
Covalent bonding occurs when pairs of electrons are shared by atoms. Atoms will covalently bond with other atoms in order to gain more stability, which is gained by forming a full electron shell. By sharing their outer most (valence) electrons, atoms can fill up their outer electron shell and gain stability. They are three types of covalent bonds that we discussed in class; single, double and triple.
Describe the importance of buffers. Provide an example.
Buffers are weak acids or bases that can react with strong acids or bases to prevent drastic changes in pH. This helps our bodies stabilize its own pH. For example, blood usually has a pH of 7.4 and if a sudden change in the body causes the pH to become acidic, the body will release chemical buffers such as bicarbonate and phosphate ions.
Describe the process of polymerization.
Polymerization is any process in which relatively small molecules, called monomers, combine chemically to produce a very large chainlike or network molecule, called a polymer. Biochemists sort macromolecules of living things into four categories based on the chemical composition of their polymers.
What two factors affect the efficiency of enzymes?
pH and temperature
Describe an ionic bond.
Ionic bonding is the complete transfer of valence electron(s) between atoms. It is a type of chemical bond that generates two oppositely charged ions. When an atom loses an electron, it becomes positive while the electron that gains the electron becomes negative. This opposite attraction bonds the two atoms together.
Describe why water is a polar molecule. What kind of bond does this cause water to have with other water molecules?
Water (H2O) is a polar molecule because the electrons of the hydrogen atoms get "pulled" towards the protons of the oxygen atom because the 1 electron of the hydrogen atoms are more attracted to the 8 protons in the oxygen atom. This makes the oxygen atom slightly more negative and the hydrogen region of the molecule, slightly more positive. This creates a special kind of bond called a hydrogen bond.
List the four thing proteins do that we discussed in class.
Proteins...
Control the rate of reactions and regulate cell processes
Form cellular structures
Transport substances into and out of the cell
Help Fight disease
Describe the difference between active sites and substrates.
The active site is the region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction. The active site of an enzyme has a specific shape that allows only specific substrates (or reactants) to attach. Once attached, a chemical reaction takes place with the help of the enzyme, which results in the reactants forming a product.