Describe the general structure of an atom and its isotopes
Structure: atomic number = # of protons, mass number = protons + neutrons
Describe the importance of valence electrons
are the atoms outermost shell which determine the chemical reactivity
Compare and contrast ionic bonds, covalent bonds, and hydrogen bonds
- Ionic bonds: bond between positive and negative charged ions
- Covalent bonds: two atoms sharing electrons
- Hydrogen bonds: hydrogen atom attracted to electronegative atom in the same or another polar molecule
Explain the role of an enzyme in chemical reactions
A molecule, usually a protein, that functions as a catalyst, speeding up a biological reaction
Describe the properties of water, and explain why it is so important in biological systems
Water has the capability to act as a solvent in which solutes are dissolved
- can by hydrophilic: dissolve in water
- pr hydrophobic: do NOT dissolve in water
Its properties are (H2O) in which the oxygen atom is electronegative and pulls the electrons away from the 2 hydrogen atoms
Explain the concept of pH, and how the pH of a solution relates to its acidity
pH is a measure of acidity of a solution
- measured on a scale of 0-14, 7 being neutral and less than 7 is more acidic and higher than 7 is basic solution
Describe the role of buffers
a chemical that stabilizes the pH of solutions
- function by releasing H+ (hydrogen ion)
Describe the characteristics of the different types of carbohydrates
- Monosaccharides: basic unit of carbohydrates (5-carbon sugars include ribose, deoxyribose) (6-carbon sugars include glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose)
- Disaccharides: two mono. joined together by a covalent bond
- Polysaccharides: chains of mono.
Compare and contrast the structure and function of simple lipids, compound lipids, and steroids
- Simple lipids: contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen + act as storage for energy
- Triglycerides: Fats or oils composed of three fatty acids linked to glycerol - Compound lipids: contain fatty acids and glycerol + non lipid component
- Phospholipids: Lipid that has a phosphate molecule as part of its structure + essential component for cell membranes - Steroids: Classified as lipids due to water insolubility
Describe the factors that affect protein structure and function
- Primary Structure: sequence of amino acids in a protein + directs the final shape of a protein
- Secondary Structure: repeated folding or coiling in a localized region of a protein due to hyrdogen bonding
- Tertiary Structure: the overall 3-dimensional shape of a folded protein
- Quaternary Structure: level of structure of a protein molecule consisting of several polypeptide chains
Compare and contrast the chemical compositions, structures, and major functions of DNA, RNA, and ATP
- DNA: the genetic information needed to build and maintain a cell (A-T, C-G), Strands are antiparallel & complementary
- RNA; ribonucleic acid: mostly single-stranded + decodes/translates DNA info (U-T, C-G)
- ATP: main energy currency of cells, has 3 phosphate groups which repel one another
