1.1 - Water and Its Properties

A chemical reaction where two molecules are joined by removing a water molecule.

A chemical reaction where a water molecule breaks a bond between two molecules.

Biological molecules composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, often with a ratio of 1:2:1.

A single sugar molecule, like glucose or fructose.

Two sugar molecules joined together by dehydration synthesis.

A sugar composed of glucose and fructose. Found in plants and processed into table sugar.

A sugar composed of glucose and galactose. Found in dairy, and a common cause of lactose intolerance.

A long chain of sugar molecules.

Carbon's ability to form four bonds allows it to create a wide range of molecules with various structures and functions.

Organic molecules are molecules that contain carbon.

Carbohydrates are a type of organic molecule made primarily of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are used for energy, energy storage, structural support, and cell recognition.

Lipids are a group of organic molecules that include fats, steroids, and waxes. They are primarily made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen and are generally hydrophobic (water-repelling). Lipids are used for long-term energy storage, cell membranes, and signaling.

Proteins are organic molecules made primarily of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. They are incredibly diverse and play numerous roles in living organisms, including catalyzing chemical reactions, signaling, transport, and providing structural support.

Nucleic acids are organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and phosphorus. They are responsible for storing and transmitting genetic information. The two main types of nucleic acids are DNA and RNA.

A monomer is a small molecule that can bond to other monomers to form a larger molecule called a polymer.

A polymer is a large molecule made of many repeating smaller molecules called monomers.

Water, an inorganic molecule essential for life, is composed of one oxygen atom covalently bonded to two hydrogen atoms, forming a bent molecule with a partial negative charge on the oxygen side and partial positive charges on the hydrogen sides.

The unequal sharing of electrons in a water molecule creates a partial negative charge on the oxygen atom and a partial positive charge on the hydrogen atoms, making it a polar molecule.

Hydrogen bonds are weak attractions between the partially positive hydrogen atom of one water molecule and the partially negative oxygen atom of another water molecule.

Water has high cohesion, meaning strong attractive forces exist between water molecules due to hydrogen bonding, allowing water to stick to itself.

The ability of water to cling to other substances, such as the walls of a narrow tube, is called adhesion. This is also due to hydrogen bonds.

Water has a high surface tension due to the strong cohesive forces among water molecules at the surface, making it difficult to break through.

Water has a high heat capacity, meaning it can absorb and release a large amount of heat energy without drastically changing temperature.

Water is a good solvent, meaning it can dissolve many substances due to its polarity. The polar water molecules can surround and separate the charged particles of the solute.

Polysaccharides are large molecules composed of many monosaccharide units joined together. They can be linear or branched and serve important roles in energy storage and structural support.

Sucralose is an artificial sweetener that is about 450-650 times sweeter than regular sugar. It was accidentally discovered while researchers were trying to create a new pesticide.

Lipids are a diverse group of organic molecules characterized by their hydrophobic (water-repelling) nature. They are crucial for energy storage, cell membrane formation, and signaling within the body.

Lipids are more efficient for long-term energy storage than carbohydrates due to their higher energy density and hydrophobic nature. They store twice as much energy per gram as carbohydrates and don't attract water molecules.

Fatty acids are long chains of carbon and hydrogen atoms with a carboxyl group at one end. They are the building blocks for many different lipids and can vary in length and saturation (presence of double bonds).

The structure of a carbohydrate molecule determines its function. For example, starches are used for energy storage because of their branched structure, while cellulose provides structural support in plants due to its linear, rigid structure.

Glycogen is a highly branched polysaccharide used for storing glucose in animals. It is rapidly broken down into glucose monomers when energy is needed, making it an excellent source of immediate energy.

Cellulose is a linear polysaccharide that provides structural support in plants. Its rigid, fiber-like structure gives it strength and allows it to form the cell walls of plants.

A five-carbon sugar found in nucleotides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA. It is a key component of the sugar-phosphate backbone.

A negatively charged chemical group consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms. It provides structural support and plays a crucial role in energy transfer.

A molecule containing nitrogen that forms one of the building blocks of DNA and RNA. Examples include adenine (A), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and thymine (T) (in DNA) or uracil (U) (in RNA).

A covalent bond formed between the phosphate group of one nucleotide and the pentose sugar of the next nucleotide, linking nucleotides together to form a nucleic acid chain.

The alternating sequence of sugar and phosphate groups that forms the structural backbone of a nucleic acid molecule.

The linear sequence of nitrogenous bases in a nucleic acid molecule, which determines its genetic information.

The two strands of DNA run in opposite directions. One strand runs 3' to 5' while the other runs 5' to 3'.

The specific pairing between nitrogenous bases in DNA (A with T, and C with G) and RNA (A with U, and C with G) due to their complementary chemical structures and hydrogen bonding.

Deoxyribonucleic acid, a molecule that carries genetic information in the form of a double helix.

Ribonucleic acid, a molecule involved in protein synthesis. It is single stranded and uses uracil instead of thymine.

Proteins are biological macromolecules that carry out a wide range of functions within organisms. They are essential for almost every process in the body.

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. They link together to form long chains called polypeptides.

The bond between two amino acids is called a peptide bond. It is formed by a dehydration synthesis reaction, where a water molecule is removed.

A polypeptide is a chain of amino acids linked together by peptide bonds. They can vary in length and sequence, leading to a vast diversity of proteins.

The 20 different amino acids used to build proteins have unique R-groups that influence the polypeptide's characteristics, including its shape and function.

An enormous diversity of proteins can be formed from the same 20 amino acids. This is due to the different combinations and sequences of amino acids in polypeptides.