Biochemistry Basics Quiz

Biochemistry Basics

• Atoms are the basic unit of matter and consist of a nucleus with protons and neutrons, surrounded by electrons.
• Molecules are formed when two or more atoms are held together by chemical bonds.
• Elements are substances composed of only one type of atom and are listed on the periodic table.
• Inorganic compounds do not contain carbon-hydrogen bonds and are typically derived from minerals.
• Organic compounds are chemical compounds that contain carbon-hydrogen bonds and are the basis of life.
• Macroelements are essential elements required in relatively large amounts by living organisms, including carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur.
• Microelements are essential elements required in trace amounts by living organisms, including iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and iodine.
• Fertilizers are substances added to soil or plants to provide essential nutrients for growth and increase crop yield.
• Eutrophication is the process by which excessive fertilizer runoff enriches a body of water with nutrients, leading to excessive algae or plant growth and a subsequent decrease in oxygen levels.
• Covalent bonds are formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms, while ionic bonds are formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.
• Polarity is the separation of electric charge within a molecule, resulting in a molecule having a positive and a negative end.
• Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in living organisms, including catabolic processes that involve the breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones and anabolic processes that involve the synthesis of complex molecules from simpler ones.