Biochemistry Overview

The study of the chemical processes occurring within living organisms.

A large, complex organic molecule, essential for life, found in living organisms.

A small, simple molecule that can be linked together to form larger molecules called polymers.

A large molecule composed of repeating structural units or monomer subunits.

The process of joining two or more atoms together through attractive forces.

Molecules with the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms in space.

A major class of biomolecules, primarily composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

The simplest form of carbohydrates; basic unit.

Organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, primarily serving as a source of energy.

The simplest form of carbohydrates, containing 3 to 7 carbon atoms; cannot be hydrolyzed to smaller sugars.

Carbohydrates formed by combining two monosaccharides.

A monosaccharide containing an aldehyde functional group.

A monosaccharide containing a ketone functional group.

Lipids primarily used for energy storage.

The building blocks of fats and oils; long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group at one end.

Lipids containing a phosphate group, crucial to cell membrane structure.

Building blocks of fats and oils, long hydrocarbon chains with a carboxyl group.

Component of fats; an alcohol.

Large molecules made of amino acids, vital for structure and function.

Building blocks of proteins, differing in properties due to their side chains.

DNA and RNA; carry genetic information, made of nucleotides.

Most abundant substance in cells, polar molecule.

Water molecule with a slightly positive and negative end.

Formation of proteins using the information in mRNA.

Water molecules have a slightly positive charge on the hydrogen atoms and a slightly negative charge on the oxygen atom.

Attraction between the positive hydrogen of one water molecule and the negative oxygen of another water molecule.

Water resists temperature changes because of its extensive hydrogen bonding.

Water's polarity allows it to dissolve many substances, including salts and biomolecules.

A high boiling point due to the energy needed to break strong hydrogen bonds.

Water is crucial for many biological processes; it dissolves biomolecules.

Substances that dissolve in water.

Substances that are repelled by water.

The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of higher water concentration to an area of lower water concentration.

A solution with a higher concentration of solutes outside the cell compared to inside. Water moves out of the cell.

Attraction between unlike substances.

Attraction between like substances (e.g., water molecules).

A chemical bond formed by the transfer of electrons between atoms.

A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.

A homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.

The amount of solute dissolved in a given amount of solvent.

If two thermodynamic systems are each in thermal equilibrium with a third, then they are in thermal equilibrium with each other.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to another.

The entropy of an isolated system always increases over time.

The entropy of a perfect crystal at absolute zero is zero.

A measure of the disorder or randomness of a system.

Measure of the heat content of a system at constant pressure.

Amount of energy available to do work at constant temperature and pressure.

The difference between the enthalpy change (ΔH) and the temperature multiplied by entropy change (TΔS).