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Anatomy & Physiology: Chemistry & Biochemistry Basics

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Terms in this set (26)

  • What are the 4 major elements found in the human body?

    Oxygen (O), Carbon (C), Hydrogen (H), and Nitrogen (N)

  • What are the 3 parts of an atom and their charges?

    Proton: positive charge (+1)
    Neutron: no charge
    Electron: negative charge (-1)

  • What is the difference between a cation and an anion?

    Cation: positively charged ion (loses electrons)
    Anion: negatively charged ion (gains electrons)

  • What is a chemical bond?

    An energy relationship between valence electrons of two atoms that holds them together.

  • Name the four key types of chemical bonds.

    Ionic, Polar covalent, Non-polar covalent, and Hydrogen bonds

  • How do ionic bonds form?

    By transfer of electrons from one atom to another, creating oppositely charged ions that attract.

  • How do polar covalent bonds differ from non-polar covalent bonds?

    Polar covalent bonds share electrons unequally, creating partial charges; non-polar share electrons equally.

  • What is the difference between anabolic and catabolic reactions?

    Anabolic: build larger molecules from smaller ones, energy-consuming.
    Catabolic: break down molecules, energy-releasing.

  • Define solvent, solute, and concentration.

    Solvent: substance in greatest amount (usually water).
    Solute: substance dissolved in solvent.
    Concentration: amount of solute per volume of solution.

  • List 5 properties of water essential for life.

    High heat capacity, high heat of vaporization, polar solvent properties, reactivity, and cushioning.

  • What defines an acid and a base in terms of H+ ions?

    Acid: releases H+ ions, increasing solution acidity.
    Base: removes H+ ions, decreasing acidity.

  • What is the pH scale range and what does pH 7 represent?

    Range 0-14; pH 7 is neutral with equal H+ and OH- concentrations.

  • What are the four classes of organic molecules?

    Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic acids

  • What are monosaccharides and give examples?

    Simple carbohydrate monomers like glucose, fructose, galactose, deoxyribose, and ribose.

  • How are disaccharides formed and broken down?

    Formed by dehydration synthesis joining two monosaccharides; broken down by hydrolysis.

  • What is glycogen and its function?

    A polysaccharide made of glucose units; stores energy in liver and skeletal muscle.

  • Describe the structure of triglycerides.

    One glycerol molecule bonded to three fatty acids via dehydration synthesis.

  • What is the structure and function of phospholipids?

    One glycerol, one phosphate group, and two fatty acids; form bilayers in cell membranes.

  • What is the basic structure of steroids?

    Four interlocking hydrocarbon rings with various functional groups; cholesterol is a key steroid.

  • What are amino acids and their general structure?

    Building blocks of proteins; contain an amine group, acid group, hydrogen, and R group attached to central carbon.

  • How are amino acids linked in proteins?

    By peptide bonds formed through dehydration synthesis between amine and acid groups.

  • Why is the amino acid sequence important for proteins?

    It determines protein folding and function; mutations can alter structure and function.

  • What are nucleotides composed of?

    A pentose sugar, nitrogen-containing base, and a phosphate group.

  • What bases are found in DNA and RNA?

    DNA: Adenine, Guanine, Thymine, Cytosine
    RNA: Adenine, Guanine, Uracil, Cytosine

  • Describe the structure of DNA.

    Two complementary nucleotide polymers coiled into a double helix; A pairs with T, G pairs with C.

  • What is the function of RNA?

    Uses genetic information from DNA to build proteins; single-stranded nucleotide polymer.