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Anatomy & Physiology: Chemistry and Biochemistry Basics

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Terms in this set (25)

  • What is matter composed of?
    Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space, and it is composed of elements, which are made up of atoms.
  • What are the main subatomic particles in an atom and where are they located?
    Protons and neutrons are in the nucleus; electrons orbit outside the nucleus.
  • What defines a neutral atom?
    A neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, resulting in a total charge of zero.
  • What is an ion?
    An ion is an atom that has gained or lost electrons, resulting in a net positive or negative charge.
  • What are covalent bonds?
    Covalent bonds form when atoms share electrons, such as in CH4, O2, and N2 molecules.
  • What are ionic bonds?
    Ionic bonds form when one atom loses and another atom gains electrons, creating oppositely charged ions that attract, e.g., NaCl.
  • What are inorganic substances and give examples?
    Inorganic substances generally lack carbon and include water (H2O), acids, and bases.
  • Why is water important in the body?
    Water is a polar molecule that acts as a solvent, participates in chemical reactions, maintains body temperature, lubricates joints, and cushions organs.
  • What happens when acids dissociate in water?
    Acids release H+ ions when dissociated, increasing the concentration of hydrogen ions and lowering the pH.
  • What happens when bases dissociate in water?
    Bases release OH- ions, which bind to H+ ions, increasing pH and making the solution more basic.
  • Describe the pH scale.
    The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14: 7 is neutral, below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is basic.
  • What are organic substances?
    Organic substances contain carbon and include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
  • What is the general formula for carbohydrates?
    Carbohydrates have the formula \(C_nH_{2n}O_n\), with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1:2:1 ratio.
  • What are monosaccharides?
    Monosaccharides are single sugar units and basic carbohydrate building blocks, e.g., glucose and fructose.
  • What are disaccharides?
    Disaccharides consist of two monosaccharides covalently bonded, e.g., sucrose (glucose + fructose).
  • What are polysaccharides?
    Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides, e.g., glycogen in animals and starch in plants.
  • What are proteins made of?
    Proteins are made of amino acids linked by peptide bonds; they contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.
  • What is the difference between dipeptides, polypeptides, and proteins?
    Dipeptides have two amino acids, polypeptides have many, and proteins are one or more polypeptides folded into a functional shape.
  • What are lipids and their common types?
    Lipids are fats including glycerides (mono-, di-, triglycerides), phospholipids, and steroids.
  • Describe the structure of phospholipids.
    Phospholipids have a glycerol backbone, two nonpolar fatty acid tails (hydrophobic), and a polar phosphate head (hydrophilic).

  • What are nucleic acids compoased of?

    Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides containing a phosphate group, a sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), and an organic base.
  • What bases are found in DNA and RNA?
    DNA has adenine, guanine, cytosine, and thymine; RNA has adenine, guanine, cytosine, and uracil.
  • How do base pairs form in DNA?
    Adenine pairs with thymine via 2 hydrogen bonds; cytosine pairs with guanine via 3 hydrogen bonds.
  • What is ATP and its function?
    ATP (adenosine triphosphate) stores energy in high-energy phosphate bonds used to power cellular processes.
  • What happens when ATP loses phosphate groups?
    ATP becomes ADP when one phosphate is removed, and AMP when two phosphates are removed, releasing energy.