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Shafer Final Vocab Exam 1
biology 201 vocabulary part 1
73
Biology
Undergraduate 1
11/28/2009

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Term
Biology
Definition
The study of life
Term
ATP
Definition
A nucleoside triphosphate that releases free energy when its phosphate bonds are hydrolyzed. This energy is used to drive endergonic reactions in cells
Term
Cell
Definition
The basic unit and requirement of life. Can be eukaryote or prokaryote.
Term
Organelle
Definition
Any of several membrane-enclosed structures with specialized functions, suspended in the cytosol of eukaryotic cells
Term
Reductionism
Definition
the theory that every complex phenomenon, esp. in biology or psychology, can be explained by analyzing the simplest, most basic physical mechanisms that are in operation during the phenomenon.
Term
Emergent Property
Definition
New properties that arise with each step upward in the hierarchy of life, owing to the arrangement and interactions of parts as complexity increases
Term
Systems Biology
Definition
An approach to studying biology that aims to model the dynamic behavior of whole biological systems
Term
Protein
Definition
A biological molecule consisting of one or more polypeptides folded and coiled into a specific three-dimensional structure
Term
Inductive Reasoning
Definition
reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
Term
DNA
Definition
A double-stranded, helical nucleic acid molecule, consisting of nucleotide monomers with a deoxyribose sugar and the nitrogenous bases A C G and T. Capable of being replicated and determing the inherited strcutre of a cell's proteins
Term
deductive reasoning
Definition
reasoning from the general to the particular
Term
plasma membrane
Definition
The membrane at the boundary of every cell that acts as a selective barrier, regulating the cell's chemical composition
Term
Technology
Definition
the branch of knowledge that deals with the creation and use of technical means and their interrelation with life, society, and the environment
Term
Cell Theory
Definition
cells are the basic units of structure and function in living organisms
Term
Micrometer
Definition
the millionth part of a meter.
Term
Resolution
Definition
the degree of sharpness of a computer-generated image
Term
Prokaryotic
Definition
A type of cell lacking a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles.
Term
nanometer
Definition
one billionth of a meter
Term
Eukaryotic
Definition
A type of cell with a membrane-enclosed nucleus and membrane-enclosed organelles
Term
Matter
Definition
anything that takes up space and has mass
Term
Covalent Bond
Definition
A type of strong chemical bond in which two atoms share one or more pairs of valence electrons
Term
Hydrogen Bond
Definition
A type of weak chemical bond that is formed when the slightly positive hydrogen atom of a polar covalent bond in one molecule is attracted to the slightloy negative atom of a polar covalent bond in another molecule
Term
atom
Definition
the smallest unit of an element with the element's properties
Term
structural formula
Definition
a chemical formula showing the linkage of the atoms in a molecule diagrammatically, as H–O–H.
Term
Hydrophilic
Definition
having a strong affinity for water
Term
element
Definition
one of a class of substances that cannot be separated into simpler substances by chemical means
Term
Double Bond
Definition
a chemical linkage consisting of two covalent bonds between two atoms of a molecule
Term
Hydrophobic
Definition
having little or no affinity for water.
Term
Compound
Definition
A substance consisting of two or more elements
Term
Ion
Definition
an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of one or more electrons
Term
Hydration Shell
Definition
The sphere of water molecules around a dissolved ion
Term
Molecule
Definition
Two or more atoms held together by a covalent bond
Term
Ionic Bond
Definition
the electrostatic bond between two ions formed through the transfer of one or more electrons
Term
Hydrophobic Interaction
Definition
A type of weak chemical bond formed when molecules that do not mix with water coalesce to exclude water
Term
Proton
Definition
a positively charged elementary particle that is a fundamental constituent of all atomic nuclei
Term
Salt
Definition
A compound resulting from the formation of an ionic bond
Term
Molarity
Definition
The ratio of dissolved moles of a compound per liter of solution
Term
Neutron
Definition
A neutrally charged elementary particle
Term
Acidity
Definition
The measurement of the degree to which a substance increases hydrogen ion concentration
Term
electron
Definition
a negatively charged elementary particle
Term
pH
Definition
A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a solution, numerically equal to 7 for neutral solutions, increasing with increasing alkalinity and decreasing with increasing acidity. The pH scale commonly in use ranges from 0 to 14
Term
Atomic Number
Definition
the number of positive charges or protons in the nucleus of an atom of a given element, and therefore also the number of electrons normally surrounding the nucleus
Term
Electronegativity
Definition
The attraction of an element for the electrons of a covalent bond
Term
Acid
Definition
A substance that increases the hydrogen ion concetnration of a solution
Term
Electron Shell
Definition
a grouping of electrons surrounding the nucleus of an atom; "the chemical properties of an atom are determined by the outermost electron shell"
Term
Polar Covalent Bond
Definition
Covalent bond where the shared electrons are not shared equally due to differing electronegativities. ie H2O
Term
Base
Definition
A substance that reduces the hydrogen ion concentration of a solution. Contains the OH atoms.
Term
Valence
Definition
The outermost electrons in an electron shell
Term
Polar Molecule
Definition
A molecule, such as water, with opposite charges on different ends of the molecule
Term
Hydrocarbon Skeleton
Definition
Hydrogens and Carbons linked together with additional functional groups on the side
Term
Functional Group
Definition
A specific configuration of atoms commonly attached to the carbon skeletons of organic molecules and usually involved in chemical reactions
Term
Hydroxyl Group
Definition
A chemical group consisting of an oxygen atom joined to a hydrogen atom. Molecules possessing this group are soluble in water and called alcohols
Term
Sulfhydryl Group
Definition
A chemical group consisting of a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom
Term
Phosphate Group
Definition
A chemical group consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms; important in energy transfer
Term
Amino Group
Definition
A chemical group consisting of a nitrogen atom bonded to two hydrogen atoms; can act as a base in solution, accepting a H ion and acquiring a charge of 1+
Term
Carbonyl Group
Definition
A chemical group present in aldehydes and ketones and consisting of a carbon atom double bonded to an oxygen atom
Term
Carboxyl Group
Definition
A chemical group present in organic acids and consisting of a single carbon atom double-bonded to an oxygen atom and also bonded to a hydroxyl group
Term
Methyl Group
Definition
A chemical group consisting of a carbon bonded to three hydrogen hydrogen atoms. The methyl group may be attached to a carbon or to a different atom
Term
Macromolecule
Definition
A giant molecule formed by the joining of smaller molecules, usually by a condensation reaction. Polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids are macromolecules
Term
Amino Acid
Definition
An organic molecule possessing both carboxyl and amino groups. Amino acids serve as the monomers of polypeptides
Term
Polymer
Definition
A long molecule consisting of many similar or identical monomers linked together
Term
Polypeptide
Definition
A polymer of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds
Term
Monomer
Definition
The subunit that serves as the building block of a polymer
Term
Peptide Bond
Definition
The covalent bond between the carboxyl group on one amino acid and the amino group on another, formed by a dehydration reaction
Term
Tertiary Structure
Definition
Irregular contortions of a protein molecule due to interactions of side chains involved in hydrophobic interactions, ionic bonds, H bonds, and disulfide bridges
Term
Dehydration reaction
Definition
A chemical reaction in which two molecules covalently bond to each other with the removal of a water moleucle
Term
Disulfide Bridge
Definition
the covalent bond between two sulfur atoms that binds two peptide chains
Term
Hydrolysis
Definition
A chemical process that lyses, or splits, molecules by the addition of water, functioning in disassembly of polymers to monomers
Term
Primary Structure
Definition
The level of protein structure referring to the specific sequence of amino acids
Term
Quarternary Structure
Definition
the way different proteins fit together to form large macromolecules
Term
Enzyme
Definition
A macromolecule serving as a catalyst, a chemical agent that changes the rate of a reaction without being consumed by the reaction
Term
Denaturation
Definition
In proteins, a process in which a protein unravels and loses its native shape, thereby becoming biologically inactive; in DNA, the seperation of the two strands of the double helix. Denaturation occurs under extreme conditions of pH, salt concentration, and temperature
Term
Catalyst
Definition
A chemical agent that increases the rate of a reaction wihtout being consumed by the reaction
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