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The Molecules of Life
intro to biochemistry
30
Biology
10th Grade
11/19/2008

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Term
organic molecule
Definition
carbon-based molecule
Term
inorganic molecule
Definition
non-carbon based molecule
Term
hydrocarbon
Definition
organic molecule composed of only carbon and hydrogen atoms
Term
functional group
Definition
group of atoms within a molecule that interacts in predictable ways with other molecules
Term
hydrophilic
Definition
attracts water molecules
Term
monomer
Definition
small molecular unit that is the building block of a larger molecule
Term
polymer
Definition
long chain of small molecular units
Term
carbohydrate
Definition
organic compound made of sugar molecules
Term
monosaccharide
Definition
sugar containing one sugar unit
Term
disaccharide
Definition
sugar with two monosaccharide
Term
polysaccharide
Definition
long polymer chain made up of simple sugar monomers
Term
starch
Definition
polysaccharide in plant cells that consist entirely of glucose monomers
Term
glycogen
Definition
polysaccharide in animal cells that consist of many glucose monomers
Term
cellulose
Definition
polysaccharide consisting of glucose monomers that reinforces plant cell walls
Term
lipid
Definition
one of a class of water avoiding compounds
Term
hydrophobic
Definition
avoids water molecules
Term
fat
Definition
organic compound consisting of a three carbon backbone (glycerol) attached to three fatty acids
Term
saturated fat
Definition
fat in which all three fatty acid chains contain the maximum possible number of hydrogen atoms
Term
unsaturated fat
Definition
fat with less than the maximum number of hydrogens in one or more of its fatty acid chains
Term
steroid
Definition
lipid molecule with four fused carbon rings
Term
cholesterol
Definition
steroid molecule present in the plasma membranes of animal cells
Term
protein
Definition
polymer constructed from a set of 20 amino acid monomers
Term
amino acid
Definition
monomer that makes up proteins contains carboxyl and amino functional groups
Term
polypeptide
Definition
chain of linked amino acids
Term
denaturation
Definition
loss of normal shape of a protein due to heat or other factors
Term
activation energy
Definition
minimum amount of energy required to trigger a chemical reaction
Term
catalyst
Definition
agent that speeds up chemical reactions
Term
enzyme
Definition
specialized protein that catalyzes the chemical reactions of the cell
Term
substrate
Definition
specific reactant acted on by an enzyme
Term
active site
Definition
region of an enzyme into which a particular substrate fits
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