Unit 2 Science

the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction

location on an enzyme where the substrate binds

An attraction between water molecules and another substance

the building blocks of a protein

a lasting attraction between atoms of elements that allows for the formation of chemical compounds/molecules

a weak acid or weak base that prevents sharp, sudden changes in pH; help keep pH constant in body tissues to help maintain homeostasis

property of water that allows water molecules to move against the force of gravity in narrow spaces

commonly called "sugars"; made of monomers called monosaccharides and often end in -ose

polysaccharide that makes up the cell walls of plant cells

an attraction between water molecules

process that occurs when an enzyme is exposed to extreme temperatures/pHs; changes the shape of an enzyme's active site so that it can no longer bind to substrate molecules

sugar made of two monosaccharides; ex. is sucrose which is made when glucose is linked to fructose

proteins that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction; convert molecules called "substrates" into "products"; often end in -ase; called "biological catalysts"

a polysaccharide that stores excess sugar in the liver and muscles of animals

signaling molecules made by various glands throughout the body that affect metabolism and growth/development; examples include estrogen, testosterone, growth hormone, and insulin.

a protein hormone that lowers the amount of glucose in the blood to help maintain homeostasis

usually made of 3 fatty acids bound to a glycerol molecule; fats, waxes, and oils are examples; provide twice as many calories per gram than do carbs/proteins; used for long-term energy storage, insulation, cell membrane structure, and waterproofing

mechanism by which a substrate binds to an enzyme's active site; reflects how specific each enzyme's shape is

building block or subunit of a polymer; smallest molecules in each class of biomolecules

the smallest, simple sugars; ex. is glucose

made of monomers called nucleotides; examples are DNA and RNA

protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells; is defective in sufferers of sickle cell anemia

carbon-based molecules that have bonds to hydrogen

chemical bond between the amino acids of a protein

a measure of how acidic or basic a solution is; the range is 0-6 acid; 7 neutral; 8-14 base

Molecules having uneven distribution of charge; ex. water

the largest biological molecules made of monomers; also called macromolecules

: a long, linear chain of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds; a precursor to a protein that is not yet functional

: the largest carbohydrates; made up of many monosaccharides; examples include: starch, glycogen, chitin, and cellulose

everything on the right side of a chemical equation

macromolecules made of amino acids

everything on the left side of a chemical equation

polysaccharide that stores food in plants

polysaccharide that stores food in plants

molecule that binds to the enzyme's active site