5.8: Glossary- The Chemical Level of Organization
- Page ID
- 34410
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)acid: compound that releases hydrogen ions (H+) in solution
activation energy: amount of energy greater than the energy contained in the reactants, which must be overcome for a reaction to proceed
adenosine triphosphate (ATP): nucleotide containing ribose and an adenine base that is essential in energy transfer
amino acid: building block of proteins; characterized by an amino and carboxyl functional groups and a variable side-chain
anion: atom with a negative charge
atom: smallest unit of an element that retains the unique properties of that element
atomic number: number of protons in the nucleus of an atom
base: compound that accepts hydrogen ions (H+) in solution
bond: electrical force linking atoms
buffer: solution containing a weak acid or a weak base that opposes wide fluctuations in the pH of body fluids
carbohydrate: class of organic compounds built from sugars, molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen in a 1-2-1 ratio
catalyst: substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself being changed in the process
cation: atom with a positive charge
chemical energy: form of energy that is absorbed as chemical bonds form, stored as they are maintained, and released as they are broken
colloid: liquid mixture in which the solute particles consist of clumps of molecules large enough to scatter light
compound: substance composed of two or more different elements joined by chemical bonds
concentration: number of particles within a given space
covalent bond: chemical bond in which two atoms share electrons, thereby completing their valence shells
decomposition reaction: type of catabolic reaction in which one or more bonds within a larger molecule are broken, resulting in the release of smaller molecules or atoms
denaturation: change in the structure of a molecule through physical or chemical means
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA): deoxyribose-containing nucleotide that stores genetic information
disaccharide: pair of carbohydrate monomers bonded by dehydration synthesis via a glycosidic bond
disulfide bond: covalent bond formed within a polypeptide between sulfide groups of sulfur-containing amino acids, for example, cysteine
electron shell: area of space a given distance from an atom’s nucleus in which electrons are grouped
electron: subatomic particle having a negative charge and nearly no mass; found orbiting the atom’s nucleus
element: substance that cannot be created or broken down by ordinary chemical means
enzyme: protein or RNA that catalyzes chemical reactions
exchange reaction: type of chemical reaction in which bonds are both formed and broken, resulting in the transfer of components
functional group: group of atoms linked by strong covalent bonds that tends to behave as a distinct unit in chemical reactions with other atoms
hydrogen bond: dipole-dipole bond in which a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom is weakly attracted to a second electronegative atom
inorganic compound: substance that does not contain both carbon and hydrogen
ionic bond: attraction between an anion and a cation
ion: atom with an overall positive or negative charge
isotope: one of the variations of an element in which the number of neutrons differ from each other
kinetic energy: energy that matter possesses because of its motion
lipid: class of nonpolar organic compounds built from hydrocarbons and distinguished by the fact that they are not soluble in water
macromolecule: large molecule formed by covalent bonding
mass number: sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom
matter: physical substance; that which occupies space and has mass
molecule: two or more atoms covalently bonded together
monosaccharide: monomer of carbohydrate; also known as a simple sugar
neutron: heavy subatomic particle having no electrical charge and found in the atom’s nucleus
nucleotide: class of organic compounds composed of one or more phosphate groups, a pentose sugar, and a base
organic compound: substance that contains both carbon and hydrogen
pH: negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration of a solution
peptide bond: covalent bond formed by dehydration synthesis between two amino acids
periodic table of the elements: arrangement of the elements in a table according to their atomic number; elements having similar properties because of their electron arrangements compose columns in the table, while elements having the same number of valence shells compose rows in the table
phospholipid: a lipid compound in which a phosphate group is combined with a diglyceride
phosphorylation: addition of one or more phosphate groups to an organic compound
polar molecule: molecule with regions that have opposite charges resulting from uneven numbers of electrons in the nuclei of the atoms participating in the covalent bond
polysaccharide: compound consisting of more than two carbohydrate monomers bonded by dehydration synthesis via glycosidic bonds
potential energy: stored energy matter possesses because of the positioning or structure of its components
product: one or more substances produced by a chemical reaction
prostaglandin: lipid compound derived from fatty acid chains and important in regulating several body processes
protein: class of organic compounds that are composed of many amino acids linked together by peptide bonds
proton: heavy subatomic particle having a positive charge and found in the atom’s nucleus
purine: nitrogen-containing base with a double ring structure; adenine and guanine
pyrimidine: nitrogen-containing base with a single ring structure; cytosine, thiamine, and uracil
radioactive isotope: unstable, heavy isotope that gives off subatomic particles, or electromagnetic energy, as it decays; also called radioisotopes
reactant: one or more substances that enter into the reaction
ribonucleic acid (RNA): ribose-containing nucleotide that helps manifest the genetic code as protein
solution: homogeneous liquid mixture in which a solute is dissolved into molecules within a solvent
steroid: (also, sterol) lipid compound composed of four hydrocarbon rings bonded to a variety of other atoms and molecules
substrate: reactant in an enzymatic reaction
suspension: liquid mixture in which particles distributed in the liquid settle out over time
synthesis reaction: type of anabolic reaction in which two or more atoms or molecules bond, resulting in the formation of a larger molecule
triglyceride: lipid compound composed of a glycerol molecule bonded with three fatty acid chains
valence shell: outermost electron shell of an atom
Contributors and Attributions
- Anatomy & Physiology. Authored by: OpenStax College. Provided by: Rice University. Located at: http://cnx.org/contents/14fb4ad7-39a1-4eee-ab6e-3ef2482e3e22@9.1. License: CC BY: Attribution. License Terms: This content is available for free at http://cnx.org/contents/14fb4ad7-39a...f2482e3e22@9.1