The Chemistry of Life

Science

Forms hydrogen ions when dissolved in water

Acid

Forms hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Acid. An acid is a substance that increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution, typically giving it a sour taste.

The smallest particle of an element

Atom

The smallest particle of an element. Atom. An atom is the basic building block of matter, making up everything around us.

Forms hydroxide ions when dissolved in water

Base

Forms hydroxide ions when dissolved in water. Base. A base is a substance that can accept hydrogen ions and often releases hydroxide ions in solution, making it basic or alkaline.

The substance made when atoms from two or more elements combine chemically

Compound

The substance made when atoms from two or more elements combine chemically. Compound. In simple terms, a compound is a substance formed when different elements join together in fixed proportions.

A chemical bond formed when atoms share electrons

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed when atoms share electrons. Covalent bond. A covalent bond is like a team effort where atoms share electrons to stay connected.

A substance made of one type of atom that cannot be broken down chemically

Element

A substance made of one type of atom that cannot be broken down chemically. Element. An element is a pure substance consisting of only one kind of atom.

An atom that is charged because it gained or lost an electron

Ion

An atom that is charged because it gained or lost an electron. Ion. An ion is an atom or molecule with an electric charge due to losing or gaining electrons.

The attraction between oppositely charged ions

Ionic bond

The attraction between oppositely charged ions. Ionic bond. An ionic bond is when atoms transfer electrons to each other, resulting in a force that holds them together.

A combination of substances that keep their individual properties

Mixture

A combination of substances that keep their individual properties. Mixture. In science, a mixture is a combination of two or more substances that are not chemically bonded and can be separated physically.

A group of atoms held together by bonds

Molecule

A group of atoms held together by bonds. Molecule. A molecule is a group of atoms bonded together that form the basic units of a chemical substance.

The center of an atom

Nucleus atom

The center of an atom. Nucleus. The nucleus is the tiny, dense core of an atom that contains protons and neutrons.

The scale of how basic or acidic a solution is based on hydrogen ion concentration

The scale of how basic or acidic a solution is based on hydrogen ion concentration. pH. pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is, with lower values being more acidic and higher values more basic.

A mixture of evenly distributed substances

Solution

A mixture of evenly distributed substances. Solution. A solution is a type of mixture where one substance is completely dissolved in another, like salt in water.

A weak bond of attraction between a hydrogen atom and another atom

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond of attraction between a hydrogen atom and another atom. Hydrogen bond. It is a type of weak chemical bond where a hydrogen atom is attracted to an electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen.

A compound that is the building block of proteins

Amino acid

A compound that is the building block of proteins. Amino acid. Amino acids are small molecules that join together to form proteins in our bodies.

An energy-rich organic molecule of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, like sugar or starches

Carbohydrate

An energy-rich organic molecule of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, like sugar or starches. Carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are nutrients that provide your body with energy.

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in cells

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in cells. Enzyme. An enzyme is a biological catalyst that helps accelerate chemical reactions in living organisms.

An energy-rich organic compound such as a fat or oil

Lipid

An energy-rich organic compound such as a fat or oil. Lipid. Lipids are molecules that store energy and make up cell membranes in living organisms.

A molecule made of nucelotides that contain genetic material, like DNA and RNA

Nucleic acid

A molecule made of nucleotides that contain genetic material, like DNA and RNA. Nucleic acid. Nucleic acids are essential molecules that store and transmit genetic information in living organisms.

A nucleic acid sub unit that consists of a sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogenous base

Nucleotide

A nucleic acid subunit that consists of a sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogenous base. Nucleotide. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information.

A large molecule formed from a chain of small monomers

Polymer

A large molecule formed from a chain of small monomers. Polymer. A polymer is like a necklace made of many small beads, where each bead is a monomer linked together to form a long chain.

An organic compound that is made of amino acids

Protein

An organic compound that is made of amino acids protein. Proteins are essential molecules in our bodies that help build and repair tissues.

A negatively charged particle outside the nucleus of an atom

Electron

A negatively charged particle outside the nucleus of an atom. Electron. An electron is a tiny particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom and carries a negative charge.

The minimum energy needed to start a chemical reaction

Activation energy

The minimum energy needed to start a chemical reaction is called activation energy. Activation energy is like the energy boost needed to kick-start a reaction.

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction by reducing the activation energy

Catalyst

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction by reducing the activation energy. Catalyst. In Science, a catalyst is something that helps reactions happen faster without being used up.

The process where substances change into different substances through the breaking of chemical bonds

Chemical reaction

The process where substances change into different substances through the breaking of chemical bonds. Chemical reaction. A chemical reaction is when molecules change and transform into new substances.

A new substance formed by a chemical reaction

Product

A new substance formed by a chemical reaction product. In science, a product is the outcome of a chemical reaction where new substances are created from the original ones.

A substance that is changed in a chemical reaction

Reactant

A substance that is changed in a chemical reaction. Reactant. A reactant is a starting material in a chemical reaction that gets transformed into something else.

A reactant to which an enzyme binds

Substrate

A reactant to which an enzyme binds. Substrate. In simple terms, a substrate is the specific substance that an enzyme acts on in a chemical reaction.

A solution that reacts with acids and bases to prevent sudden pH changes

Buffer

A solution that reacts with acids and bases to prevent sudden pH changes. Buffer. A buffer is a solution that helps maintain a stable pH when acids or bases are added.

The substance that is dissolved to form a solution

Solute

The substance that is dissolved to form a solution. Solute. A solute is what you mix into a liquid to make it a solution, like sugar in water.

The substance in which another substance is dissolved

Solvent

The substance in which another substance is dissolved. Solvent. In Science, a solvent is a liquid that dissolves other substances to form a solution.

The attraction between molecules of the same substance

Cohesion

The attraction between molecules of the same substance. Cohesion. Cohesion is what makes water droplets stick together.

The force of attraction between molecules of different substances

Adhesion

The force of attraction between molecules of different substances. Adhesion. Adhesion is when different materials stick together because their molecules attract each other.

A small molecule that makes up a polymer chain

Monomer

A small molecule that makes up a polymer chain. Monomer. Monomers are basic building blocks that link together to form long chains called polymers.

The weak attraction between oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules

Van der Waals force

The weak attraction between oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules. Van der Waals force. It's a gentle force that makes molecules stick to each other because of tiny charges.