Chemical Compounds in the Cells Vocabulary
Quiz- Wednesday Dec 7th
Element- any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances
Compound-two or more elements that are combined chemically
Carbohydrate- energy-rich organic compound made of the elements carbon, hydrogen
and oxygen. (Examples - sugar and starches)
Lipid- energy-rich organic compound made of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen that is
stored in the cells for energy (examples- fats, oils and waxes)
Protein- large organic molecules made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and in
some case sulfur that make up the much of the cell’s structure
Enzyme- a type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing
Nucleic Acids- contain the instructions that cells need to carry out all of the functions of
life
DNA- genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed on from
parent to offspring
RNA- plays an important role in the production of proteins