LHS Academic Biology 2014
Mr. Zahm, Room 507
Vocabulary #3 Help Sheet: “More Matter and Carbon-Based Compounds”
Use this document to help you complete your Vocabulary assignment according to the “Vocab Format”. The
help will be provided in this format:
Word (part of speech)
Definition:
Facts/Examples/Characteristics
Facts/Examples/Characteristics
Examples
1) mixture (noun)
Definition: The physical combination of substances – atoms and/or molecules.
Fact: Substances mixed together can be separated again from each other.
Fact: There are three types of mixtures: solutions, suspensions, and colloids.
Characteristic: Mixtures can be separated physically.
Exs: Blood (solution), a muddy river (suspension), jello (colloid)
2) solution (noun)
Definition: A mixture in which one or more solutes are dissolved in (and by) one solvent.
Fact: Water is necessary to life so that chemicals can mix in cells, forming solutions.
Characteristic: Homogenous means the same throughout.
Ex: Salt water (water & salt); Milk; Coffee
3) compound (noun)
Definition: Any, single, living thing.
Synonym: “Living thing”
- Fact: Organisms in the same species can reproduce together.
- Exs: one bacteria (“a bacterium”); one cat; one yeast cell; one apple tree
4) ionic bond (noun)
Definition: A chemical bond between substances in which electrons are given and taken between substances.
Characteristic: Ionic bonds are weaker than covalent bonds but stronger than hydrogen bonds.
Characteristic: Organelles are like “tiny organs” of a cell.
Fact: Sodium and Chlorine form salt with an ionic bond (Na+Cl-)
Ex’s: Salt (Na+Cl-); Hydrofluoric acid (H+Fl-)
5) covalent bond (noun)
Definition: A chemical bond between substances in which electrons are shared between
substances (atoms or molecules).
Characteristic: Covalent bonds are the strongest chemical bonds.
Fact: Water is made of two covalent bonds.
Ex’s: Water; Hydrochloric acid (HCl); methane (CH4)
6) concentration (noun)
Definition: The percent that one part makes of a whole.
Fact: The concentration of salt in the ocean is about 4 %; so, for every 96 particles of water,
there are 4 of salt.
Characteristic: We only measure concentration for the parts of a solution.
Ex’s: The concentration of oxygen in blood is normally about 20%. In many places,
someone with a blood alcohol concentration of 8% is considered intoxicated;
around 40% - 50% is lethal.
LHS Academic Biology 2014
Mr. Zahm, Room 507
7) macromolecule (noun)
Definition: A large, carbon-containing (organic) molecule.
Characteristic: Macromolecules have carbon “backbones” to which other atoms are attached.
Fact: DNA (a nucleic acid) is the largest of all macromolecules, followed by proteins.
- Ex’s: Carbohydrates, Lipids, Proteins, and Nucleic Acids.
8) carbohydrates (noun)
Definition: Carbon-containing, macromolecules used by living things primarily for energy.
Characteristic: Carbohydrates are simple (small like sugar) or complex (large chains of
sugars, like cellulose).
Fact: Monosaccharides are single sugars; disaccharides are two sugars bonded;
polysaccharides are many sugars bonded together in a long chain (polymer).
Fact: Glucose is the monomer for starch and cellulose polymers.
Fact: Cellulose makes up plant cell walls and is the fiber we need in our diets. (We cannot digest cellulose.)
Ex’s: Glucose, Lactose, Starch, Cellulose.
9) lipid (noun)
Definition: Carbon-containing, macromolecules used by living things primarily to make cell
membranes.
Fact: Lipids store twice as much energy as equal amounts of carbohydrates.
Characteristic: All prokaryotes are single-celled or made of just one cell.
Fact: Unused dietary carbohydrates are stored on our bodies as fats.
Ex: Fats; oils; waxes; phospholipids; cholesterol; steroids; hormones.
10) nucleic acid (noun); DNA (noun)
Definition: Carbon-containing, macromolecules used by living things to store the genetic
code/info and make proteins.
Fact: DNA is the nucleic acid found in the cells of all living things and stores our genetic
information.
Characteristic: Nucleic Acids (DNA & RNA) are polymers of “nucleotide” monomers.
Fact: DNA is a double strand of nucleotides; RNA is a single strand of nucleotides.
Fact: DNA is found in the nucleus of Eukaryotic cells and the cytoplasm of Prokaryotic
cells.
Ex: DNA; RNA
11) protein (noun)
Definition: Carbon-containing, macromolecules used by cells to do most of the work, such
as transport materials and control the rate of chemical reactions.
Characteristic: Proteins are polymers of “amino acid” monomers.
Fact: Some proteins are enzymes – or “catalysts”, whose job is to speed up chemical
reactions.
Fact: Proteins on average are about 500 amino acids long.
Example: Hemoglobin (carries oxygen); Lactase (digests lactose); Amylase (digests starch)
12) amino acid (noun)
Definition: The building blocks – or monomers – of protein.
Characteristic: Proteins are polymers of “amino acid” monomers.
Fact: There are only about 20 different amino acids from which all proteins are
made.