Radience

The Chemistry of Life

Science

acid

forms hydrogen ions when dissolved in water
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activation energy

the minimum energy needed to start a chemical reaction
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adhesion

the force of attraction between molecules of different substances
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amino acid

a compound that is the building block of proteins
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atom

the smallest particle of an element
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base

forms hydroxide ions when dissolved in water
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buffer

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

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

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

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

the attraction between molecules of the same substance
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compound

the substance made when atoms from two or more elements combine chemically
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covalent bond

a chemical bond formed when atoms share electrons
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electron

a negatively charged particle outside the nucleus of an atom
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element

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

a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in cells
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hydrogen bond

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

an atom that is charged because it gained or lost an electron
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ionic bond

the attraction between oppositely charged ions
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lipid

an energy-rich organic compound such as a fat or oil
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mixture

a combination of substances that keep their individual properties
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molecule

a group of atoms held together by bonds
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monomer

a small molecule that makes up a polymer chain
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nucleic acid

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

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

the center of an atom
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pH

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

a large molecule formed from a chain of small monomers
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product

a new substance formed by a chemical reaction
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protein

an organic compound that is made of amino acids
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reactant

a substance that is changed in a chemical reaction
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solute

the substance that is dissolved to form a solution
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solution

a mixture of evenly distributed substances
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solvent

the substance in which another substance is dissolved
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substrate

a reactant to which an enzyme binds
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Van der Waals force

the weak attraction between oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules
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