Biochemistry

Unit Review Sheet

Facts and Definitions

Lesson 1: Introduction to Biological Chemistry

• Biochemistry is the scientific study of the chemical substances, processes, and reactions that occur in living organisms.
• An organic compound is a substance that contains carbon and is often derived from living things.
• A covalent bond is a chemical bond in which the attractive force between atoms is created by the sharing of electrons.
• Allotropes are the different forms in which a chemical element occurs, each differing in physical properties. For example, diamond and graphite are allotropes of carbon.
• The carbon cycle is the complex process in which carbon is exchanged between organisms and the environment.
• Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is used to produce chemical energy.
• Cellular respiration is the process where cells use organic compounds to obtain energy.
• An autotroph is an organism that is capable of making nutrients from inorganic materials; these include green plants that make carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis.
• A heterotroph obtains nourishment by digesting plant or animal matter; heterotrophs cannot make their own food. Any animal is considered a heterotroph (cow, hawk, coyote).

Lesson 2: Building Blocks

• Biomolecules are molecules from which living things are made. They are important to the survival and functioning of organisms.
• Carbohydrates are biomolecules that contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. They are an important source of food and energy.
• Lipids are biomolecules that are not soluble in water. They include waxes, oils, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
• Nucleic acids are biomolecules found in all living cells that transport genetic information.
• Proteins are biomolecules that are composed of amino acids and are essential to the structure and function of all living cells.
• Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins and must be obtained through the diet or synthesized by the body.

Lesson 3: Organic and Inorganic Molecules

• Inorganic compounds are substances that do not come from living things, and most do not contain carbon.
• Enzymes are proteins inside a living cell that speed up reactions necessary for life.

Lesson 4: Feedback

• Stability is the ability of an organism to resist disturbances or to return to its original state after a disturbance.
• Equilibrium is a state in which biological processes are in balance.
• Homeostasis describes the process or mechanisms that systems in an organism use to maintain stability and resist change.
• Feedback is a system of responses to disturbances within a biological system.
• Tonicity is a measure of osmotic pressure within a system such as a cell or organism.

Lesson 5: Exposure and Feedback

• A chemical agent is a chemical compound that is dangerous to humans.
• Cytotoxic describes an agent that destroys or limits the activity of cells.
• A dose is a measured amount; with medication, it is an amount administered once or at specific intervals.
• To incapacitate is to deprive someone of power or effectiveness.
• Lachrymatory describes an agent that causes the eyes to produce tears.
• Potency is the strength of something.
• Pulmonary relates to the lungs or describes an agent that affects the lungs.
• Toxicity is the degree to which something is poisonous.
• A vesicant is an agent that causes blisters.

Lesson 6: Immune Response, Part I

• A disease is a condition that affects human function; it results in medical symptoms.
• A host cell is a cell invaded by a virus.
• Exponential growth means that a population grows in size faster as it gets larger.
• Immunity is the ability of an organism to resist disease.
• Inoculation is an injection of a substance that can stimulate the body's production of specific disease-fighting cells.
• The lymphatic system fights infection by filtering germs out of tissue and transporting white blood cells
• Pathogens are agents that can cause disease; examples includes bacteria and viruses.
• Viruses are very small particles of a nucleic acid surrounded by protein; they can replicate only within a host cell.
• Parasitic refers to an organism that is living in or on another organism.

Lesson 7: Immune Response, Part II

• Allergens are substances that cause an allergic reaction.
• In autoimmune disorders, the body attacks its own cells and tissues.
• Epidemiology is the study of diseases that affect a large number of people to find the cause of the disease and track how it spreads.
• Idiopathic describes a disease or disorder that has no known cause.
• Immunodeficiency is a condition where the body's immune system is damaged or not functioning.

Lesson 8: Intake and Health

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Final Project: Analyzing Your Food Journal

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