Question

directions: define the following terms in the spaces provided.
amino acid
aom
carbohydrates
catalyst
compound
disaccharide
electron
element
enzyme
fats
fatty acids
glucose
glycerol
inorganic compound

Explanation:

Each term is defined with core, precise biological/chemical context:

1. Amino acid: Basic building block of proteins, with amine/carboxyl groups.
2. Atom: Smallest unit of an element retaining its properties.
3. Carbohydrates: Organic molecules (sugars/starches) for energy/storage.
4. Catalyst: Substance speeding reactions without being consumed.
5. Compound: Substance of two+ bonded different elements.
6. Disaccharide: Sugar made of two linked monosaccharide units.
7. Electron: Negatively charged subatomic particle orbiting nucleus.
8. Element: Pure substance with unique atomic number, no simpler form.
9. Enzyme: Protein catalyst speeding biological reactions.
10. Fats: Lipids (triglycerides) for long-term energy storage.
11. Fatty acids: Carboxylic acids, building blocks of fats/lipids.
12. Glucose: Simple sugar, primary cellular energy source.
13. Glycerol: Alcohol, backbone for triglycerides (fats).
14. Inorganic compound: Molecule without carbon-hydrogen bonds.

Answer:

1. amino acid: Organic molecule with an amine group ($\text{-NH}_2$), a carboxyl group ($\text{-COOH}$), and a unique side chain; the basic building block of proteins.
2. atom: The smallest unit of a chemical element that retains the element's chemical properties, composed of a nucleus (protons, neutrons) and orbiting electrons.
3. carbohydrates: A class of organic compounds consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (in a ~1:2:1 ratio), including sugars, starches, and cellulose, used primarily for energy and structural support in organisms.
4. catalyst: A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing any permanent chemical change itself.
5. compound: A pure chemical substance composed of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded together in a fixed ratio.
6. disaccharide: A type of carbohydrate formed by the covalent bonding of two monosaccharide (simple sugar) units, e.g., sucrose (glucose + fructose).
7. electron: A negatively charged subatomic particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom, involved in chemical bonding and electrical phenomena.
8. element: A pure substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical means, defined by its unique number of protons (atomic number).
9. enzyme: A type of protein that acts as a biological catalyst, speeding up specific chemical reactions in living organisms by lowering activation energy.
10. fats: A type of lipid (triglyceride) composed of glycerol and three fatty acid chains, used for long-term energy storage, insulation, and protection in organisms.
11. fatty acids: Long-chain carboxylic acids with a hydrocarbon tail and a carboxyl group, serving as building blocks for lipids like fats and phospholipids.
12. glucose: A six-carbon monosaccharide ($\text{C}_6\text{H}_{12}\text{O}_6$), the primary source of energy for most living cells, and a building block for larger carbohydrates.
13. glycerol: A three-carbon alcohol with hydroxyl groups ($\text{-OH}$), which forms the backbone of triglycerides (fats) and phospholipids.
14. inorganic compound: A chemical compound that generally does not contain carbon-hydrogen ($\text{C-H}$) bonds, e.g., water ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$), salts, and carbon dioxide.