The Chemistry of Life

Acid

Forms hydrogen ions when dissolved in water. Acid. An acid is a substance that increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution, typically giving it a sour taste.

Activation energy

The minimum energy needed to start a chemical reaction is called activation energy. Activation energy is like the energy boost needed to kick-start a reaction.

Adhesion

The force of attraction between molecules of different substances. Adhesion. Adhesion is when different materials stick together because their molecules attract each other.

Amino acid

A compound that is the building block of proteins. Amino acid. Amino acids are small molecules that join together to form proteins in our bodies.

Atom

The smallest particle of an element. Atom. An atom is the basic building block of matter, making up everything around us.

Base

Forms hydroxide ions when dissolved in water. Base. A base is a substance that can accept hydrogen ions and often releases hydroxide ions in solution, making it basic or alkaline.

Buffer

A solution that reacts with acids and bases to prevent sudden pH changes. Buffer. A buffer is a solution that helps maintain a stable pH when acids or bases are added.

Carbohydrate

An energy-rich organic molecule of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, like sugar or starches. Carbohydrate. Carbohydrates are nutrients that provide your body with energy.

Catalyst

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction by reducing the activation energy. Catalyst. In Science, a catalyst is something that helps reactions happen faster without being used up.

Chemical reaction

The process where substances change into different substances through the breaking of chemical bonds. Chemical reaction. A chemical reaction is when molecules change and transform into new substances.

Cohesion

The attraction between molecules of the same substance. Cohesion. Cohesion is what makes water droplets stick together.

Compound

The substance made when atoms from two or more elements combine chemically. Compound. In simple terms, a compound is a substance formed when different elements join together in fixed proportions.

Covalent bond

A chemical bond formed when atoms share electrons. Covalent bond. A covalent bond is like a team effort where atoms share electrons to stay connected.

Electron

A negatively charged particle outside the nucleus of an atom. Electron. An electron is a tiny particle that orbits the nucleus of an atom and carries a negative charge.

Element

A substance made of one type of atom that cannot be broken down chemically. Element. An element is a pure substance consisting of only one kind of atom.

Enzyme

A protein that speeds up chemical reactions in cells. Enzyme. An enzyme is a biological catalyst that helps accelerate chemical reactions in living organisms.

Hydrogen bond

A weak bond of attraction between a hydrogen atom and another atom. Hydrogen bond. It is a type of weak chemical bond where a hydrogen atom is attracted to an electronegative atom like oxygen or nitrogen.

Ion

An atom that is charged because it gained or lost an electron. Ion. An ion is an atom or molecule with an electric charge due to losing or gaining electrons.

Ionic bond

The attraction between oppositely charged ions. Ionic bond. An ionic bond is when atoms transfer electrons to each other, resulting in a force that holds them together.

Lipid

An energy-rich organic compound such as a fat or oil. Lipid. Lipids are molecules that store energy and make up cell membranes in living organisms.

Mixture

A combination of substances that keep their individual properties. Mixture. In science, a mixture is a combination of two or more substances that are not chemically bonded and can be separated physically.

Molecule

A group of atoms held together by bonds. Molecule. A molecule is a group of atoms bonded together that form the basic units of a chemical substance.

Monomer

A small molecule that makes up a polymer chain. Monomer. Monomers are basic building blocks that link together to form long chains called polymers.

Nucleic acid

A molecule made of nucleotides that contain genetic material, like DNA and RNA. Nucleic acid. Nucleic acids are essential molecules that store and transmit genetic information in living organisms.

Nucleotide

A nucleic acid subunit that consists of a sugar, phosphate, and a nitrogenous base. Nucleotide. Nucleotides are the building blocks of DNA and RNA, which store and transmit genetic information.

Nucleus atom

The center of an atom. Nucleus. The nucleus is the tiny, dense core of an atom that contains protons and neutrons.

PH

The scale of how basic or acidic a solution is based on hydrogen ion concentration. pH. pH measures how acidic or basic a solution is, with lower values being more acidic and higher values more basic.

Polymer

A large molecule formed from a chain of small monomers. Polymer. A polymer is like a necklace made of many small beads, where each bead is a monomer linked together to form a long chain.

Product

A new substance formed by a chemical reaction product. In science, a product is the outcome of a chemical reaction where new substances are created from the original ones.

Protein

An organic compound that is made of amino acids protein. Proteins are essential molecules in our bodies that help build and repair tissues.

Reactant

A substance that is changed in a chemical reaction. Reactant. A reactant is a starting material in a chemical reaction that gets transformed into something else.

Solute

The substance that is dissolved to form a solution. Solute. A solute is what you mix into a liquid to make it a solution, like sugar in water.

Solution

A mixture of evenly distributed substances. Solution. A solution is a type of mixture where one substance is completely dissolved in another, like salt in water.

Solvent

The substance in which another substance is dissolved. Solvent. In Science, a solvent is a liquid that dissolves other substances to form a solution.

Substrate

A reactant to which an enzyme binds. Substrate. In simple terms, a substrate is the specific substance that an enzyme acts on in a chemical reaction.

Van der Waals force

The weak attraction between oppositely charged regions of nearby molecules. Van der Waals force. It's a gentle force that makes molecules stick to each other because of tiny charges.