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Compounds
Term | Definition |
---|---|
element | any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances |
compound | when two or more elements combine chemically |
water | most chemical reactions within cells could not take place without this compound |
organic compound | compound that contains the element carbon |
inorganic compound | compound that does not contain the element carbon |
carbohydrate | energy rich organic compound; sugars, starches, potatoes, pasta and rice are examples |
lipid | energy rich organic compound; contain more energy than carbohydrates; fats, oils and waxes are examples |
protein | large organic molecules; meat, eggs, fish, nuts and beans are examples |
amino acid | small molecule that is linked chemically to other amino acids to form proteins |
enzyme | a type of protein that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living thing |
nucleic acid | long organic molecules that contain the instructions that cells need to carry out all the functions of life |
DNA | genetic material that carries information about an organism and is passed from parent to offspring |
RNA | plays an important role in the production of proteins; located in cytoplasm as well as the nucleus of a cell |