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Biochemistry
Biochemistry Vocabulary
Term | Definition |
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Biochemistry | the branch of science concerned with the chemical and physicochemical processes that occur within living organisms. |
Element | a part or aspect of something abstract, especially one that is essential or characteristic. |
Compound | a thing that is composed of two or more separate elements; a mixture. |
Organic compounds | any of a large class of chemical compounds in which one or more atoms of carbon are covalently linked to atoms of other elements, most commonly hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen. |
Inorganic compounds | can be defined as any compound that is not organic compound. Some simple compounds that contain carbon are often considered inorganic. |
Carbohydrates | any of a large group of organic compounds occurring in foods and living tissues and including sugars, starch, and cellulose. |
Lipids | any of a group of organic compounds that are greasy to the touch, insoluble in water, and soluble in alcohol and ether. |
Protein | any of a class of nitrogenous organic compounds that consist of large molecules composed of one or more long chains of amino acids and are an essential part of all living organisms |
enzymes | a substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to bring about a specific biochemical reaction. |
Nucleic acids | a complex organic substance present in living cells, especially DNA or RNA, whose molecules consist of many nucleotides linked in a long chain. |
Hydrolysis | the chemical breakdown of a compound due to reaction with water. |
Synthesis | the production of chemical compounds by reaction from simpler materials |