Chemistry:Critical Review

1. Be able to describe in detail the structure and components of an atom.

2. Familiarize yourself with basic chemistry terminology. (Atom, element, molecule,
isotope, inert, compound, radioactive, ions, cations, catabolic, anabolic, etc…..)
3. Distinguish between the different types of chemical bonds. What creates the
attractive forces in each that draws the atoms together? Give some examples.
4. Describe a polar molecule. Explain how polar molecules, such as water, interact with
each other.
5. List the different types of chemical reactions and give examples. Synthesis
(anabolic) reactions often result in the liberation of a water molecule, and are referred
to as dehydrogenation reactions. Decomposition (catabolic) reactions often require
water to break bonds and are referred to as hydrolysis reactions.
6. Explain how a salt is produced as a result of a chemical reaction. Identify the
reactants.
7. Differentiate between acids, bases, and electrolytes.
8. Be able to explain what a pH scale is and how one pH varies from another.
Differentiate between acidic and alkaline/basic.
9. Examine organic molecules. Pay close attention to the structure, physical, and
chemical properties. List some examples.
10. Examine inorganic molecules. Pay close attention to the structure, physical, and
chemical properties. List some examples.
11. Water, carbon dioxide, and oxygen play very significant roles in normal homeostasis.
Describe their roles.
12. Carbohydrates are essential to the human body. Describe their structure,
significance, chemical properties.
13. Describe the general structure of a triglyceride (fat) molecule. Outline its’ properties
and potential uses by the body.
14. Explain how a phospholipid molecule differs structurally from a triglyceride. Identify
its’ potential uses by the body.
15. Examine the structure of a steroid. List the potential uses by the body.
16. Proteins have very diverse roles in the human body. List them.
17. Examine the bonds that hold amino acids together. Describe them.
18. Proteins can be quite large. Observe the 4 levels of protein structure. Describe the
types of bonds that cause the proteins to take the shapes that they do. Explain what
the significance of hydrogen bonding is in overall protein configuration.
19. Take a brief look at DNA and RNA structures. Review the building blocks. (We will
look in greater detail at another time.)