Basic Chemistry Terms

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Atom

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The smallest unit of a chemical element that retains its chemical properties.

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Molecule

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A group of atoms bonded together, representing the smallest fundamental unit of a chemical compound.

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Compound

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A substance formed when two or more chemical elements are chemically bonded together.

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Chemical Bond

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The lasting attraction between atoms that enables the formation of chemical compounds.

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Macromolecule

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A large complex molecule, such as proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, and lipids, with relatively large molecular weight.

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Monomer

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A molecule that can bind chemically to other molecules to form a polymer.

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Polymer

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A large molecule composed of many repeated subunits, known as monomers.

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Metabolism

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The set of life-sustaining chemical reactions in organisms.

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Catabolic

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A type of metabolic process that breaks down molecules into smaller units and releases energy.

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Anabolic

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A type of metabolic process that builds larger molecules from smaller ones and requires energy.