Ch' 2: Basic Chemistry

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Ch. 2 Basic Chemistry
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The Chemical Basis of Life

• By reducing organisms to smaller parts,
  biologists have been able to understand the
  complex structures and functions of life.

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The Chemical Basis of Life

• Matter, energy
• Structure Function
• eg. Hemoglobin
• approx. 20 essential elements to life
• atom

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The Chemical Basis of Life

• 96 of human substance is made up of
• O, C, H, N

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The Chemical Basis of Life

• Atoms are composed of
• protons
• neutrons
• electrons
• Compounds
• Molecules
• Different combinations of atoms ? determines the
  unique properties of each molecule.

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The Chemical Basis of Life

• Ions electrolytes
• Electron arrangement determines the chemical
  properties of an atom.

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Electrons

• Outer shell electrons
• Chemical reactions involve sharing or
  transferring outer electrons (valence electrons)
• Ionic bonds
• Covalent bonds
• hydrogen bonds

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WATER

• polar molecule
• unequal sharing of electrons
• hydrogen bonds between water molecules
• H-bonds make liquid water cohesive
• Waters H-bonds moderate temperature
• Ice is less dense than liquid water
• Water is a versatile solvent

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?pH?

• expresses the tendency of water to ionize
• the chemistry of life is sensitive to acidic and
  basic conditions
• biological pH range 1-9
• buffers
• ACID ppt. threatens the environment

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Chemical Reactions

• Synthesis
• decomposition/digestion
• exchange

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What molecules are common to all of life?

• Organic vs. Inorganic
• CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

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Carbo-loading

• saccharides
• monosaccharides - eg. Glucose, fructose
• disaccharides - eg. Sucrose, lactose
• polysaccharides - eg. Starch, glycogen

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Not too many fats now!!

• lipids
• triglycerides 3 F.A.s glycerol
• saturated vs. unsaturated
• phospholipids (eg. Membranes)
• steroids/cholesterol

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And, not too much protein!

• Building blocks of protein
• function of proteins

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Nothing would happen without them (not much
anyway)

• ENZYMES
• structure
• function

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Its your instructions!

• DNA, RNA
• building blocks nucleotides
• 5-C sugar, organic base, phosphate group

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ATP

• Absolutely necessary to maintain life and do work
• How?????
• Structure/function