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Unifying feature of life:

BIOLOGY 3
LECTURE 1
ATTRIBUTES OF LIFE
1. Living organisms are made up of bioelements.
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES: ATOMS – BASIC UNITS OF MATTER are made up of
Electron (-) , Proton (+), Neutron
Atomic number : number of charged protons
Atomic mass: weight of protons + neutrons (inside the nucleus)
Maximum no. of protons: 92 Maximum no. of neutrons: 146

ELEMENT: any substance that cannot be broken down to any other substance by
any ordinary chemical processes . There are 111 listed in the periodic table
including carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, and sulfur.

ISOTOPES – atoms with the same number of protons but different number of
Objective: to recognize the unifying features of neutrons
living things Eg. C12 = 6P, 6N, 6E; C13 = 6P, 7N, 6E ; C14= 6P, 8N, 6E

RADIOACTIVE: unstable isotopes whose nucleus tend to break up into

These elements combine to form the biomolecules:
particles with lower atomic numbers
carbohydrates (CHO) , lipids (CHO), protein (CHON), nucleic
acids.
IONS: atoms with an electrical charge due to excess electrons
Carbon skeleton of biomolecules:
ACIDS: substances that release H+ *sugar
BASES: substances with excess OH- and receives excess H+ *DNA
*amino acids/ protein
OXIDATION: loss of electron or combination of compound with *phospholipids
oxygen, producing heat and energy; *ATP
REDUCTION: gain of electron

REDOX reactions: transfer of electrons among atoms

Ph: the basis of measurement of acidity of substances
Ph 1 to 6.99 – acidic; Ph 7 – neutral; Ph 7.1 to 14 – basic

I. CARBOHYDRATES

1. MONOSACCHARIDES
a. Pentoses(5-C): ribose and deoxyribose
b. Hexoses (6-C): optical OH
i. Glucose - dextrose or grape sugar isomers grou
ii. Galactose – sugar in milk p
iii. Fructose – fruit sugar or levulose

2. DISSACCHARIDES
a. Maltose (malt sugar) = glucose + glucose
b. Lactose (milk sugar) = glucose + galactose
c. Sucrose (cane or beet sugar) = glucose + fructose

3. POLYSACCHARIDES
a. Starch – found in plants
b. Cellulose – in the plant cell wall
c. Glycogen – energy source of animals
geometric
isomers

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Starch - found in most plants

+

Chemistry of lipids:

Formation of polypeptides The primary structure of a protein is the sequence of amino acids
- condensation reactions: a) found in its polypeptide chain. This sequence determines its
properties and shape.
two or more amino acids joined together

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NUCLEIC ACIDS: DNA/RNA

The Prism of Sennacherib Single DNA molecule E.

- about 700 b.c. coli

- Assyrian language - 10 million characters

- 20,000 character - 10 -10g

- 50kg

2. Life is dependent on water.

Living things have fluids mad up of 90% water and 10% solutes
(organic and inorganic).
Eg. Cell cytoplasm, Vertebrate blood, Plant xylem sap

Biochemical reactions occur in the presence of water (the universal

Thymine Cytosine solvent).
Photosynthesis: CO 2 + C6 H12 O6 + H2O + O2

Uracil

WATER: the cradle of life; universal solvent; 3. Life occurs in the presence of coupled
75% of the earth’s surface, cycling of nutrients.
67% to 70% of the human body;
90% of the plant cell Bioelements cycle from organic and inorganic states (and
it has great fluidity that favors transport and vice versa).
dissociation of materials (electrolytes)
its chemistry is controlled by its polarity with O- having Bioelements involved in the biogeochemical cycling:
*carbon cycle
greater negativity with H+ *sulfur cycle
*nitrogen cycle
Physical properties: has high surface tension *hydrogen- oxygen cycle
high specific heat – absorbs heat *phosphate
ice formation – can solidify
cohesion – “stick together”
adhesion – stick to surfaces

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nutrient_cycling
Components of the Biosphere

4. Life occurs in the presence of a flow of energy. The

Energy flow is unidirectional Energy
Radiant energy
Chemical energy
Heat energy Flow
Sun- the ultimate source of energy of the biosphere.
(PHOTOSYNTHESIS)

Chemical energy moves within the biosphere. (ASSIMILATION)

Heat energy is lost. (RESPIRATION)

5. Life is orderly.

Large amounts of energy input is needed to maintain

orderliness (highly ordered state) of life.
Life is described as progression towards the increasing
complexity.

Through time:
Unicellular multicellular
Division of labor (compartmentalization)
Prokaryote (uncompartmentalized eukaryote
compartmentalized)- presence of organelles

Individuals----populations-----species-----higher taxa------
populations-------communities

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LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION: 6. Life adjusts to a changing environment.

PROTONS Ecosystem is where the abiotic and biotic components
NEUTRONS interact in an exchange of matter & energy
ELECTRONS

ATOMS BIOSPHERE

MOLECULES BIOMES

SIMPLE ECOSYSTEMS
COMPOUNDS

COMPLEX COMMUNITIES
ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS

BIOMOLECULES POPULATIONS

ORGANELLES ORGANISMS

CELLS ORGAN SYSTEMS

TISSUES ORGANS

Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

A concept map of ecosystem

Ecosystem components & relationships
(CCS 2003) Climate change in Asia
is composed of

Abiotic Biotic made up of

• Scope: 16 countries from India to Phils. (1.6 B people)
(nonliving) (living) Communities
components components • Water: Melting of Himalayan glaciers, causing floods
modify carry made up of
consist of
out • Agriculture: Decline in rice yields due to increased
creates Habitat shapes Niche carry out Populations temperature
Energy Matter (place to live) (way to live)
made up of
• Coastal Zones: Rising sea levels by 1 meter
may be
is is
• Health: Spread of malaria, dengue fever, schistosomiasis
Always Species
dispersed or
Always
eventually
Decomposers Consumers Producers
• Adaptations: Several million people will be displaced; new
degraded
recycled crops will be introduced to replace faltering rice
lost as results in broken eaten by production.
down by
heat released
Heat • Frequent episodes of El Nino and La Nina
radiated to used to make new organic compounds
space
except that captured for photosynthesis by