CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE

Monday, August 9, 2021 4:18 PM

Basic Chemistry Chemical reactions Lipids

Chemistry – concerned with atomic composition and structure of - Substances interact either to form or to break chemical - Contains C,H, O
substances and the reactions they undergo bonds - Major group of organic molecules that are defined as being
- Reactants – substances that enter into a chemical relatively insoluble in water
reaction
Matter, Mass, and Weight - Products – substances that result from the chemical rxn Saturated fatty acids
Matter - A+B(reactants) -> C+D(products) - Each carbon is ful with hydrogen
- anything that occupies space and has mass - Single covalent bonds between carbon atoms
Classification of Chemical Rxns ○ Beef pork, cheese
Mass 1. Synthesis Unsaturated
- amount of matter in an object - combination of reactants - One ore more double covalent bonds between carbons
- Internationak unit is Kilogram / Kg - Build a new molecule ○ Fish oils
- Energy requiring
Weight - ADP+P -> ATP Phospholipids
- gravitational force acting on an object 2. Decomposition - Composed of. Polar region containing phosphate and non
- breakdown of larger reactants polar region consisting two fatty acid chains
- Energy-releasing - The phosphate head - hydrophilic / water soluble
Elements and Atoms - ATP -> ADP + P - The nonpolar end - hydrophobic / repelled by water / lipid-
Element 3. Exchange soluble
- simplest type of matter having unique chemical properties (would - Combination of decomposition and synthesis
depend on its atom) - AB+CD -> AC + BD Protein
- Composed of atoms of only one kind -> element carbon is composed - HCI +NaOH -> NaCi +H2O - All proteins are organic macromolecules that contain
of carbon atoms 4. Reversible carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen, bound together by
- Calcium helps form bones, sodium ions are essential for neuronal - Reactants can form products, products can form covalent bonds
activity reactants - Most proteins contain sulfur and some contain small
○ Compound - made up of two or more elements amount of phosphorus
Atom Anabolism – synthesis rxns that occur in the body - Building blocks of proteins: amino acids
- smallest particle of an element that has the chemical characteristics Catabolism – decomposition rxns that occur in the body
of that element Metabolism – anabolic + catabolic rxns in the body
- Composed of subatomic particles, some of which have an electrical
charge (ptotons, electrons, and neutrons) Energy and Chemical Rxns
- Retains physical and chemical properties Energy
- capacity to do work

Potential Energy
- stored energy

Kinetic Energy
- energy caused by movement

Chemical Energy
- form of potential energy stored in chemical bonds
- May require or release energy

- Functions of proteins
○ Used to make skin , hair, nails and muscles
○ Part of the hemoglobin molecule
○ Act as enzymes
Electrical Charge ○ Immune system functions
- Tendency of particles to be attracted to each other or repulsed each ○ Muscle contractions
other ○ Providing structure and energy
- One of the fundamental properties of matter - Denaturation : if the hydrgen bonds that maintain the shape
of the protein are broken, the protein becomes
2 Types of Electrical Charge nonfunctional
1. Positive
- Particles with the same charge repulsed from each other Enzymes
2. Negative - Increase the rate of chemical reactions withoutthe enzyme
- Particles with the opposite charge attracts each other Rate of Chemical Reactions (RCTC)
1. Reactants being permanently changed
Atomic Structure 2. Concentration
3. Temperature Nucleic Acids: DNA and RNA
- The higher the temperature the faster the rate ?? Puta - The basic unit of nucleic acids is the nucelotide, which is
3 major subatomic particles monosaccharide with an attached phosphate and nitrogen
ano bato
4. Catalysts base
1. Neutrons 2 types
- no electrical charge / uncharged particles - increases the rate of chem rxn without itself being
permanently changed or depleted 1. DNA
- Found in the center of the atom which is called the nucleus a. Contain the monosaccharide deoxyribise and the
○ Nucleus – formed by protons and neutrons - Enzyme is a protein catalyst that increase that increases
the rate at which chemical reaction proceeds organic bases adenine, thymine, guanine and
cytosine
2. Protons b. Genetic material of cells
- positive charges c. Contains genes which determine the structure of
- Found in the center of the atom which is called the nucleus proteins
○ Nucleus – formed by protons and neutrons d. Basic building blocks are nucleotides
e. Double strand
3. Electrons 2. RNA
- negative charges a. Single strand
- Are found in an electron cloud and are constantly orbiting the nucleus b. The thymin is replaced with uracil
○ Electron cloud – where electrons are most likely to be found

- Since each atom has an equal number of protons and electrons, the
positive and negative charges cancel each other. Therefore, each
atom is electrically neutral

- Atomic number – no of protons in each atom / total mass of an atom

- Mass number – no. of protons + no. of neutrons in each atom
- Protons and neutrons - have similar mass / 1 dalton
- The lower curve requires low activation of energy to gain
the product
- The higher curve requires high activation of energy to
gain the product

Acids and Bases

Acid
- proton H+ donor
- Ph below 7
Base
- proton H+ acceptor
- Ph higher than 7

Electrons and Chemical Bonding

Chemical Bonding
- electrons are transferred or shared between atoms
- Occur when outermost electrons are transferred or shred between
Adenosine Triphosphate
atoms - Stores energy, which can be used in cell processes
Types of Chemical Bonds
1. Ions and Ionic Bond
- electrons are transferred
- Ions
○ a charged atom formed because of a donatin or gain of an
electron(s)
○ Example: NA+, CI
§ Holds them together because there’s an attraction
between the two opposite charges
§ Held together by electrical attractions

The pH Scale
- Indicates the H+ concentration of a solution
Ø Neutral – equal no. of H+ and OH-; pH of 7.0 Ø
Ø Acidic – H+ > OH-; pH less than 7.0
Ø Basic – H+ > OH-; pH greater than 7.0

7.35 – 7.45 – normal pH range of blood

Acidosis – blood pH drops beow 7.35

Alkalosis – blood pH rises above 7.45

2. Covalent Bond
- Two atoms shares one or more pairs of electrons Inorganic Chemistry vs. Organic Chemistry
- Example: hydrogen molecule (H2) • Inorganic
- Polar covalent bond ○ Deals with those substances that do not contain
○ unequal, asymmetrical sharing of electrons carbon
○ Can cause slight negative/positive charge • Organic
- Polar molecules ○ Study of carbon-containing substances
○ molecules with asymmetrical electrical charge
○ Example: H2O - Some carbon containing compounds are not organic in
- Nonpolar covalent bond that they do not also contain hydrogen -> carbon dioxide
○ equal sharing of electrons bet. Atoms
- Nonpolar molecules Salts
○ molecules with symmetrical electrical charge - Forms when an acid reacts with a base
○ Similar electronegativity = Equally shared atoms
Buffer
- Chemicals that resist changes in pH

Inorganic Molecules
- Do not contain Carbon

Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Oxygen
- involved with the extraction of energy from food
molecules
- Extracted from food molecules

Carbon Dioxide
- Consist of one carbon atom bound to two oxygen atom
- by-product of the breakdown of food molecules

Water
- Has many unique properties due to its polar nature
- Essential t life because it performs the following
functions:
1. Stabilizing body temperature.
2. Protection; lubricant/cushion.
3. Facilitating chemical reactions.
4. Transporting substances
Intermolecular Forces
Organic Molecules
Hydrogen Bonds - Carbon containing
- Weak attraction bet the oppositely charged regions of polar - Carbon’s ability to form covalent bonds with other atoms
molecules makes possible the formatin of the large, diverse,
- Formed when a positive charge / end is attracted to a negative complicated molecules
charge end of another molecule
4 Major Groups of Organic Molecues
Dissociation 1. Carbohydrates
- Separation of ions in an ionic compound by polar water molecules - CHO
- Dissociated ions are sometimes calles electrolytes - Broken down to provide energy
- H:O is a 2:1 ratio
- Oxygen is one of the by products

2. Monosaccharides
- Building blocks of carbohydrates
- smallest carbohydrates; simple sugars
- Glucose – blood sugar
- Fructose – fruit sugar

3. Disaccharides
- 2 monosaccharides / sugar
- Glucose + sugar = Sucrose – table sugar

4. Polysaccharides
- many monosaccharides / sugar
- Glycogen – main storage form of glucse in humans and
animal starch
- Plant starch - found in plants
- Cellulose - found in plants

Molecules and Compounds

Molecule – two or more atoms that are chemically combined

Compound – two or more diff. types of atoms that are chemically

combined