ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: LESSON 2 THE
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
Chemistry – is the scientific discipline
concerned with the atomic composition
and structures of substances and the
reactions they undergo
Basic terms:
Matter – anything that occupies space that
has mass and it could exist as solid, liquid
or gas.
Mass – is the amount of matter in an
object.
Weight – is the gravitational force acting
on an object of a given mass.
Composition of matter
They are all composed by the number of
substances called ELEMENTS.
Elements- are the simplest type of matter
having unique characteristics, 118 listed
in periodic table of elements.
96% of our body weight is made up of 4
elements namely; C-arbon H-ydrogen O-
xygen N-itrogen
Atoms – building blocks
Element is only composed of only one
kind of atom.
Atoms and subatomic particle
3 major types:
Neutrons – no electrical charge
Protons – positively charge
Electrons – negativel charge particles
Protons and electrons have THE SAME
NO. OF CHARGE
The protons and neutrons form the
NUCLEUS
No, of protons is called the ATOMIC
NUMBER = P= E
Most of the mass of atoms is caused by
protons and neutrons since the mass of
electrons is small.
MASS NUMBER: P+N
CHEMICAL BONDING
- Interactions between two or more
atoms occur largely as a result of
activity between electrons in their
outermost energy level.
Octet rule – refers to the tendency of
atoms to prefer to have 8 electrons in their
valence shell.
Atoms with fewer or more than 8
electrons in the outer energy level
reactions will result in GAIN, LOSS,
AND SHARING of one’s atom to satisfy
the octet rule,
Types of bonding
1.Ionic bonding – electrons are transferred
Cation -they are positively charged;
more protons than electrons.
Anion – negatively charged; more
electrons than protons.
Opposite charges attract / similar charges
repel
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: LESSON 2 THE
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
2. Covalent bond - electrons are shared.
Single covalent bond – sharing one pair of
electrons. Symbolized by one single line.
Double covalent bonds – sharing two
pairs of electrons. Symbolized by double
lining.
Polar covalent bond– type of chemical
bond where a pair of electrons is
unequally shared between two atoms.
Non-polar covalent bond – equal sharing
between atoms.
3. hydrogen bond ( not a true chemical
bond) – since electrons are not transferred
or shared.
Weak attraction bet the oppositely
charged regions of polar molecules
Surface tension – the cohesive process
between the molecules.
Chemical reactions – the making or
breaking of bonds between atoms.
Reactants – the substances that will enter
the chemical reactions. REACTANTS
> PRODUCTS
CLASSIFICATIONS OF REACTANTS
1.SYNTHESIS REACTION – when 2 or
more reactants combine to form a larger
product.
Anabolism – all synthesis reactions that
occur in our body.
2.DECOMPOSITION REACTION –
occurs when a molecule is broken down
into smaller parts.
Catabolism- decomposition reactions
that occur in the body.
3.EXCHANGE – the combination of the
two reactions; bonds are both combine
and broken.
Metabolism -anabolic + catabolic
reactions in the body.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
LIVING MATTER
Inorganic compound – lacks carbon and
tend to be simple. Ex. Water, salt.
Inorganic compound: water
Functions:
1 stabilizing body temperature.
2 providing protection
3 facilitating chemical reactions
4 transporting substances
Water compartments – locations of water
within the body.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: LESSON 2 THE
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
Intracellular fluid – inside the cell; 65%
of total body water.
Extracellular – outside the cell; 35% .
term for the many fluids that exist inside
the organism outside the cells.
Inorganic compound: OXYGEN
-it is a small non-polar inorganic molecule
that consists of 2 oxygen atoms bound
together with a double covalent bond.
-about 21% of the gas in the atmosphere
Inorganic compound: CARBON
DIOXIDE
-Consist of carbon atom bound to two
oxygen atoms via double covalent bonds;
produced when food molecules are
metabolized that is a waste products of
cell respiration.
Organic compound – contains carbon. ex
carbohydrates, lipids and proteins.
ACIDS AND BASES
PH SCALE – ranges from 0-14; indicates
the concentration of hydrogen ions in a
solution
Neutral= has equal amounts of hydrogen
and hydroxide ions; 7
Acidic = means below 7; has more
hydrogen ions than hydroxide. It is a
substance that can donate a hydrogen ion
to another substance.
Basic/alkaline = means below 7; has less
hydrogen ions than hydroxide. it is a
substance that accept hydrogen ion.
PH of cells – 6.8
PH of blood – 7.35 to 7.45 (slightly
alkalinic) ; if ph is lower than the range
the condition is called ACIDOSIS.
ACIDOSIS ; The patient is disoriented/
coma
If patient blood ph is higher than 7.45 the
condition is called ALKALOSIS; the
patient may have convulsions.
Buffer systems – maintains normal ph by
reacting with the strong acids/bases.
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
1.Carbohydrates – source of fuel for cells.
Composed of: C, H (2), O (1)
1.Monosaccharides – smallest
carbohydrates, simple sugars
Ex: Glucose, a hexose sugar (C6H12O6)
Fructose
Galactose
Ribose and deoxyribose
Dissacharides – formed when two mono
saccharides are combined:
Example :
Sucrose = glucose + fructose
Maltose = glucose + glucose
Lactose = glucose + galactose
Polysaccharides – long branching chain of
linked simple sugars.
Example:
Starch – plant products broken down in
digestion to glucose.
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: LESSON 2 THE
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
Glycogen – animal starch; in the form
which glucose is stored in the liver and
muscles.
Cellulose – polysaccharide of glucose
from plant walls, humans cannot digest
cellulose so they are only eliminated via
feces.
2.LIPIDS – can be dissolved in nonpolar
solvents like alcohol; important energy
storage molecules.
Building blocks of fats are :Glycerol and
fatty acids
Composed of C, H, O, P, N
Triglyceride/ neutral fats – most common
type of fat molecule and have 3 fatty acids
bound to a glycerol molecule.
1.saturated – contains a single covalent
bond between the carbon atoms ex.
Cheese,butter, eggs.
2.unsaturated – has one or more double
covalent bonds .
1. Unsaturated Fatty Acid – one of more
double covalent bonds ex corn and
sunflower
2. Mono-unsaturated fats – double
covalent bonds bet.
carbon; olive and peanut oil
3. trans fat – unsaturated but it is
chemically altered to saturated ex.
Margarines and baked products
ATHEROSCLEROSIS -plaque buildup in
vessels.
Phospholipids - phosphorus containing
molecues.
Contains a negative charge; the charge
head is hydrophilic that means water
loving while Fatty chains are hydrophobic
Steroids – flat molecules formed by 4
interlocking carbon rings
Cholesterol – single most important
steroid molecule that we ingest from
meat, eggs.
Proteins: composed of C, H, O, N, S
Amino acids – building blocks of
proteins; have 20 varieties of amino acids.
Functions and uses:
1.Enzymes – are proteins that regulate the
rate of chemical reactions.
Activation energy – energy needed to start
a chem rxn
Lock-and-key model – the shapes of an
enzyme and
those of the reactant allow the enzymes to
bind easily to the reactants.
2.structural proteins for the framework
3.in muscles for contraction.
NUCLEIC ACIDS – make up our genes
and provide the basic blueprint of life.
Composed of: C, H, O, N, P
Nucleotides -building blocks and subunits
of nucleic acids .
1.nitrogenous base
2.phospate group
3.pentose sugar
ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY: LESSON 2 THE
CHEMICAL BASIS OF LIFE
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) – genetic
material of cells
Bases of dna : A-T AND G-C
Sugar : deoxyribose
Ribonucleic acid (RNA) – important role
in gene expression/protein synthesis.
BASES OF RNA : A-U AND C- G
Sugar: ribose
ATP – ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE
It is the energy currency of the cells.
Composed of: adenosine base;organic
base adenine and 3 phosphate group.