Aspects of Biochemistry

INTRODUCTION TO BIOCHEMISTRY
Biochemistry is the study of biological molecules and their roles in organisms.
These are the building blocks of life, constantly being taken apart and reassembled.

Metabolism, the term given to all reactions that happen that occur in living organisms can be
divided into:

● Anabolism: build up larger biological molecules from smaller ones

● Catabolism: Break down larger biological molecules into smaller ones.

The element carbon “C” is the base of all major compounds in organisms, forming strong
covalent bonds with itself and other atoms.

This brings a staggering range of functions to be carried out by biological compounds:

● Provide Energy
● Carry Messages
● Catalyse Reactions
● Store Energy
● Store and retrieve information
● Transport gases
● And more

Biological Molecules are subdivided into groups:

MACROMO ELEMEN SUBUNIT EXAMPLES ROLES IN

LECULES TS w/ ratio MOLECULES ORGANISM

Carbohydrates C,H,O glucose starch energy storage

glycogen
1:2:1 cellulose support
 Lipids C,H,O glycerol, fatty triglycerides energy storage
acid phospholipids thermal insulation
C:H electrical insulation
1:2 phosphate membranes
H:O (phospholipids)
9:1/18:1

Proteins C,H,N,O,S Amino Acids haemoglobin transport

(20 types) collagen support
amylase catalysts
pepsin messengers
insulin protection
antibodies

Nucleic Acids C,H,N,O,P nucleotides (5 DNA information storage

types) RNA information
retrieval
protein production

WATER 🌊
Water is the most abundant molecule in our bodies, summing up to about 60% of our
body’s composition. Although one of the smallest and simplest molecules, water is an
amazing substance with a collection of properties unlike others.
No life could exist without water as it is also a major component of all cells.

Example: Plants need water for transpiration along with the xylem and the phloem.

CHEMICAL STRUCTURE OF WATER

Water consists of Hydrogen and Oxygen. Electrons from each take place in a bond
formation.

Orbitals are the regions around atomic nuclei in which electrons may be found. They
contain either one or two electrons. ( The first shell)

In a water molecule, 8 electrons are found in 4 similar orbitals. Each covalent bond is made
up of one electron from both hydrogen and oxygen.
 The hydrogen is slightly electropositive
The oxygen is slightly electronegative.
This makes a water molecule DIPOLAR.

The H-O-H angle is 105° due to greater repulsion between the non-bonding electron pairs
on the oxygen pushing the H atoms closer together.

The hydrogen bonds break and reform all the time, they also make water molecules
“sticky”. From this cohesion, water is given very important properties.

PROPERTIES OF WATER

PROPERTY EXPLANATION ROLES IN ROLES AS AN

ORGANISMS ENVIRONMENT

good solvent for Polar molecules and solvent in cells solvent for nutrients
charged substances ions are charged, and gases (oxygen
that dissolve readily and the charged ions solvent in transport and carbon dioxide)
in water; uncharged are attracted to the (blood plasma,
substances also weaker charged lymph, phloem and *carbon dioxide is
dissolve but not as molecules. xylem saps) much more soluble
readily than oxygen

high specific heat 4.2 J are necessary to specific heat capacity of water is very high
capacity increase the compared to other substances
temperature of 1g of
water by 1°C this this limits changes in temperature of
breaks the hydrogen organisms and the environment of those
bonds between that live in the water
water molecules

high latent heat of much thermal water loss for water in shallow
vaporization energy is needed to cooling is efficient as aquatic habitats
change water into a lot of thermal does not evaporate
water vapour energy is needed to too quickly
evaporate small
quantities of water

high latent heat of Much thermal water in cells tends

fusion energy is needed to today stay as liquid
change ice to water so the cell
and much is membranes aren’t
transferred from damaged by ice
water when it forms crystals
ice.

reactive water splits to form raw materials for

H+ ions and OH- photosynthesis
ions
provide hydrogen
ions and electrons
for respiration and
photosynthesis

density ice is less dense than organisms at risk of provides buoyancy

water freezing make anti- for aquatic
freezing compounds organisms so do not
 that lower the need highly
freezing point of the developed skeleton
cytoplasm
Ice floats on water
acting as an
insulation for
aquatic organisms
under.

incompressible water cannot be hydrostatic skeleton

compressed into a in animals
smaller volume
turgidity in plant
cells with support

high cohesion hydrogen bonds supports the surface tension to

hold water columns of water in some organisms that
molecules together xylem live on the surface of
water.