Basic Biological Chemistry The chemistry of life Basic Biological Chemistry

The Nature of Matter The basic unit of matter is called an _________. What are the three subatomic particles? Why are they called “subatomic” particles? What are each of their charges? What are the relative sizes of each of the types of subatomic particles? What is an isotope? Why do all isotopes of an element have the same chemical properties? What does it mean for an atom to be radioactive? How are radioactive isotopes used? How do scientists show the composition of compounds? What is an ion? Why do ions have charges? Molecules have what type of chemical bond between their atoms? What are van der Waals forces?

The Nature of Matter

The Nature of Matter

Properties of Water In your own words, explain what polarity is and why water is a polar molecule. In your own words, explain what a hydrogen bond is and how it forms. What is the force that draws water out of the roots of a plant and into its stems and leaves? What are the two types of mixtures that can be made with water? What are the two parts of a solution? What is the difference between a solution and a suspension? Why is water considered to be the “universal solvent”? Is your blood a solution or a suspension? What is a pH scale? What is the pH range of an acidic solution? What is the pH range of a basic (alkaline) solution? What are buffers? Why are buffers important for the human body?

Properties of Water

Properties of Water

Properties of Water

Carbon Compounds What is organic chemistry? There are two traits about the carbon at that make it particularly interesting. What are they? What is polymerization? What are monomers? Polymers? What are the four groups of organic compounds found in living things? They are referred to as biomolecules or macromolecules.

Carbon Compounds CARBOHYDRATES. Made of carbon, hydrogen & oxygen - “carbo” “hydrate” – in a 1:2:1 ratio. They are used by animals as an energy source and by plants as both an energy source and for structural purposes. Monosaccharides are single sugar molecules – glucose, galactose & fructose are examples. Sugars usually end in the suffix –ose. Polysaccharides are chains of sugar molecules – glycogen is an example and is a chain of glucose molecules and is form of energy storage in animals. This is also known as starch. Cellulose is a special type of polysaccharide made by plants to give strength and rigidity to their structure.

Carbon Compounds

Carbon Compounds LIPIDS Are lipids generally soluble in water? Made mostly of carbon and hydrogen. Monomers are glycerol and fatty acids. Can be saturated, unsaturated or polyunsaturated. Lipids can be categorized as fats, oils and waxes. Are used to store energy, to build cell membranes, and in waterproof coverings (think in plants). Steroids are lipids and serve as chemical messengers.

Carbon Compounds

Carbon Compounds NUCLEIC ACIDS Are made of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon and phosphorus. Are polymers made of the monomers called nucleotides. Nucleotides consists of 3 parts: 5-carbon sugar (ribose or deoxyribose), a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base (cytosine, guanine, thymine – which is uracil in RNA – and adenine) Store and transmit genetic information. Two kinds: RNA and DNA. What do these stand for?

Carbon Compounds

Carbon Compounds

Carbon Compounds PROTEINS Are made of nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Proteins , polypeptides and peptides are polymers. Amino acids are the monomers of proteins. There are more than 20 amino acids found in nature. All amino acids are identical in the regions where they may be joined together by covalent bonds. The portion of each amino acid that is different is a side chain called an R-group. The instructions for arranging amino acids into many different proteins are stored in DNA. Functions: controls rates of reaction, regulates cell processes, forms bone and muscle, transports substances into and out of cells, helps fight disease. Has four levels of organization: 1st is amino acid sequence, 2nd is whether the amino acids in the chain are twisted or folded, 3rd is if the chain itself is folded and 4th is different sections or domains in the protein. Van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonds help maintain a protein’s shape. A protein’s shape is very important – the shape determines the function!

Carbon Compounds

Carbon Compounds

Chemical Reactions & Enzymes Organisms’ growth, interaction with environment, reproduction and movement are all based on chemical reactions. CO2 + H2O  H2CO3 is a reaction that takes place in the body when carbon dioxide reacts with water in the blood to form carbonic acid. This allows blood to carry CO2 to the lungs to be expelled by the reverse reaction: H2CO3 CO2 + H2O Chemical reactions that release energy occur spontaneously and those that absorb energy do not. The energy needed to get a reaction started is called activation energy.

Chemical Reactions & Enzymes Some chemical reactions that are necessary for life proceed too slowly or have activation energies that are too high. Catalysts are substances that speed up the rate of a chemical reaction by lowering activation energy and are not changed in the reaction. Enzymes are biological catalysts. Most enzymes are proteins and are therefore made of what monomer? Enzymes can only “work” at certain pH levels and certain temperatures. The ranges are different for different enzymes. For example, the enzyme in your stomach, peptidase, can only work at low pH while the enzyme that catalyzes CO2 + H2O  H2CO3 in your bloodstream, carbonic anhydrase, works better at neutral pH. The reactants of an enzyme-catalyzed reaction are known as substrates. Substrates bind to a site on the enzyme call the active site. The active site and the substrates have complementary shapes. This fit is so precise that the active site and substrates are often compared to a lock and key.

Chemical Reactions and Enzymes