Biochemistry I: Chemistry Basics

I. Basic Concepts/Vocabulary:

1. Matter: anything that occupies space and has mass

-4 states of matter 1. Solid 2. Liquid 3. Gas 4. Plasma

2. Mass: the amount of matter an object has -constant throughout universe

3. Weight: the force of gravity on an object

4. Element: a pure substance which cannot be broken down into simpler kinds of matter

-4 types of elements Non-metals Metals Inert (noble) gases Metalloids

II. Periodic Table of Elements

-Developed by Dmitri “Wild man” Mendeleev

-tabular arrangement by increasing atomic number

-organized by rows (periods) and columns (groups)

-physical and chemical properties repeat themselves

III. Atomic Theory - the atom model

Atom: the simplest particle of an element that retains all the properties of that element

3 subatomic particles Proton: (+) charge; nucleus Neutron: (0) charge; nucleus Electron: (-) charge; electron cloud -electron cloud makes up most of the volume -nucleus makes up the mass

Atomic Number: the # of protons in an atom Atomic # = 7; Nitrogen

Atomic Mass: the number of protons plus the number of neutrons

Ion: an atom in which protons don’t equal electrons; charged atom Two Types: Cation: a positively charged ion (lost electrons) Anion: a negatively charged ion (gained electrons) (Neutral atom: protons = electrons)

Electrons: high energy particles that pair up in energy levels Electron Energy Levels: Level Number of Electrons K 2 L 8 M 18 N 32

IV. Chemical Bonding 3 Types: Ionic Bond: bond formed from the attraction of oppositely charged ions (metal and non-metal) Covalent Bond: bond formed when atoms share one or more pairs of electrons (between non-metals) Hydrogen Bond: bond formed between partially charged molecules

Ionic Bond: between metals & non-metals

Covalent Bond: between non-metals

Hydrogen Bond

Compound: combination of atoms from two or more elements

V. Chemical Reactions

Catalyst: substance that reduces the amount of energy required to activate a reaction Ex. Enzymes, chlorophyll

VI. Solutions

Solution: a mixture in which one or more substances are uniformly distributed in another substance 2 Components Solute: substance dissolved in solution Solvent: substance in which solute is dissolved

Concentration: a measurement of the amount of solute dissolved in a solution

Saturated Solution: no more solute can be dissolved

Aqueous Solution: a solution in which water is the solvent

VII: pH Scale: a scale developed to measure the strength of Acids and Bases Compares concentrations of hydronium (H+) and Hydroxide (OH-) ions in solution Range 0 to 14

Acid: a compound that releases hydronium (H+) in solution Properties: Good conductor of electricity Sour taste Reacts with metals Examples: HCL

Base: a compound that releases hydroxide ions (OH-) in solution Properties: Conduct electricity Slippery in solution Do not react with metals Examples:

Neutralization: making an acid or base neutral by mixing them together Buffer: chemical substance that neutralize an acid or base solution Neutralization Reaction: Acid + Base  Salt + water

VIII: Water: The Molecule of Life -Most common chemical compound on Earth - Universal compound in chemical reactions Properties Freezing point 0; boiling point 100 Universal solvent A polarized molecule Cohesive to allow free flow (transport) Temp rises and falls slowly Tends to remain a liquid Less dense as a solid Most dense a 4 C

Biochemistry II: Biological Macromolecules

Most Common Elements in LIfe Carbon: C Hydrogen: H Oxygen: O Nitrogen: N

Two groups of Carbon Molecules: Monomer: a subunit (building block) of a larger marcromolecule Polymer: a large molecule of repeating monomers

Biological Carbon Compounds:

1. Carbohydrates: organic compounds in which there are twice as many hydrogen atoms as oxygen atoms 3 Types: Monosaccharide: monomers of carbohydrates that six carbon, simple sugars (glucose – C6H12O6) Disaccharide: twelve carbon double sugars Polysaccharide: numerous monosaccharides linked together (cellulose – starch in plants)

2. Lipids: organic compounds that feel greasy and will not dissolve in water Ex. Fats, waxes, oils, steroids Fatty acids: the monomers (building blocks) of lipids and fats Phospholipids : lipids that consist of a phosphate head and two lipid tails (found in cell membranes)

3. Nucleic Acids – the acids of life - Found in the nucleus of cells Contain genetic information Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) Monomers are nucleotides Four bases: Adenine (A), thymine (T), cytosine (C), Guanine (G)

4. Proteins: a polymer formed by linking numerous amino acids together. Ex. Hemoglobin, enzymes, insulin Amino Acids: monomers of proteins -consist of an amine group and an acid group