How do different substances support or harm living things?

Organic & Inorganic Substances chemicals are part of EVERYTHING all living things need chemicals and produce them chemicals are classified as organic or inorganic

Inorganic Chemicals elements/compounds found in nature not combined with carbon (but may be C alone) come mainly from the soil (some from air) fertilizers are added to soil to improve nutrients NitrogenPhosphorus PotassiumCalcium MagnesiumSulfur

What’s important to a plant? Fruits & Grains (sulfur) Chlorophyll (potassium, magnesium & nitrogen) Photosynthesis (phosphorus & magnesium) Leaves & Stems (potassium & nitrogen) Flowers (phosphorus) Roots (phosphorus) Cell Structure (calcium) Resistance to Disease & Starch Production (potassium)

Bones & Teeth Calcium Magnesium Phosphorus Nitrogen Potassium Calcium MusclesBlood Calcium Nervous System Potassium Calcium Body Functions Nitrogen Phosphorus Sulfur What’s important to us?

NutrientImportance in PLANTSImportance in HUMANS Nitrogen(N) - in chlorophyll & proteins - helps leaf and stem growth - in proteins & nucleic acids - helps growth and repair of body tissue Phosphorus(P) - in root and flower growth - helps cellular respiration & photosynthesis - in bones, teeth & DNA - helps metabolic reactions Potassium(K) - helps early growth, chlorophyll production, starch production, and resistance to disease - helps muscle contraction & nerve impulses Magnesium (Mg) - helps chlorophyll structure & photosynthesis - in bones & teeth Calcium(Ca) - helps cell wall structure & cell division - in bones & teeth - helps blood clotting and muscle & nerve function Sulfur(S) - helps production of fruits grains - helps protein synthesis, enzyme activation and detoxification

It’s a Balancing Act we must get just the right amount of inorganic chemicals –to much or to little can be harmful macronutrients (>100 mg/day) e.g. nitrogen, calcium, potassium micronutrients (< 100 mg/day) e.g. zinc, iron, boron

Organic Chemicals carbon combined with other elements building blocks for life 4 elements are most common

Synthesizing Organic Substances plants & animals can create some of the organic substances needed for life

made up of building blocks called amino acids 10 essential amino acids must be ingested every day (they are not stored)

What About Vitamins? large organic molecules that help enzymes function C B’sB’s E D A

How do we take in substances? Uptake by Plants –through roots (passive or active) –diffusion → water & nutrients flow from higher concentration (in soil) to lower concentration (in roots) –active transport → plant really needs a nutrient and so “sucks” it in from surrounding soil moisture (nutrients go from area of lower concentration in soil to higher concentration in roots)

Uptake by Animals –we eat, drink and breath –ingestion: the process to taking in food food is chewed and then digestion is helped by enzymes in mouth, stomach & small intestine –hydrolysis: a special process large organic molecules (like starch) are broken down by reacting with water –nutrients are absorbed through cell membranes and then transported by blood to where they are needed

Substrate and Nutrient Sources organisms get nutrients from environment(s) in which they live substrate is the material on which an organism moves or lives –attach to substrate –live off substrate –move over/through substrate

What about Chemicals? living things depend on chemicals to survive –photosynthesis is used by plants to create food –cellular respiration is used by plants and animals to provide energy from food but not all chemicals are good

Pollution fertilizer –to much or wrong place pesticides –insecticide –herbicide –fungicide solid & liquid waste –landfill –water treatment air emsission –combustion –incineration any accumulation of unwanted waste matter in the environment (natural or man made)

Bioaccumulation & Biomagnification