1. What elements are found in a phospholipid?

2. Life is based on Carbon Carbon atoms are versatile building blocks
Special bonding properties
Has 4 valence electrons so it can form
4 stable covalent bonds with other carbon atoms or atoms of other elements
Bonds with CHNOPS – the elements that make up living things; Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur
Carbon chemistry = organic chemistry
Why is it a foundational atom?
What makes it so important?
Can’t be a good building block if you only form 1 or 2 bonds. H C

3. The Chemistry of Carbon
What are the main elements that make up life?
CHNOPS (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur)
All of life is built on carbon
Cells
~72% H2O
~25% carbon compounds
carbohydrates
lipids
proteins
nucleic acids
~3% salts
Na, Cl, K…
Why do we study carbon -- is it the most abundant element in living organisms?
H & O most abundant
C is the next most abundant

4. Chemistry of Life Organic chemistry is the study of carbon compounds
Why is carbon so interesting??
C atoms are versatile building blocks
bonding properties
4 electrons in outershell
Carbon atoms can bond to each other and form long chains
Carbon chemistry = organic chemistry
Why is it a foundational atom?
What makes it so important?
Can’t be a good building block if you only form 1 or 2 bonds. H C H H H

5. Macromolecules
Smaller organic molecules join together to form larger molecules
macromolecules
4 major classes of macromolecules:
carbohydrates
lipids
proteins
nucleic acids