1. Chemistry of Living Things

2. Part 2 Organic & Inorganic Compounds
Organic & Inorganic Compounds: all living things are made up of both organic and inorganic substances.
A. Inorganic Compounds: do NOT contain Carbon and Hydrogen.
examples…water (H20), salt (NaCl)
B. Organic Compounds: contain both Carbon and Hydrogen
examples…carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids

3. Carbohydrates They are organic!
They are our main source of energy for cell activities!
They are made up of C, H and O
Rule and helpful hint…there will be twice as many H atoms to O atoms in carbohydrates. The ratio will always be 2:1
Examples…sugars and starch
There are 3 main types of carbohydrates based on their size/structure:
1. Monosaccharides
2. Disaccharides
3. Polysaccharides

4. Carbohydrates continued…
Monosaccharide:
the simplest/small carbohydrates. They are the “building blocks” of all other carbohydrates.
example…glucose (C6H12O6)
2. Disaccharides:
formed when 2 monosaccharides combine.
example…Maltose C12H22O11 (two glucose molecules combined!)
3. Polysaccharides:
Formed when many monosaccharides combine to form long chains.
example…starch, and cellulose

6. Lipids They are Organic! Lipids are fats and oils
fats: solid at room temperature
oils: liquid at room temperature
Lipids contain the elements C, H and O (ratio of Hydrogen to Oxygen atoms is greater than 2:1)
The “building blocks” of lipids are fatty acids & glycerol
Lipids are found in the cell membrane
Extra food that isn’t used immediately for energy is changed to fat and stored…
*lipids are a source of stored energy!!*

8. Proteins They are Organic! Made up of C, H, O and N
The “building blocks” for proteins are amino acids.
Proteins are found in different structures of living things and form important cell products…examples…
enzymes, hormones, antibodies, hemoglobin!
Proteins also help in growth and repair!
There are 20 different amino acids found in living things. We can naturally make 10 of these. The other 10 we must get from food…
The ones we get from food are called essential amino acids

10. Nucleic Acids They are Organic! They are made up of C, O, H, N, and P.
Their “building blocks” are called nucleotides (sugar molecule, nitrogen base, and a phosphate group).
Examples…DNA (genes) and RNA (make proteins)
Their structure has a very distinct shape that can be represented using shapes…let’s draw…

11. More on proteins…the example, Enzymes
Enzymes are a type of protein.
They control the rate of all chemical reactions that occur in living things.
They are considered a catalyst
- catalyst: something that can either speed up or slow down a reaction.
They work with co-enzymes: substance that helps the enzyme function.
example…vitamins!
Rule and helpful hint…all enzymes end in the letters – ”ase”
* if an enzyme doesn’t function, metabolic activities (life functions) can’t occur, therefore it’s important to eat a well balanced diet and get your vitamins!

12. Enzymes continued… Factors that affect enzymes: Temperature
Substrate concentration pH
How Enzymes Work:
The enzyme has an area on its surface with
a very distinct shape called an active site.
Only specific substances that can fit into the
active site can bond with the enzyme and
get it to work.
Substrate: the substance that can bond with the enzyme.
Active Site: the area on an enzyme where a substrate bonds.

13. It’s called the Lock & Key Model
It can also be called an enzyme/substrate model

14. The pH Scale
This scale measures whether a solution is an acid, base, or neutral.
The scale runs form 0-14.
pH 7 is neutral (not an acid or base)
The lower the pH = the more acidic
The higher the pH= the more basic
Draw…