CHEMISTRY OF LIVING THINGS

ICBS 130

Chapter 2 Body Structures

CHEMISTRY

Study of the structure of matter.Composition of substances

Their properties Chemical reactions

BiochemistryStudy of chemical reactions of living things

MATTER

Matter can not be destroyed or created.Can change form though

Gas into liquid, solid into liquid, liquid into gas

Energy

Ability to do work or put matter into motion

Body Energy

Potential energyStored energy in the cellsWaiting to be used

Kinetic EnergyResults in motion/movement

Potential energy,is energy at rest

ATOMS

Smallest piece of an element Made up of subatomic particles

Protons Positive charge and is one component of a nucleus

Neutrons No charge and is the 2nd component of a nucleus

Electrons Negative charge and are arranged around the nucleus

Atom

How the atom is arranged at the subatomic level tells us what type of atom it is.Such as the difference between oxygen and

carbon

Elements

Are alike atoms (same type) that have formed togetherSo if you have a single substance such as

calcium, this would be an atom. If the like substance is grouped together, it is

an element.elementsatom

Compounds

Are different types of elements combined together.

The elements may change form when added together.

Table salt

Na (sodium) + Cl (chlorine)

Compounds that are put together usea “formula”

Common elements and compounds

Molecules

Is the smallest part of a compound that still acts like a compound.

So if you take an earthworm (compound) and cut it up into small pieces (molecule), it’s still an earthworm as it will still move about and grow.Or take a cup of water and a teaspoon of water. It’s still water but in a smaller size.

Ions

Chemical bonds formed by electrons. If atom Red gives up an electron to another

atom to form a bond, the Red atom will now have a positive charge.

If Yellow atom takes the extra electron and forms a bond, the Yellow atom will now have a negative charge.

Electrolytes

When compounds are in a solution and have broken down to ions.Helps break down materials to be altered and

helps form new substances or compounds.Responsible for the + and – charges within

tissue.

Organic Compounds

Found in all living things Always contain carbon Can combine with other elements to form

a large number of organic compounds. 4 Major Groups

Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Carbohydrates

Divided into 3 groupsMonosaccharides (1 sugar or simple)

Glucose (glycogen), fructose (fruit)

Disaccharides (2 or double sugar) Sucrose (table sugar), maltose (malt sugar), and

lactose (milk sugar) Have to be broken down into monosaccharides

before the body can digest it.

Carbohydrates con’t…

Polysaccharides (large/complex sugar) Starch (potatoes), cellulose (plant tissue), and

glycogen. Must be broken down into disaccharides and then

monosaccharides before it can be digested.

Lipids

Contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.Fats

Contain glycerol and fatty acids. AKA triglycerides, very abundant in the body

Phospholipids Contain carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and

phosphorus Found in the brain, nervous tissue, and cell membranes.

Lipids con’t…

Steroids Contain cholesterol

Essential to the cell membrane Manufactures vitamin D Production of male and female hormones Helps make cortisol Can accumulate in the arteries Found in meat, eggs, and cheese Liver manufactures cholesterol

Proteins

Organic compounds containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen.Some contain phosphorus and sulfur.

Found in all living things and every part of a cell.

Viruses have outer coats made of proteins

Proteins con’t…

Binding and structural capacity as in fingernails, hair, cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and muscles.Small molecular units of proteins are called

Amino Acids.

Proteins are complicated.

Enzymes

Found in all living cells Have a specialized function;

Help control various chemical reactions within the cell.

Help provide energyHelp make new cell partsAKA organic catalyst

Nucleic Acids

Organic compound Largest known organic molecule Known as DNA and RNA

DNA

Process of heredity Double stranded 46 chromosomes Chromosomes contain about 100,000 genes. Genetic information tells a cell what it will

become or function as. Passes the information from one generation to

the next.

RNA

Single stranded 3 Different types

m-RNA Messenger RNA, carries instructions for protein synthesis

t-RNA Transfer RNA, picks up amino acids in the cytoplasm and transfers them to the ribosomes to form proteins.

r-RNA Ribosomal RNA, helps in the attachment of the m-RNA to the ribosome.

http://exploringorigins.org/rna.html

Acids

Sour taste Substance that ends up with + ions Turn test paper (litmus) red

Hydrochloric acid – found in stomachAcetic acid – found in vinegarSulfuric acid – found in batteries

Bases

Alkali substance In water, changes to + charged ions Bitter taste Slippery Turn test paper blue

Milk of magnesiaHousehold liquid cleaners

Neutralization and salts

When an acid and base are mixed together it forms salt and water.Reaction to the combination is called

Neutralization.

PH Scale

Used to measure the alkalinity or acidity of a solution.

Homeostasis

A state in which the body functions properly.

Maintaining a proper ph level in the body.

Homeostasis con’t…

Intracellular:Fluid within a cell

ExtracellularFluid surrounding the cell

With proper maintenance homeostasis exist in the body all the way to the cellular level allowing exchanges to take place in and out of the cell.