ChemistryFundamentals

Life is Chemical

Atoms vs Molecules

• Smallest unit of matter is the Atom or the Molecule– Atoms have only 1

element– Molecules have more

than 1 kind of element joined together chemically

Periodic Table of the Elements

• Single type of atom

• 92 naturally occurring, humans have made a few more

Atomic Symbols

• 1 or 2 letters representing the atom– C – Carbon– H – Hydrogen– O – Oxygen– N – Nitrogen

• Most commonly occurring elements in Biology!

Molecule

• Various types of atoms joined together to make a substance that does not resemble the two elements

• Hydrogen – gas• Oxygen – gas• Water - liquid

Representing Molecules

• Chemical Formula use chemical symbols and numbers to represent a compound

H2O

• Structural Formula uses chemical symbols and lines to represent

a compound

Ex: Glucose

• Chemical Formula C6H12O6

• Structural Formula

Chemical Bonds

• Atoms combine to form molecules by sharing or trading electrons and forming links between them.

Bonding

• Chemical bonds are very stable– Forming a bond

stores energy

– Breaking a bond releases energy

KEY IDEA!!!

Octet Rule

• The number of bonds depends on the number of electrons in the valence (outermost) shell

• Valence Electrons = Those electrons in the outermost shell/ring of the atom

• All atoms like to form an octet (exception of Hydrogen,which likes 2)

Octet Rule Practice Element # Valence

Electrons# needed? # bonds?

Carbon 4

Hydrogen 1

Oxygen 6

Nitrogen 5

Biochemistry

Chemistry of Biology

Organic Vs Inorganic Molecules

• Organic Molecules – occur in living things• Generally larger and more complicated in

shape than inorganic molecules

• Always have Carbon & Hydrogen• Usually have Oxygen• Sometimes have Nitrogen

CHON

Four types of Organic Molecules

Type Use Look For

Parts Found

Protein

Carbohydrate

Lipid

Nucleic Acid

Four types of Organic Molecules

Type Use Look For

Parts Found

Protein Building block

Nitrogen Amino acid Meats

Carbohydrate

Lipid

Nucleic Acid

Protein

Four types of Organic Molecules

Type Use Look For

Parts Found

Protein Building block

Nitrogen Amino acid Meats

Carbohydrate Energy 5/6 carbon ring

Glucose Sugar/ starch

Lipid

Nucleic Acid

Carbohydrates

Four types of Organic Molecules

Type Use Look For

Parts Found

Protein Building block

Nitrogen Amino acid Meats

Carbohydrate Energy 5/6 carbon ring

Glucose Sugar/ starch

Lipid Cell Membrane, Organ protection Energy Storage

“E” shape Glycerol and Fatty Acids

Fats/ waxes

Nucleic Acid

Lipid

Unsaturated vs Saturated Fatty Acids

Unsaturated vs Saturated Fats

Four types of Organic Molecules

Type Use Look For

Parts Found

Protein Building block

Nitrogen Amino acid Meats

Carbohydrate Energy 5/6 carbon ring

Glucose Sugar/ starch

Lipid Cell Membrane, Organ protection Energy Storage

“E” shape Glycerol and Fatty Acids

Fats/ waxes

Nucleic Acid Information Storage “blueprints”

3 parts Phosphate, 5 carbon sugar and nitrogen base

DNA

Nucleic Acid

DNA

Making Chains

Single Unit Chain

Amino Acid Protein

Carbohydrate Starch

Nucleic Acid DNA

Monomer vs Polymer

Monomer vs Polymer

Monomer (Single Unit) Polymer (Long Chain)

Amino Acid Polypeptide or Protein

Carbohydrate Disaccharide, Trisaccharide, Polysaccharide or Starch

Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis

• Dehydration Synthesis– Remove water to form long chains

• Simple sugars into starches

• Hydrolysis– Add water to break chains

• Polysaccharides into monosaccharides

Lipids: A Special Case

• Not a polymer, but still use dehydration synthesis.