AP151 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE BODY (CH2) STUDY GUIDE
NOTE:
This study guide seems longer then the material justifies. This is important background material,
but I don’t want to try and make a lot of fancy points with it at this point, just keep it simple and don’t think
too much about it, there is not very much material you need to explain, just be able to describe and
recognize. Also note that I have provided very clear direction as to where the material is covered in the
text—do not get use to this as it will only occur for these early study guides.
RELEVANT SECTIONS OF TEXT:
NOTE: most of these sections have excellent introductory sentences that clearly state a key idea.
 Pg 25-29“Atoms, Ions, and Chemical Bonds”
 Pg 29-30 “Acids and Bases”. Don’t belabor the concept of the logarithmic base10 and molarity of the
pH scale, just understand the basic concepts of the scale and what would be an acid and what would
be a basic and the relative idea of basicity v. acidity.
 Pg 30-46 “Organic Molecules”. You do NOT need to know any structural formulas that are shown in
the diagrams, but looking at them might help you understand some of the concepts the text is
discussing.
GOAL:
To be introduced and gain a basic familiarity with the basic chemical principles such as bonding and the
common, major classes of organic molecules that make up the human body.
MAIN OBJECTIVES:
 To describe basic atomic structure and how it leads to the chemical bonding and the formation of ions.
 To describe, compare/contrast the three types of chemical bonding
 Describe the pH scale and what an acid and base are.
 Describe the basic types of chemical reactions that occur in the body
 To describe basic structure, function, and characteristics of carbohydrates
 To describe the basic characteristics and functions of lipids
 To describe basic structure, function, and characteristics of proteins
 To describe basic structure, function, and characteristics of nucleic acids (DNA & RNA specifically)
STUDY QUESTIONS FROM CHAPTER 2: Note the chapter subheading where answers can be found are
provide.
Atomic structure and how it leads to the chemical bonding and the formation of ions.
1. What is the nucleus of an atom? (“Atoms”)
2. What two particles are found within the nucleus (“Atoms”)
3. What is an electron? (“Atoms”)
4. Where are electrons found within an atom? (“Atoms”)
5. What is the electrical charge of an electron? A proton? A neutron? (“Atoms”)
6. How many electrons can the 1st shell (orbital) hold? The second? The third? (“Atoms”)
7. What is the valance shell? Valance electrons? (“Atoms”)
8. What is an isotope (just know a definition and be able to recognize one if described) (“Isotopes)
9. Electrons of which shells interact to form chemical bonds? (“Chemical Bonds, Molecules, and Ionic
Compounds, introductory paragraph”)
10. What will atoms do with their valance electrons to “become stable”?
Describe, compare/contrast the three types of chemical bonding
11. What is a covalent bond? (“covalent bonds”)
12. What is a nonpolar molecule? Non-polar bond? (“covalent bonds”)
13. Are polar bonds strong? Which is stronger a polar or non-polar bond? (“covalent bonds”)
14. Are water molecules polar? (“covalent bonds”)
15. What type of bond involves the sharing of electrons? (you’ll have to compare descriptions of all bonds
to answer)
16. What kinds of covalent bonds are formed between identical atoms (e.g., carbon and carbon)?
(“covalent bonds”)
17. What kinds of covalent bonds are formed between different types of atoms most often involving
oxygen, nitrogens, and phosphorus? (“covalent bonds”)
18. Why is water a good solvent? (“covalent bonds”)
19. How is an ionic bond created? (ionic bonds)
20. What is an ion? (ionic bonds)
21. How are ions created? (ionic bonds)
22. What is a cation? Anion? (ionic bonds)
23. What is an ionic compound? (ionic bonds)
24. If an atom lost an electron would it result in the creation of a cation or an anion? (ionic bonds)
25. How strong are ionic bonds relative to covalent bonds? (compare the two descriptions)
26. What happens to an ionic compound/bond in water? (ionic bonds)
27. What is a hydrophilic molecule? A hydrophobic molecule? (ionic bonds)
28. What is a hydrogen bond? (“hydrogen bonds)
29. How strong are hydrogen bonds compared to ionic and covalent bonds? (compare descriptions of
bonds)
30. How are hydrogen bonds important in protein and DNA structure? (“hydrogen bonds)
31. If something is hydrophilic, is it likely to be water soluble? Is it polar or non-polar?
32. If something is hydrophobic, is it likely to be water soluble? Is it polar or non-polar?
Describe the pH scale and what an acid and base are.
33. What is an acid? (“Acids, Bases, and the pH scale”)
34. What is a base? (“Acids, Bases, and the pH scale”)
35. What releases H+ ions, an acid or a base? (“Acids, Bases, and the pH scale”)
36. What is the relationship between a H+ (hydrogen ion) and a proton?
37. Which is a proton acceptor, an acid or a base? (“Acids, Bases, and the pH scale”)
38. What is the pH of pure water? (pH)
39. Give the pH range for an acid? For a base? (pH)
40. What is another word that means the same thing as “basic”? (pH)
41. What is more acidic a solution with a pH 5 or a solution with a pH 3? (just think about it)
42. What is a buffer? (Buffers)
43. What buffer system did we talk about as an example, that helps keep blood pH stable?
44. How do buffers work and why are they important?
45. What is the normal pH range of blood? (“Blood pH”)
46. If your blood pH is above the normal range what is the condition called? (“Blood pH”)
47. If your blood pH is below the normal range what is the condition called? (“Blood pH”)
Describe the basic types of chemical reactions that occur in the body
48. What is a decomposition reaction?
49. What is hydrolysis?
50. What is catabolism
51. What is the relationship between decomposition, hydrolysis, and catabolism?
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
What do catabolic reactions have to do with energy processing within cells/the body?
What is a synthesis reaction?
What is dehydration synthesis?
What is anabolism
What is the relationship between synthesis, anabolic reactions, and dehydration synthesis?
What is the relationship between anabolic reactions and catabolic reaction?
What is a reversible reaction?
What process creates water by pulling a H off one molecule and OH off another thereby creating a
molecule of water? (Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis)
60. What process consumes water by breaking it apart and adding it onto molecules? (Dehydration
synthesis and hydrolysis)
61. Are condensation/dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis involved with modifying/creating/destroying
non-carbohydrate molecules? (just look for references to these processes in the description of other
macromolecules and reason out an answer to this one)
Describe basic structure, function, and characteristics of carbohydrates
62. What do the terms organic and inorganic mean (i.e., what is the difference between an organic
molecule and an inorganic molecule)?
63. Most organic molecules are created by rings or chains of carbons bound to hydrogen, what is the
reactive part of a molecule that makes one molecule different from another molecule called? (“organic
molecules”)
64. What is an isomer (the book makes reference to both stereoisomers and structural isomers, but don’t
worry about the difference). (look on pgs 32-33 and fig 2.13 to figure this out)
65. What elements/atoms make up carbohydrates? (“carbohydrates”, introductory paragraph)
66. What is a monosaccharide? Dissacharide? Give examples of each. (“Monosaccharides, disaccharides,
and Polysaccharides”)
67. What monosaccharide is a common source of energy for cells?
68. What are some functions of carbohydrates within the body?
69. What is a polysaccharide? (“Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and Polysaccharides”)
70. What polysaccharide is common in plants (i.e., part of our diet)? (“Monosaccharides, disaccharides,
and Polysaccharides”)
71. Why can’t we digest cellulose? (“Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and Polysaccharides”)
72. What polysaccharide is commonly created by humans? (“Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and
Polysaccharides”)
73. Cells that store carbohydrates combine _________ (molecules) to form ___________
(“Monosaccharides, disaccharides, and Polysaccharides”)
74. What chemical reaction joins carbohydrates together—give two names for this process? (Dehydration
synthesis and hydrolysis)
75. What digestive reaction breaks polysaccharides apart? (Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis)
76. Are carbonhydrates water soluble? (Dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis)
77. What is a simple sugar? What is a complex carbohydrate?
Describe the basic characteristics and functions of lipids
78. What property/characteristic do all lipids share? Why do they have this characteristic? (“Lipids,
introductory paragraph)
79. Are lipids polar? Hydrophobic? (“Lipids, introductory paragraph)
80. In everyday language, what is a triglyceride? (Triglycerides)
81. What two types of molecules are joined together to make a trigycleride? (Triglycerides)
82. what is the structural/chemical difference between a saturated and unsaturated fat? (Triglycerides)
83. Under what conditions are ketone bodies formed? (Ketone bodies)
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87.
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90.
What can happen if there are elevated/excess ketone bodies in the blood? (Ketone bodies)
What part of a phospholipid can interact with water? (Phospholipids, and lecture)
What part of a phopholipid is hydrophobic? (Phospholipids, and lecture)
What category of lipids are important as hormones?
What is the relationship between cholesterol and steroids? (“steroids”)
In general what are prostoglandins and what do they do? (prostoglandins)
List the 5 categories of lipids.
PRACTICE QUESTIONS FROM TEXT
REVIEW ACTIVITIES Questions: 1-7, 9, 11-14, 18, 21,