BIOL_1010_Chpt2

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The Chemical Basis of Life

Chapter 2

Matter

• Substance that has mass and takes up space

– Compose all living things

• Generally found in 1 of 3 states

• Composed of 1 or more elements

Elements

• 92 occur naturally on Earth

• 4 make up 96% of the human body (CHON)

• Composed of atoms

Atoms

• Smallest particles that retains properties of an element

• Made up of subatomic particles:

Protons (+) in nucleus

Electrons (-) orbits nucleus

Neutrons (no charge) in nucleus

• Protons and neutrons

– Mass of about 1

• Electrons

– Mass is negligible (1/2000)

Reading A Periodic Table

• Elements differ depending on the number of subatomic particles

• Atomic symbol

– 1st letter or 2 (usually)

• Atomic number

– Determined by number of protons

– Element specific

• Mass number

– Determined by number of protons + neutrons

Isotopes

• Atoms with different number of neutrons

– Effects mass number how?

– Effects atomic number how?

• Can be stable or unstable (radioactive)

• Behave the same as respective element (electrons are key)

• Occur naturally as a mix in elements

– Living cells can’t distinguish between them

– Applications

• Dating fossils

• Biological tracers

• Brain scanning

• Cancer treatments

• Dangers

– Radioactive atoms give off energy that destroys chemical bonds when they collide

Chemical Properties of Atoms

• Electrons are key

– Move in orbitals called shells

– Repel one another, but attracted to protons

• Electron shells

– Outermost determines chemical properties

• Closer to the nucleus = lower energy and are filled first

– Holds up to 2 or 8 electrons

• Filled are unreactive

• Unfilled are reactive

– Number differs between atoms

Electron Shell Models

SODIUM

11p+ , 11e -

CHLORINE

17p+ , 17e electron proton neutron

NEON

10p+ , 10e -

CARBON

6p+ , 6e -

HYDROGEN

1p+ , 1e -

OXYGEN

8p+ , 8e -

HELIUM

2p+ , 2e -

Chemical Bonds

• Hold 2 or more atoms together

– Complete outer shells

– By sharing, donating, or receiving electrons

• Form molecules (H

2

, I

2

, and O

2

) or compounds

(H

2

0, NaCl, C

6

H

12

O

6)

– Demonstrates emergent properties

• 2 H + (gas) + O (gas) = H

2

O (water)

• Na + (metal) + Cl (poisonous gas) = NaCl (table salt)

Ionic Bond

• One atom loses electrons  cation (charge?)

• Another atom gains these electrons  anion

(charge?)

• Charge difference attracts the two

– Very weak bond

– Table salt (NaCl) cation anion

Covalent Bond

• Atoms share outer pair or pairs of valence electrons

Single, double, or triple covalent bond

• Non-polar covalent

– Electrons shared equally

– E.g.: hydrogen gas/ H

2

/ H-H

• Polar covalent

– Electrons spend more time near most electronegative nucleus

– E.g.: water/ H

2

0

• electrons more attracted to O nucleus than to either H nuclei

Hydrogen Bond

• Positive charge on H attracts negative charge on another atom

• Individually weak, but often numerous = strong

• Important to many biological compounds

– E.g. water

• Makes up 70 – 90% of all living things

• Bonds create unique properties

Properties of Water

• Solubility

– Solvent : dissolving agent

– Solute : substance that is dissolved

Solution: liquid mix of 2+ substances

Aqueous solution when water is solvent

• Polarity

– ‘Like dissolves like’

– Hydrophilic

• Sugar or salt and water

– Hydrophobic

• Oil and water

Properties of Water (cont.)

• Water movement

– Cohesion

• Creates surface tension

– Overfilling a glass, a ‘belly flop’, or beading of water

– Adhesion

• Water moves up plants against gravity or paper towels

• Temperature stabilization

– Molecule mov’t affects temp

– Hard to change H-bonds

• Increase  ice formation

• Reduce  evaporation

• Vary  internal temp.

pH Scale

• Measures [H + ] of a solution (acidity)

• Change of 1 on scale means 10X change in

[H + ] (logarithmic scale)

Highest H + Lowest H +

0---------------------7-------------------14

Acidic Neutral Basic

pH Scale (cont.)

• Acids

– Increase [H + ]

– pH less than 7

• Bases

– Decrease [OH ]

– pH greater than 7

• Neutrals

– Equal [H + ] and [OH ]

– pH of 7.0

Buffer Systems

• Minimize shifts in pH

• Can accept H + when in excess and donate H + when depleted

– Form water

• Common in biological fluids

– Human blood at 7.4, slight deviations can be deadly

Making and Breaking Bonds

• Chemical reactions are often reversible

Chemical equilibrium: forward and reverse reactions occurring at the same rate (no net change)

• Starting materials are reactants, ending are products

• # of atoms are conserved

– 1 st law of thermodynamics

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