Chemistry of Life - Part I (Elements and atoms)

The Chemistry of Life

Part I: Elements and Atomic Structure

• Reference: Biology 1001 Course Overview

Matter and Energy

• Matter:

  • Definition: Any substance that takes up space and has mass.

  • Example: Water, rocks, air.

• Energy:

  • Definition: A property that must be transferred to matter in order to work on, change, or heat that matter.

States of Matter

• Types of Matter:

  • Solid:

    • Holds shape, has fixed volume.

  • Liquid:

    • Takes the shape of the container, fixed volume.

  • Gas:

    • Takes the shape of the container, volume of container.

Elements

• Definition:

  • A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances.

• Examples:

  • Carbon, Gold, Lead, Hydrogen.

Periodic Table of the Elements

• Essential Groups:

  • Hydrogen (H), Helium (He): Nonmetals.

  • Lithium (Li), Beryllium (Be): Alkali metals.

  • Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O): Key elements in biological processes.

  • Transition and Rare Earth Metals.

Elements in the Human Body

• **Percentage of Body Mass:**

  • Oxygen (O): 65.0%

  • Carbon (C): 18.5%

  • Hydrogen (H): 9.5%

  • Nitrogen (N): 3.3%

  • Calcium (Ca): 1.5%

  • Phosphorus (P): 1.0%

  • Trace Elements: Less than 0.01%: Includes Boron (B), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn).

Elements and Atoms

• Element:

  • Cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

• Atom:

  • Smallest particle of an element maintaining its properties.

Components of Atoms

• Nucleus:

  • Central 'core' of an atom, composed of:

    • Protons:

      • Mass: 1 AMU, Charge: +1e.

    • Neutrons:

      • Mass: 1 AMU, No charge (neutral).

Electron Cloud

• Area beyond the nucleus where electrons orbit.

• Divided into energy levels and orbitals.

• Electron:

  • Negligible mass, Charge: -1e. Moves at nearly the speed of light.

Schematic of Subatomic Particles

• Diagram Structure:

  • Nucleus contains Protons and Neutrons.

  • Electrons located in Electron Cloud surrounding the nucleus.