chemistry of life

Chemistry of Life

  • Inorganic vs. Organic Compounds

    • Inorganic Compounds: Do not contain both carbon and hydrogen (e.g., water, salts, acids, bases).

    • Organic Compounds: Synthesized by the body, contain both carbon and hydrogen.

Water and Its Functions

  • Functions of Water:

    • Acts as a lubricant.

    • Acts as a heat sink.

    • Component in liquid mass (solution).

  • Types of Mixtures:

    • Solution: Water as a solvent; evenly distributes solutes.

    • Colloid: Water acts as a solvent for large particles, causing opacity.

    • Suspension: Heavy particles temporarily suspended, will settle over time.

Dehydration Synthesis and Hydrolysis

  • Dehydration Synthesis:

    • Covalent bonding of two monomers involves one giving up a hydroxyl group and the other a hydrogen atom.

  • Hydrolysis:

    • Splits the covalent bond between two monomers by adding a hydrogen atom to one and a hydroxyl group to the other.

Salts

  • Dissociation in Water:

    • Salts dissolve into ionic formats, playing roles in body processes (e.g., sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium).

Organic Compounds Essential for Life

  • Importance of Carbon:

    • 4 valence electrons; can form long chains; combines with other functional groups.

  • Types of Organic Compounds:

    • Carbohydrates

    • Fats (Lipids)

    • Proteins

    • Nucleic Acids

Lipids

  • Triglycerides:

    • Composed of glycerol linked to three fatty acids via dehydration synthesis.

  • Saturated vs. Unsaturated Fatty Acids:

    • Saturated: Straight chains.

    • Unsaturated: Kinked chains (due to double bonds).

  • Other Important Lipids:

    • Phospholipids: Composed of two fatty acids, glycerol, and a phosphate group.

    • Prostaglandins: Derived from unsaturated fatty acids.

Proteins

  • Peptide Bonds:

    • Formed between different amino acids to create peptides, polypeptides, or proteins via dehydration synthesis.

  • Protein Structures:

    • Primary: Sequence of amino acids.

    • Secondary: Forms, such as alpha-helix or beta-pleated sheet; maintained by hydrogen bonds.

    • Tertiary: Folding and bonding of secondary structure.

    • Quaternary: Interactions between two or more tertiary subunits.

Nucleic Acids

  • Nucleotides:

    • Building blocks consist of phosphate groups, pentose sugar, and nitrogen-containing base.

  • Types of Nucleic Acids:

    • DNA: Double helix structure with strands joined by hydrogen bonds between bases.

    • RNA: Uses ribose as sugar.

  • ATP: Primary energy carrier in biological systems.