Lec 02 Chemistry of Life - CH 2

THE CHEMICAL CONTEXT OF LIFE
Chapter 2
Objectives
• Be familiar with the chemical vocabulary discussed in class
• Know the basic parts of an Atom and its properties
• Understand the relationship between energy level and
electron orbit
• Be familiar with the kinds of chemical bonds formed
between atoms. Understand what causes their formation.
• Be familiar with the kinds of chemical bonds formed
between molecules. Understand what causes their
formation.
Chemical Elements and
Compounds
• Matter: anything that takes up space and has mass
• Element: substance that cannot be broken down to other
substances by chemical reactions
– CHNOPS, Ca, K, Na, Cl, Mg
– Trace elements: Fe, I
• Compound: substance made of 2 or
more elements
Sodium + Chlorine à Sodium chloride
Elements
ATOMS AND MOLECULES.
• Atom: smallest chemical unit
• Atomic structure determines the behavior of
an element
• Atoms usually consist of 3
subatomic particles
– Neutrons (no electrical charge)
– Protons (positive charge)
– Electrons (negative charge)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYkD-dcupAU
Atomic Number
– the # of Protons found in nucleus of atom
• in electrically neutral atoms, equals # of electrons
Mass Number (Atomic Mass)
– calculated as sum of protons & neutrons
• measured in daltons; proton & neutron = 1 Dalton, electrons = 0 Daltons
Isotopes
• An atom usually has an equal
number of neutrons & protons
– Sometimes the # of neutrons can
exceed the # of protons
– these different atomic forms of the
same element are called Isotopes
n
e ut r o
• Atomic nuclei that are unstable +1 N
may lose a proton (decay) and +2 Deuterium

Neu
energy (radiation) resulting in t r on
s
Hydrogen
radioactive isotopes. (1 Proton)
Tritium
ATOMS AND MOLECULES
• Molecule: substance composed of two or more
Atoms connected by a chemical bond(s)
THE ENERGY LEVELS OF
ELECTRONS
• Electrons are the only particles
involved in chemical reactions
• An atom’s electrons vary in
their energy level
– Energy: ability to do work
• Potential energy: amount of
energy stored as a result of
position or location
ATOMS AND MOLECULES
• Molecule: substance composed of two or more
Atoms connected by a chemical bond(s)
Electron Orbitals
• Electrons reside in orbitals (3D space) around the atomic

nucleus within energy shells
– orbital can be spherical (s) or dumbbell shaped (p)
• Potential energy of an atom as electrons move farther
from the atomic nucleus
• The number of valence electrons an atom has determines
its reactivity in chemical reactions
Electron Distribution Diagrams
Hydrogen 2 Atomic number Helium
1H He 2He
Mass number 4.00 Element symbol
First
shell Electron
distribution
diagram
Lithium Beryllium Boron Carbon Nitrogen Oxygen Fluorine Neon
3Li 4Be 5B 6C 7N 8O 9F 10Ne
Second
shell
Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon

11Na 12Mg 13Al 14Si 15P 16S 17Cl 18Ar
Third
shell
Electron Orbitals
ATOMS COMBINE BY CHEMICAL
BONDING TO FORM MOLECULES.
• Chemical bond: attraction between atoms as a

result of interactions of electrons.
• Two major types: Covalent and Ionic
1. Covalent bonds: result from the sharing of
valence electrons
Hydrogen atoms (2 H)
Hydrogen molecule (H2)

• Chemical bond: attraction between atoms as a result of

interactions of electrons.
• Two major types: Covalent and Ionic
1. Covalent bonds result from the sharing of valence
electrons
Ø influenced by the pulling power of an atom (electronegativity)
• Chemical bond: attraction between atoms as a
result of interactions of electrons.
1. Covalent bonds: result from the sharing of
valence electrons
– influenced by the pulling power of an atom
(electronegativity)
• Nonpolar covalent bonds
• Polar covalent bonds
Covalent Bonds
Name and Electron- Lewis Dot Space-
Molecular distribution Structure and filling
Formula Diagram Structural Model
Formula
(a) Hydrogen (H2)
(b) Oxygen (O2)
(c) Water (H2O)
(d) Methane (CH4)

CHEMICAL BONDS
(cont)
2. Ionic bonds: result from the
transfer of electrons between
atoms due to large difference
in electronegativity.
– may be strong or weak depending
on chemical environment
• Ion: is a positively or negatively
charged atom or molecule
– Cation: +
– Anion: -
Chemical Bonds Between
Molecules
3. Hydrogen Bonds:
– weak attraction of a slightly positive
region of one molecule (H atom) for
the slightly negative region of another
molecule (more electronegative atom)
• Important in DNA and protein structure
Chemical Bonds Between
Molecules
4. van der Waals interactions:
– changing “hot spots” of positive
and negative charges due to the
random non-symmetrical
distribution of electrons in
molecules
• may be strong or weak depending
the number of interactions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzm7yD-JuyM
Why do we Care?
• Life is the sum of many chemical reactions
• In photosynthesis, sunlight powers the conversion of
carbon dioxide and water to glucose and oxygen
6 CO2 + 6 H20 + Energy (solar) → C6H12O6 + 6 O2
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 → 6 CO2 + 6 H20 + Energy (chemical)
• All chemical reactions are reversible: products of the
forward reaction become reactants for the reverse reaction
C6H12O6 + 6 O2 6 CO2 + 6 H20 + Energy (chemical)
• Chemical equilibrium is reached when the forward and
reverse reactions occur at equal rates

Lec 02 Chemistry of Life - CH 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec 02 Chemistry of Life - CH 2

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec 02 Chemistry of Life - CH 2

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE CHEMICAL CONTEXT OF LIFE

may lose a proton (decay) and +2 Deuterium

• Electrons reside in orbitals (3D space) around the atomic

Sodium Magnesium Aluminum Silicon Phosphorus Sulfur Chlorine Argon

• Chemical bond: attraction between atoms as a

Hydrogen molecule (H2)

• Chemical bond: attraction between atoms as a result of

(a) Hydrogen (H2)

(b) Oxygen (O2)

(c) Water (H2O)

(d) Methane (CH4)

You might also like