Lecture 2 The Chemical Basis of Life

The Chemical Basis of Life
Lecture 2
I. INTRODUCTION
• Organisms are composed of matter
– Matter is anything that takes up space
and has mass
– Element is a substance that cannot be
broken down to other substances by
chemical reactions
– Compound is a substance consisting of
two or more elements combined in a
fixed ratio
A. Elements
• Makes up earth and organisms
• O, C, H, N, S, P, K, Si, Al, Fe, Ca
• 25 natural elements are known to be
essential in life
• 4 are particularly abundant, making
up 96.3% of the human body
A. Elements
• Trace elements are those required
by an organism in minute quantities
• Composed of atoms
Chapter 2 - The Chemical Basis of Life
AIM: What’s the matter?
Element
vs
Compound
(Emergent Properties)
Elements – composed of the same types of atoms
Compounds – composed of two or more types of atoms

Element
- Any substance composed of only ONE element
Ex) a bar of pure gold, nitrogen gas (N2), oxygen gas (O2)
Compound
- Any substance composed of two or more elements
Ex) Na+Cl- (table salt), H2O, CO2
Fig 2.3b
A lack of iodine in one’s
diet can cause swelling
of the thyroid gland
resulting in a GOITER.
The condition is
reversible if iodine is
taken. (Don’t worry, we iodize salt)
Fig 2.3b
Iodine is used by thyroid

Chlorine (Cl2) gas (element)

Pure sodium (element) Na+Cl- Table Salt (Compoun
+ =
Fig 2.2
MERGENT PROPERTIES (EP
B. Atoms
• John Dalton proposed that matter is
composed of atoms
• Consist of smaller parts called
subatomic particles
• Protons
• Electrons
• Neutrons
?
he smallest chemically
breakable unit of MATTER
An atom
B. Atoms
• The number of protons in an atom’s
nucleus – atomic number
• Mass of a single atom – atomic

weight = (p + n)
Nucleus Organization:
charge mass
Subatomic particles
(sub = below, below the atom level)
proton +1 1 amu (dalton)

neutron 0 1 amu (dalton)
electron -1 1/1836th an amu (dalton)
amu = atomic mass unit

1 amu or 1 dalton = 1.67 x 10-27 kg
How are the electrons “held” to the
nucleus? Why do they not just shoot
away?
Electrons are held to the nucleus by

the electromagnetic (EM) force since
electrons are negative and the
nucleus is positive – opposite
charges attract / like charges repel.
How are the protons “held” together in
the nucleus? Why do they not break
apart due to the EM force?
The strong force holds the
nucleus together. The strong
force is only “felt” at extremely
small distances, which is why
the electrons do not feel it. You
would need to be on the nucleus
to feel it. For example, if
gravity were like this, you
would only feel it on Earth, but
if you jumped up a few feet,
you would no longer be pulled
down by it...
C. Bonding of Atoms
• Chemical bonds = attractions
• Formation of a molecule
• If atoms of more than 1 elements

combine, the result is a compound
D. Ionic
• A chemical bond formed by the

transfer of electrons from one form
to another
• Result of the attraction between

atoms that have become electrically
charged by the loss or gain of
electrons
D. Ionic
• The ionic bond is simply the strong
electrostatic force that binds the
positively and negatively charged
ions together
Ionic
bond
When sodium loses an electron it

becomes positively charged (a cation).
When chlorine picks it up it becomes
negatively charged (a anion). Cations
ion
Cation vs Anion
and Anions are collectively called ions
E. Covalent
• Bonds are formed when atoms share
electrons to become to become
stable
– Single covalent bonds
– Double covalent bonds
Single Covalent
Bond
H-H or H2
In this case, to be stable and fill their outer shells, unlike
in an ionic bond, the atoms will SHARE their electrons to
form a covalent bond.
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Double Covalent Bonds
(double bond)
O= C=O or CO2
F. Hydrogen Bond
• can exist within or between
biologically important molecules
• Ionic and covalent bonds form new

molecules, whereas hydrogen bonds
do not
F. Hydrogen Bond
• Much weaker than ionic or covalent
bonds energy to break
• H bonds result from unequal charge

distribution on a molecule
• Polar like water

G. Molecules and Compound
• When 2 or more atoms combine, a
molecule results
• If atoms of different molecules

combine, the molecule can also be
called a compound
H. Formula
• Empirical formula
– CH2 : there will be twice as many H as there
are C
H. Formula
– CH2 : there will be twice as many H as there
are C
– Based on experimental data
• Molecular formula
– Represents the number and type of
atoms
H. Formula
– Benzene : CH
– Acetylene: CH
• Molecular formula
– Benzene: C6H6
– Acetylene: C2H2
H. Formula
• Structural formula
– Can be used to illustrate molecules
– Displays the way the atoms are bonded
together and the shape of the molecule
is revealed
– Cis and trans dibromoethene CHBr and
C2H2Br2
I. Chemical Reaction
• Bonds are formed or broken between
atoms, ions or molecules
• Those changed by the reaction are

the reactants, those formed are the
products
I. Chemical Reaction
• Synthesis reactions
• Decomposition reactions
• Exchange reactions
• Catalysts influence the rates of

chemical reactions
C9H8O
=4Molecular formula
tructural formula: An aspirin molecule
skeletal formula Displayed formula Ball-and-stick

You only need to know the difference between a molecular and
structural formula, not the different types of structural formulae.
Chemical Constituents
of Cell
A. Organic Compound
• C-C and or C-H covalent bonds
• Larger and more complex than

inorganic molecules
A. Organic Compound
• Carbohydrates
• Primary source of chemical energy

needed by every body cell
• Structural role as components of RNA
and DNA
A. Organic Compound
• Proteins
• Structural and functional

• Composed of 20 commonly occurring
amino acids
• 8 are known as essential amino acids
A. Organic Compound
• Lipids
• Water insoluble
• Supply energy
• Built from glycerol and 3 fatty acids
A. Organic Compound
• Nucleic Acids
• DNA
• RNA
A. Inorganic Compound
• Water
• Body’s most abundant and important

compound
• Cradle of life
• Oxygen
• Required to complete decomposition

reactions
• Required for the release of energy
from nutrients burned by the cell
• Carbon Dioxide
• A waste product during breakdown of

complex nutrients
• With role in maintaining acid-base

balance in the body
• Inorganic Salts
• Sources of ions of Na, Cl, K, Ca, Mg,

phosphate, carbonate, bicarbonate
and sulfate

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The Chemical Basis of Life

Elements – composed of the same types of atoms

Compounds – composed of two or more types of atoms

Iodine is used by thyroid

Chlorine (Cl2) gas (element)

• Mass of a single atom – atomic

proton +1 1 amu (dalton)

amu = atomic mass unit

Electrons are held to the nucleus by

• If atoms of more than 1 elements

• A chemical bond formed by the

• Result of the attraction between

When sodium loses an electron it

• Ionic and covalent bonds form new

• H bonds result from unequal charge

• Polar like water

• If atoms of different molecules

• Those changed by the reaction are

• Catalysts influence the rates of

tructural formula: An aspirin molecule

skeletal formula Displayed formula Ball-and-stick

• Larger and more complex than

• Primary source of chemical energy

• Structural and functional

• Body’s most abundant and important

• Required to complete decomposition

• A waste product during breakdown of

• With role in maintaining acid-base

• Sources of ions of Na, Cl, K, Ca, Mg,

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