Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life

Day 1

What is biochemistry?
• Biochemistry is the ______________________________________________________________________________ occur in
living things.
• Living things (biotic factors) depend on _____________________________________________…so biology and chemistry
are closely related!
Composition of Matter
• Matter – everything in the universe is composed of matter.
• Matter is anything that ____________________________________________________.
• Mass is the _______________________________________________ an object has.
• Weight is the _____________________________________________ on an object.
Atoms
• The __________________________________________________________________ that retains all the properties of that
element.
• All atoms consist of 3 types of smaller particles:
• _________________________________ = has a + charge
• _________________________________ = has no charge
• _________________________________ = has a - charge
• Properties of atoms determine the __________________________________________________ of the matter they compose.
The Nucleus
• _________________________________________
Elements
• Pure substances that ________________________________________________ chemically into simpler kinds of matter.
• Made of only ____________________ type of atom
• A group of atoms of the ___________________________ type.
• More than 100 elements (_______________ are naturally occurring)
• ________________________ of the mass of an organism is composed of 4 elements (oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, and
nitrogen)
• Each element has a unique chemical symbol:
• Consists of _____________________ letters
• First letter is always capitalized
Compounds
• Is a substance made of atoms of _____________________________ elements bond together in a certain ratio.
• Examples: ______________________________
• A compound is a pure substance made up of atoms of
__________________________________________________________.
• The proportion of atoms are _________________________________ fixed.
 • Chemical formulas show the ________________________________________________ of atoms of each element that
occurs in a particular compound.
Molecules
• Is ______________________________________ atoms held together by ___________________________ bonds.
• Are the _______________________________________ of a substance that _________________________________ of the
properties of the substance and exists in a free state.
Ions form when atoms gain or lose electrons
• Ion is an atom that has _______________________________________ one or more electron.
• It forms because an atom is more stable when its outermost energy level is ______________________________.
• An atom becomes an ion when its number of electrons _________________________________ an electrical charge.
Ionic Bond
• Some atoms become stable by ______________________________________________________.
• Atoms that lose electrons are called _________________________________________________.
• Atoms that gain electrons are called _______________________________________.
• Because positive and negative electrical charges attract each other __________________________________ form.
Atoms share pairs of electrons in covalent bonds.
• Some atoms ________________________________ pairs of electrons.
• Shared pairs of electrons fill the outermost energy levels of the bonded atoms.
• A covalent bond is formed when atoms ______________________________________.
• This type of bond is _________________________________________.
Properties of the Water Molecule
• The oxygen atom attracts more than its _____________________________ of electrons.
• Oxygen end __________________________________
• Hydrogen end ________________________________
• Causes the water to be ___________________________________
• Think of it as ________________________________ attracted to one another.
• Water is ____________________________(equal number of electrons and protons)
• _______________________________________
Life depends on hydrogen bonds in water
• Hydrogen bonds –
• Is an attraction between a ____________________________________________________________________,
often oxygen or nitrogen.
Homeostasis
• Ability to maintain a ___________________________________________ despite changing conditions
• Water is important to this process because:
• _____________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________
 • ________________________________________________________________________(insulates frozen lakes)
Properties Related to Hydrogen Bonds
• High specific heat:
• Water ____________________________________ changes in temperature.
• Must absorb ________________________________heat energy to increase temperature
• Helps ____________________________________ cell temperatures
• Cohesion –
• Attraction among molecules of the ________________________________ substance
• Makes water molecules _______________________________ to each other
• Produces _________________________________________, makes kind of skin on water
• Adhesion
• Attraction among molecules of __________________________________ substances
• Water molecules _______________________________ to things
• Responsible for the ______________________________ on the surface of the water in a test tube
• Helps plants transport water from their ______________________________________
• Capillary action
• Allowing water to travel ___________________________________ against gravity
Solutions and Suspensions
• Because so many things dissolve in water, it is called the ____________________________________.
• There are two types of mixtures:
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
Properties of Solutions
• Ionic compounds ______________________________________ as ions in water (+ ions and – ions spread out among polar
water molecules)
• Solutions are __________________________________________ mixtures
• Solute
• Substance that is ________________________________________________
• Solvent
• __________________________________________________ for the solute
Suspensions
• Substances that don’t dissolve but ___________________________________________________.
• Water keeps the pieces suspended so they don’t settle out.
• __________________________________________are suspensions.
The pH scale
• Indicates the concentration of _________________________________
• Ranges from ______________________________
• pH of 7 is ________________________________
 • pH 0 up to 7 is ____________________________…..H+
• pH above 7 – 14 is _________________________….OH-
• Each pH unit represents a factor of ___________________ change in concentration
Acids
• Strong acids have a pH of ______________________________
• Produce lots of ________________________
Bases
• Strong bases have a pH of __________________________________
• Contain lots of ____________________________ ions and fewer H+ ions
Buffers
• Weak acids or bases that react with strong acids or bases to prevent sharp, sudden changes in pH
(____________________________________)
• Produced naturally by the body to maintain ____________________________________

Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life

Day 2

What is a macromolecule?
• These are _______________________________________________________________, and are considered to be “giant
molecules”.
• A process called __________________________________________ combines smaller molecules together to form these
larger macromolecules.
• These compounds are the ___________________________________________…in other words without them there would be
no you!
Examples of Macromolecules
• There are four groups of macromolecules that make up living things:
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________

Six Major Elements associated with making up these macromolecules

• These _____________ elements make up your body, and they are also important in creating these organic compounds.
• So what are these 6 major elements important to life:
___________________________________
• ____________________ ●_________________________
• ____________________ ●_________________________
• ____________________ ●_________________________

So how are these the building blocks of living things?

 • The macromolecules are the LARGER MOLECULES…so like a house, you need “bricks” to build/make them!
• ______________________________ – smallest unit of a large molecule (building blocks of things)
• ______________________________ – the large molecule; formed by joining monomers (the product/the thing made
= this is the macromolecule!)
• _____________________________ monomers make a polymer!
Formation of Macromolecules
• Monomers are connected by a reaction in which 2 molecules are bonded to each other through the
____________________________________________________________.
• Called a _________________________________________________________because a water molecule is lost.
• Polymers are disassembled (broken up) into monomers by ___________________________________, a process that is
essentially the reverse of the dehydration reaction.
• Hydrolysis means _____________________________________. Bonds between monomers are broken by the
addition of water molecules.
Four Major Classes of Organic Molecules
1. ________________________________
• ___________________________________________________________________
• Plants and some animals use carbohydrates for ________________________________________
• Made up of sugars
• ______________________________________ (monomer) = 1 single
• ______________________________________ = 2 sugars
• ______________________________________ = many/more than 2 sugar
Carbohydrates
• The elements that make them up à __________________________________
• 3 types –
o (1) __________________________________ (C6H12O6 = glucose,
galactose, & fructose)

o (2) __________________________________ (2 monosaccharides

joined; ex: sucrose)

o (3)__________________________________ (long chain of monosaccharides; ex: starch)

Glucose, Fructose, and Galactose (Monosaccharides)

• ___________________________________:
• Made during photosynthesis; Main source of energy for plants and animals
 • ___________________________________:
• Found naturally in fruits; Is the sweetest of monosaccharides
• ____________________________________:
• Found in milk; Is usually in association with glucose or fructose
Disaccharide
• ____________________________________ – two monosaccharide bonded together
• _____________________________ = made up of glucose + fructose bonded together
• _____________________________ = made up of glucose + galactose bonded together
Polysaccharide
• _________________________________________ = more than two monosaccharide bonded together by glycosidic bonds
• Serve as _______________________________________________________
• Storage (examples: ___________________________________________)
• Structural (examples: _________________________________________)
• A complex carbohydrate is a polysaccharide with ________________________________ monosaccharide units.
• Pasta and starches are polysaccharides
• ____________________________ are a starch
Four Major Classes of Organic Compounds
2. ______________________________
• Used to _________________________________________ (for the long term)
• Important in __________________________________________ the certain coverings in the body
• Example: Cell Membranes
• _______________________________________________________________________
• Examples à Fats, Oils, and Waxes
Organic Compounds and Lipids
• The elements that make them up à _______________________________
• ______________________________________________________________________________________
• The building block for lipids includes __________________________________________________________.
• There two ways lipids can be represented in the body:
• ______________________________________ – fatty acids are “full” of Hydrogens; all carbon bonds are single
(animal products)
• ______________________________________ – at least 1 double bond between carbons (plant products

Chapter 2: The Chemistry of Life

Day 3
Four Major Classes of Organic Compounds
3. ____________________________________
 • The majority of the processes that take place in the body occur because of proteins!!!
• The elements that make up proteins are ___________________________________
• _____________________________________________________________________
Proteins
• There are ____________________ different amino acids found in nature
• Amino Acids are made up of 3 functional groups:
• _____________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________
• _____________________________________________________
What are some functions of proteins?
• 4 Types of Proteins & their function in the body:
• _____________________________________________________
• Controls the rate of reactions in your body
• _____________________________________________________
• Sending nutrients to different parts of the body
• _____________________________________________________
• Forms/ makes up different parts of the body
• _____________________________________________________
• Makes cells that act as fighters for the body
Finally…
4. __________________________________
• The function of nucleic acids is _______________________________________________________
• The elements that make up nucleic acids are…
_______________________________________________
• Two types:
1. _________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________
Nucleic Acids
• The monomers of _______________________________________
• Each nucleotide is made up of:
• _______________________________________________
• _______________________________________________
• _______________________________________________

Chapter 2
The Chemistry of Life
Day 4

What is a Chemical Reaction?

 • Everything that happens inside of an organism is based on ________________________________________________ –
Examples:
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _____________________________________
• _________________________________________ – a process that changes one set of chemicals into another
• Chemical reactions always involve the ____________________________________________ of new bonds!
Chemical Reaction Breakdown
• There are 2 parts to every chemical reaction:
______________________________________________________
• Reactants represent what is _____________________________________________ into a reaction
• Always found before the arrow!
• Products represent what is ___________________________________________ a reaction
• Always found after the arrow!
But don’t we need energy to complete all of these reactions?
 ________________________________ Energy is a big factor in completing these reactions.
 Some chemical reactions _______________________________________________________________
• Chemical reactions that release energy are called _____________________________________
• These often occur spontaneously – such as cellular respiration
• Chemical reactions that absorb energy are called _____________________________________
• These will not occur without a source of energy – such as Photosynthesis (the original energy comes from
the sun!!!)
But not all reactions are spontaneous…some STILL require a little energy!
• Energy needed to get a reaction started is called ____________________________________________.
• This “start energy” is important, because it can determine whether you _________________________________________
energy.
However… there is a PROBLEM!
• Solution à Your body has a ___________________________________ that lowers the amount of energy needed at the
beginning of a reaction, so you have more energy to complete your metabolic processes needed to live your life!
These proteins are called… Enzymes!!!
• Enzymes are proteins that act as _________________________________________
• Catalysts:
• Substance that ____________________________________________________, without using a large
amount of energy.
• Most enzymes end in the letters ______________________________________________
• Ex: your saliva/ spit is called AMYLASE
Enzymes
• Enzymes speed up a reaction by ________________________________________________ of a reaction
 • Enzymes act as a ______________________________________ and are not used up
Scientists use a model to represent the way enzymes carry out chemical reactions
 ______________________________________________ à
___________________________________________________
 Enzymes have very specific ________________________________________, where only certain reactants can
bind to reduce activation energy (EA).
 These reactants are called ___________________________________________
 Enzymes release products after a reaction and can start the same process over again.
Remember…
• Enzymes are a type of _________________________
• There job is to _________________________________________ WITHOUT using too much energy.
• When you damage a protein, so it no longer works it becomes _____________________________.

Denaturation and Renaturation of a Protein

There are many things that can affect the way an enzyme works:
• ________________________________________à Both hot or cold can damage an enzyme
• ________________________________________ à Mixing proteins with Strong Acids or Bases
• ________________________________________ à Things that may turn on an enzyme
• ________________________________________ à Things that may turn off certain cell activities