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Class notes for chapter 2 - chemical context of life. Provides all information that will be on test 1 from this chapter.
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Bio 101 Chaper 2 – Chemical Context of Life A Chemical Connection to Biology Living organisms are subject to basic laws of physics + chemistry Matter, Elements, and Compounds Organisms are composed of matter – anything that takes up space + have mass Element – substance cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions Compound – two or more elements in a fixed ratio Essential elements of life o Trace elements – required by an organism in minute amounts Element’s Properties Depend on Atomic Structure Elements consist of unique atoms Atoms are composed of subatomic particles o Neutrons – no charge o Protons – positive charge (+) o Electrons – negative charge (-) Neutrons + protons form the atomic nucleus Electrons form a cloud around nucleus Atomic Number + Atomic Mass Atomic number – number of protons in nucleus (subscript left) Element’s mass – sum of protons + neutrons in nucleus (superscript right)
Ex. Mass Number C Atomic number Ex. 12 C ★(test question) 6 o How many protons? – 6 o How many neutrons? – 6 o How many electrons? – 6 Isotopes All atoms of an element have the same number of protons but may differ in the number of neutrons Isotopes – two atoms of an element that differ in number of neutrons Radioactive isotopes – nucleus decays spontaneously, giving off particles + energy Electron Distribution + Chemical Properties Chemical behavior is based on distribution of electrons (e-) in the electron shell Valence electrons – electrons in the outermost shell (valence shell) Chemical behavior mostly determined by valence electrons Elements w/ full valence shell are chemically inert Valence number – number of electrons needed to complete outer shell by adding or losing electrons Formation + Function of Molecules Depend on Chemical Bonding Between Atoms Atoms w/ an incomplete valence shell can share or transfer electrons Chemical bonds – atoms interacting + staying close together
Weak chemical bonds are also important o Help reinforce shapes of large molecules + help molecules adhere to each other Hydrogen bond – forms when hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one electronegative atom is also attracted to another electronegative atom In living cells, electronegative partners are usually O2 + N Van der Waals interactions o When electrons are distributed asymmetrically in molecules or atoms, can result in ‘hot spots’ of positive or negative charge o Van der Waals interactions are attractions between molecules that are close together as a result of these charges Ex. Geckos ‘sticking’ to walls Molecular Shape + Function Shape determined by positions of atom’s valence orbitals Biological molecules recognize + interact w/ each other w/ a specificity based on molecular shape o Molecules w/ similar shapes can have similar biological effects Chemical Reactions Make + Break Chemical Bonds Chemical reactions – making + breaking of chemical bonds Reactants + products Chemical equilibrium is reached when forward + reverse reaction rates are equal