The Chemistry of Life
Life Substances
Covalent Carbons
How to draw atoms and molecules conveniently…
C10H22
Carbon bonded to Carbon can form… Straight Chains
Branched Chains
Rings
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19nzPt62UPg
C7H16
Isomers
Compounds with the same chemical formula but different 3D structures
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnQe0xW_JY4
Carbon compounds vary greatly in size
Biomolecules Large organic molecules found in living
organisms
What are the 4 most important types of (bio)molecules?
Biomolecules
Cells build biomolecules by bonding small molecules together forming a chain
The small molecules are referred to as monomers
This chain is called a polymer
How do the monomers bond
together?
Polymers can be broken back into monomers too…
Carbohydrates
Used by cells to provide energy
Terminology Simplest carbohydrate = monosaccharide 2 monosaccharides = disaccharide Larger = polysaccharide
Types of Carbohydrates
When you have only one or two monosaccharides…you have a
sugar
When you have a long, slightly branched chain of many glucose
molecules…you have starch
Types of Carbohydrates
When you have highly branched chains of glucose molecules…you
have Glycogen
When you have long chains of glucose linked together…
you have Cellulose
Types of Carbohydrates
Starch (plants) and Glycogen (animals) are used as energy storage
Cellulose forms the cell walls of plants and gives them structural support
Lipids
Cells use lipids for energy storage, insulation and protective coverings
Lipid Structure
Protein
Provide structure
The basic building block of proteins are amino acids
There are about 20 common amino acids
Thousands of possible combinations = thousands of possible proteins
Protein synthesis
The 4 levels of Protein Structure
1. Primary – The order in which the amino acids are bonded together
2. Secondary – Folding caused by hydrogen bonds
1. Alpha Helix2. Beta Pleated Sheets
3. Tertiary – Folding caused by R group interaction
4. Quaternary – 2 or more proteins working together
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jgb_DpaQhM
Proteins are responsible for many things. To name a few… Structure Muscle contraction Transporting oxygen in the blood Providing immmunity Carrying out chemical reactions*
Enzymes*
Enzymes Enzymes speed up chemical reactions
Catalyst
Substrate Product
Enzymes are not used up…they keep working after they have turned one molecule of substrate to product
How enzymes work…
Nucleic Acids
Blueprints for building proteins
Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides
Examples?