3.1: The Chemistry of Life Flashcards
State that the most frequently occurring chemical elements in living things are ______.
carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
State that a variety of other elements are needed by living organisms, including _____.
sulfur, calcium, phosphorous, iron, and sodium.
State one role for each of the ‘other’ elements needed by living organisms.
Sulfur- in some amino acids Calcium- co-factor in some enzymes Phosphorous- phosphate groups in ATP Iron- in cytochromes Sodium- sending nerve impulses
Draw and label water molecules to show their polarity and hydrogen bond formation.
DO IT.
Outline the thermal properties of water.
Water has a high specific heat.
-water can absorb or give off a great deal of heat without changing temperature greatly.
Water has a high heat of vaporization.
-water absorbs a great deal of heat when it evaporates.
Outline the solvent properties of water.
Water is polar and is an excellent solvent for other polar molecules. The majority of molecules typically found inside and outside of most cells are polar molecules (this includes carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids). Because water is an excellent solvent for biochemically important molecules, it is also the medium in which most of the biochemistry of a cel occurs.
Outline the cohesive properties of water.
Water molecules are highly cohesive. Cohesion is when molecules of the same type are attracted to each other. This attraction is due to polar covalent bonding. Whenever water molecules are near each other the positive end of one attracts the negative end of the other.
