Ch.2 The Chemical context of life Flashcards
Matter
is anything that takes up space and has mass.
Matter is made up of elements
Matter in combinations is called?
Compounds
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 in a fixed ratio
A compound has emergent properties, characteristics different from those of its elements
Essential Elements
Of 92 natural elements,
about
20–25% are essential elements, needed by an organism to live a healthy life and reproduce
Humans need 25 elements
plants need only 17
Trace Elements
Are elements that a living organism needs but a very small amount.
Trace Elements are required in only minute quantities
For example, in vertebrates, iodine (I) is required for normal activity of the thyroid gland
In humans, an iodine deficiency can cause goiter
What are the four elements that make up 96.3% of living matter?
What elements make up the other 3.7%?
who is CHON (96.3%)
C = Carbon
H = Hydrogen
O = Oxygen
N = Nitrogen
Hes the KCaPS of the orientals (3.7%)
K = Potassium
Ca = Calcium
P = Phosphorus
S = Sulfur
What is an Atom?
What three subatomic particles make up an atom?
An Atom is the smallest unit of matter that still retains the properties of an element.
Smallest particle of an element that retains its properties.
The three particles that make up an atom are called subatomic particles.
- Neutrons (neutral)
- Protons (positive)
- Electrons (negative)
atoms have a nucleus
electrons and protons attract each other so atoms usually have the same number of protons and electrons
Atomic nucleus is? (what type of charges) and where is the nucleus located in an Atom?
What surrounds the Atoms nucleus and why?
An Atoms nucleus is in the center of the atom, its also a combinaton of Protons and Neutrons that are packed together tightly in a dense core.
The atoms nucleus is a positive charge.
Surrounding the atoms nucleus is rapidly moving electrons that form a “cloud” the cloud is negatively charged. since protons and electrons are attracted to one another, the electrons stay in the vicinity of the nucleus.
Dalton is used to measure what?
Atoms, subatomic particles and molecules.
Neutrons and protons equal 1 Dalton
Same as atomic mass unit, or amu.
what is an Atomic number
the number of protons in one atom of an element.
is written a subscript to the left of the symbol for the element.
What is a mass number? what is the equation to find the mass number.
a combination of protons and neutrons in an atom
mass number = protons + neutrons
Atomic Mass
Mass of an Atom, which is a combination of its protons and neutrons.
the average mass number of an elements atom and its isotopes.
How do you get the number of neutrons of an element?
Mass number - atomic number
What are Isotopes?
A variation of an element. it contains a different number of protons than neutrons.
What is a radioactive isotope?
What are some uses of radioactive isotopes in biological research?
When the nucleues decays spontaneously, giving off particles and energy
When and element decays it turns into another element
example,
14C decays it becomes an atom of Nitrogen
Some applications of radioactive isotopes in biological research are
- Dating fossils
- Tracing atoms through metabolic processes
- Diagnosing medical disorders
What is energy (dealing with elements and atoms)
The capacity to cause change-for instance, by doing work.
What is Potential energy? give an example
The energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure.
energy of position further away from its resting state.
The electrons of an atom have potential energy due to their distance from the nucleus
Changes in potential energy occur in steps of fixed amounts
An electron’s energy level is correlated with its average distance from the nucleus
Example, water in a reservoir on a hill has potential energy because of its location or structure.
What are electron shells?
Electrons are found in different electron shells, each with a characteristic average distance from the nucleus
The energy level of each shell increases with distance from the nucleus
Electrons can move to higher or lower shells by absorbing or releasing energy, respectively
What is the chemical behavior of and atom determined by?
The chemical behavior of an atom is determined by the distribution of electrons in electron shells
What are Valence electrons and whats the name of the shell they are in?
are the electrons in the outermost shell and the name of that shell is the valence shell.
Elements with an incomplete valence shell are more likely to have chemical behavior.
if the valence shell is complete (full) the element is inert(chemicaly unreactive).
The reactivity of an atom arises from the presence of one or more unpaired electrons in the valence shell
Atoms with completed valence shells are unreactive, or inert
What are chemical bonds?
What are the strongest kinds of chemical bonds?
When two or more atoms combine together because of their velence shell not being full.
The strongest kinds of chemical bonds a are covalent bonds and ionic bonds.
What is a covalent bond?
The sharing of a pair of valence electrons by two atoms.
In a covalent bond, the shared electrons count as part of each atom’s valence shell
Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds constitute a molecule
What is a molecule
When two or more atoms are held together by covalent bonds.
Single bond
the sharing of one pair of electrons, is indicated by a single line between the atoms
For example, H—H
Double bond
A double bond, the sharing of two pairs of electrons, is indicated by a double line between atoms
For example,
valence
Each atom that can share valence electrons has a bonding capacity, the number of bonds that the atom can form
Bonding capacity, or valence, usually corresponds to the number of electrons required to complete the atom