Chapter 2: Intro to Chemistry Flashcards
What is the difference between matter and mass?
Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass, whereas mass is the amount of matter in any living organism or nonliving thing
What are chemical elements?
These are substances that cannot be broken down into simpler forms by ordinary chemical means
How many different elements are normally present in the body?
26
What are the major elements of the body?
Oxygen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
What percentage of the body’s mass is comprised of the major elements?
96%
What are the lesser elements of the body?
Calcium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Iron
How many trace elements are there in the body?
There are 14 elements in this category
Why is iodine important for the body despite it being a trace element?
This element is important for making thyroid gland hormones
What is the significance of oxygen in the body?
It is part of water and many organic molecules
It is used to generate ATP
It is a molecule used by cells to temporarily store chemical energy
What is the importance of carbon in the body?
This forms the backbone chains and rings of all organic molecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids
What is the importance of hydrogen in the body?
It is part of water and most organic molecules
In its ionized form, it makes body fluids more acidic
What is the importance of nitrogen in the body?
It is a component of all proteins and nucleic acids
What is the importance of calcium in the body?
Contributes to hardness of bones and teeth
In its ionized form, it is vital for blood clotting, releasing hormones, contracting muscles, and other processes
What is the importance of phosphorus in the body?
It is a component of nucleic acids and ATP
It is also required for normal bone and tooth structure
What is the importance of potassium in the body?
In its ionized form, it is the most plentiful cation in intracellular fluid, which is key for the generation of action potentials
What is the importance of sulfur in the body?
This is a component of some vitamins and many proteins
What is the importance of sodium in the body?
In its ionized form, it is the most plentiful cation in the extracellular fluid, which is vital in the generation of action potentials
What is the importance of chlorine in the body?
In its ionized form, it is the most plentiful anion in extracellular fluid, which is key for maintaining water balance
What is the importance of magnesium in the body?
In its ionized form, it is needed for the action of many enzymes
What is the importance of iron in the body?
In its ionized forms, it is part of hemoglobin and some enzymes
What is an atom
This is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties and characteristics of the element
What are the two basic parts of an atom?
The nucleus and one or more electrons
What is a nucleus of an atom comprised of?
This is made up of positively charged proteins and neutral neutrons
Is the nucleus of an atom neutral, positively, or negatively charged?
This is positively charged