Chemical Components of Cells (Lecture 3) Flashcards
What elements comprise about 99% atoms in cells?
H, C, N, O
What is so special about Carbon?
Its outermost shell is half empty. It has two stable isotopes
What is the bond angle for an Sp3 hydridized carbon?
109.5°
What is the bond angle for an Sp2 hybridized carbon?
120°
What is the bond angle for an sp hydridized carbon?
180°
Polar solvents weaken _______ Bonds
Ionic
Polar ions dissolve in
Polar media
Non-covalent Bonds
Most cellular processes involve the formation and disruption of multiple non-covalent bonds between biopolymers
What is the hydrophobic Effect?
The observed tendency of non-polar substances to aggregate in aqueous solution and exclude water molecules. it is entropically driven. The aggregation of large non-polar molecules is thermodynamically favored because it decreases the level of disruption to the hydrogen bonding network between the water molecules
Entropic Force
Force acting on a system resulting from the system’s statistical tendency to increase its entropy
What accounts for about 85% of the dry weight of cells?
Biopolymers
What is the composition of a typical bacterial cell?
70% water 30% chemicals. Of those chemicals, about 87% are macromolecules
What are the building blocks of the cells?
Sugars that generate polysacchrides Nucleotides that generate nucleic acids Amino acids that make up proteins Fatty acids that generate lipids, fats, and membranes
What is the general equation of saccharides
(CH2O)n where n is greater than 2. (triose)
Polysaccharides
10 residues or more
What molecule is this?
D- Glyceraldehyde
What molecule is this?
D-glucose
What molecule is this?
D-ribose
What molecule is this?
D-fructose
What molecule is this?
D-mannose
What molecule is this?
D-Galactose
