Chemical Levels of Organization: Chapter 2, Sections 1-4 Flashcards
What happens when a substance is absorbed?
Digestive and respiratory systems are triggered
Chemical reactions like metabolism transfer and use energy
Essential actives begin maintenance/repair, growth, division, special functions (mucus escalator)
What is an element?
Pure substance consisting of only atoms with the same atomic number
What elements make up the human body? Where are they typically stored?
Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, sulfur, iron, iodine
Bones
What is an isotope? Does it affect the atomic number or mass?
Elements that have the same number of protons
Atomic mass
What is radioactive iodine used for?
Hyperthyroidism; the only place where iodine is stored, overactive thyroid
What happens if our blood is too acid? How do we normally remove acidity?
Sweet smelling breath, fatigue, confusion, shortness of breath
Urine output
What happens if our blood is too basic?
Uncontrollable muscle and skeletal contractions
Does water have a fast or slow evaporation rate? Why do we need water molecules? Give an example.
Slow evaporation
Provides surface tension (lung inflation, eye protection from particles)
What are the properties of water?
Solubility
Reactivity
High heat capacity
Lubrication
What are the properties of water?
Solubility
Reactivity
High heat capacity
Lubrication
What solutes dissolve in water?
Na and K
What is an electrolyte? Name a few.
Ions that can conduct an electrical current
Na, K, and Cl ions
Why are electrical currents important across the membrane?
Nerve (firing) and muscle (contraction) funciton
What is hydrolysis?
The breaking down of water
What is dehydration in reactions?
The removal of water
Does water have a high heat capacity? If so why is it important?
Yes!
Enough kinetic energy is needed to break H bonds to vaporize (sweating), which lowers body temperature and removes energy. As large beings, our temperature changes must be slow to remain within homeostasis.
Why is lubrication important as a property of water?
Reduces friction between joints and body cavities
How are reactions activated? Are all enzymes proteins?
pH changes, temperature changes, enzymes
Yes
What are catalysts? Why are enzymes important?
Enzymes are catalysts, that lower activation by physically pushing togther substrates to form a product (speeding up chemical reactions without changes)
What are the two compounds created by nutrients and metabolites?
Organic and inorganic compounds
How are organic compounds collected? What elements do they contain?
Ingestion of food
Sugars, fats, proteins, nucleic acids
H and C
How are inorganic compounds collected? What elements do they contain?
Within the body
CO2, O2, water, acids, bases, and salts
What is the difference between exergonic and endergonic?
Exergonic: releases energy
Endergonic: takes in energy
How are carbohydrates stored?
Glucose –> glycogen
How are proteins stored?
Amino acids –> ATP
How are fats stored?
Fatty acids –> hormones, ATP
What is the energy from ATP used for?
Transport (neurons firing)
Compound synthesis (proteins)
Mechanical work (ciliary motion, muscle contraction)
What is the central dogma?
DNA is transcribed to RNA which is translated to proteins
What is denaturation?
Loss of 3D shape
Quaternary structure –> Tertiary structure –> Secondary structure –> Alpha helix
What comprises lipids?
C: 6
H: 12
O: 1
What are the three types of lipids?
Eicosanoids, steroids (hormones), phospholipids/glycolipids
What are two eicosanoid lipids? How is it obtained?
Obtained from food
Leukotrienes: produces inflammatory response for injury/disease
Prostaglandins: stimulates pain in response to tissue damage
What are steroid lipids involved in?
Regulation of sexual function: estrogen/testosterone
Cholesterol: membrane flexibility
What is the difference between Saturated and Unsaturated fats?
Saturated: Single covalent bonds
Unsaturated: H double bonds
What is the difference between HDL and LDL?
HDL: Smaller in size, smaller arterial deposits
LDL: Larger in size, higher arterial deposits
Why are carbohydrates an important energy source?
Can be stored in various forms
What do enzymes break?
Bonds
What is a monosaccharide? What system breaks it down?
Energy source that is broken down through the digestive system
What does the liver convert into Glucose?
Polysaccharide: glucose storage
