Inorganic Compounds and Solutions Flashcards
Most chemicals in the body exist as __________
Compounds
The main classes of compounds in the body are:
inorganic and organic
Describe the characteristics of inorganic compounds
structurally simple, only have a few atoms, can’t perform complex biological functions, lack carbon
What are the inorganic compounds that DO contain carbon
carbon dioxide and bicarbonate
What type of bonds do inorganic compounds have?
May have wither ionic or covalent bonds
What are the inorganic compounds in the body?
water, acids, bases, salts
How much of the body’s mass does water make up?
55%-60%
What is the most important and abundant inorganic compound in all living systems on Earth?
water
What medium do nearly all body’s chemical reactions occur?
water
What is water’s most important property?
the polarity of the covalent bonds in a water molecule
What is water a good solvent for?
other ionic or polar substance
What fluids in the body is water a major part of?
mucus, serous fluid, synovial fluid, body secretion
What are hydrophilic compounds?
solutes that contain polar covalent bonds, dissolve easily in water
What are hydrophobic compounds?
solutes that contain non-polar covalent bonds are not very water-soluble
What does water enable dissolved reactants to do?
collide to form products
Is water typically a reactant or product in a chemical reaction?
can be a reactant or a product in a chemical reaction
How does water help eliminate waste products in the body?
dissolves waste products to be eliminated in urine
What hydrolysis?
water added to large nutrient molecules to break them down into smaller molecules
What is dehydration synthesis?
two smaller molecules join to form a larger one, water is removed
True or false: water does not have a high heat capacity
false: water does have a high heat capacity
How does absorbing or releasing heat affect the temperature of the water?
can absorb or release a large amount of hear with a modest change to its own temperature
What does water do with the heat energy it absorbs?
used to break its abundant hydrogen bonds first, leaving less energy to increase the temperature of the water
True or false: water does not require a large amount of heat to vaporize
false: water does require a large amount of heat to vaporize
How does sweat cool down the body?
sweat evapourates off skin removing heat
What is a mixture?
combination of elements or compounds that are physically blended together but not bound by chemical bonds
Give an example of a mixture
air is a mixture of gases
What is a solution?
liquid mixture
What does a solvent do?
dissolves solutes
Is there usually more solvent or solute?
solvent
How are solutes dispursed in a solution?
remain evenly dispursed among the solvent molecules in a solution
Do solutes settle out in a solution?
no
How do colloids differ from solutions?
mainly on basis of greater molecular size
Do solutes settle out in colloid?
no
How is milk a colloid and a solution?
large proteins make colloid, calcium, lactose, and ions makes a solution
What is suspension? Give an example of a suspension
suspended material is mixed with suspending medium for some time ie. blood
Do solutes settle out in suspension?
yes
When measuring a concentration of a solution what is the percentage referring to?
measures the mass of a solute per 100ml of solution
To make a 15% concentrated solution what do you do?
put 15g of solute and add solvent until you reach 100ml of solution
What is molarity?
measures moles of solute per litre (mo/L) of the solution, relates the total number of molecules or particles in a given solution
What equals one mole?
amount in grams of any substance that has mass equal to combined atomic masses of all its atoms
What is the Avogadro’s number?
one mole of any substance contains the same number of particles: 6.023 x 10^23 units/mole
What is dissociation?
the process when inorganic salts, acids, or bases dissolve in water, they become separated into ions and become surrounded by water
What are electrolytes?
hydrated ions from dissociation
What are the main electrolytes in the body?
Na+, Cl-, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+
What is an acid?
a substance that dissociates into one or more hydrogen (H+) ions, one or more anions
What is a base?
a substance that dissociates into one or more hydroxide (OH-), one or more cations
What is a salt?
a substance that dissociates into cations and anions that are neither H+ or OH-
What forms salts?
acids and bases reacting with one another
To ensure homeostasis intracellular and extracellular fluids must contain what?
almost balanced quantities of acids and bases
What small change can affect chemical reactions?
the pH level of body fluids in which they occur
What is the pH scale?
a solutions acidity or alkalinity expressed on a scale from 0-14
What point on the pH scale expresses where the concentration of H+ and OH- are equal?
7
What pH is distilled water?
7, considered neutral
What is an acidic solution?
solution with more H+ than OH-, pH below 7
What is a basic (alkaline) solution?
solution with more OH- than H+, pH above 7
What happens to the pH of fluids inside and outside calls when strong acids and bases are taken into/formed by the body?
remains almost constant
What is the pH of blood?
7.35-7.45
What are buffer systems?
functions to convert strong acids and bases into weak acids and bases
How do strong acids and bases change the pH of a solution?
strong acids and bases ionize easily and contribute many H+ and OH- to a solution drastically changing the Ph
Do weak acids and bases have the same effect on a solution as strong acids and bases?
no, weak acids and bases do not ionize easily, therefore, have a lesser effect on pH
Under most circumstances, the body runs on a surplus of H+ or OH-?
H+
The removal of excessive H+ depends on what?
buffer systems, exhalation of CO2 and kidney excretion of H+
What is the carbonic acid-bicarbonate buffer system?
carbonic acid (H2CO3) can act as a weak acid and bicarbonate ion (HCO3-) can act as a weak base to compensate for either excess or shortage of H+
What is the most abundant buffer system in the body?
protein buffer system
What buffer system is important in intracellular fluid and urine?
phosphates buffer system
How does the body eliminate excess H+ permanently?
kidney function
