Inorganic Ions

Question 1

What is an ion

Answer 1

An ion is an atom (or group of atoms) that has an electric charge

Question 2

What is a cation and anion

Answer 2

An ion with a positive charge is called a cation.
An ion with a negative charge is called an anion.

Question 3

What is an inorganic ion

Answer 3

An inorganic ion is one which doesn’t contain carbon

Question 4

Why is iron an important part of haemoglobin

Answer 4

• It’s made up of four different polypeptide chains, each with an iron ion (Fe2+) in the centre.
• It’s the Fe2+ that actually binds to the oxygen in haemoglobin—so it’s a pretty key component.
• When oxygen is bound, the Fe2+ion temporarily becomes an Fe3+ion, until oxygen is released.

Question 5

Why are hydrogen ions important

Answer 5

pH is calculated based on the concentration of hydrogen ions (H+) in the environment. The more H+present,
the lower the pH (and the more acidic the environment). Enzyme-controlled reactions are all affected by pH

Question 6

Why are sodium ions important for transporting glucose and amino acids across membrane

Answer 6

A molecule of glucose or an amino acid can be transported into a cell (across the cell-surface membrane)
alongside sodium ions (

Question 7

Why are phosphate ions an essential component of ATP and DNA

Answer 7

It’s the bonds between phosphate groups that store energy in ATP
The phosphate groups in DNA and RNA allow nucleotides to join up to form the polynucleotides