Lecture 2

Question 1

Evolution of life from scratch: phases (6)

Answer 1

1. Prebiotic chemistry
   -creation of chemicals which would become building blocks of life
2. Self-replicating molecules/polymers
   -catalysis and store info; RNA
   leading to…
3. RNA world
   -catalysis and info; basically, lots of RNA creating more of itself.
4. Breakthrough organism
   -package with crude metabolism
5. Progenote (LUCA: Last Universal Common Ancestor)
6. Biological Evolution
   -current phase

Question 2

Hydrophobic effect

Answer 2

Entropy of water cages drives hydrophobic interactions

• entropy increases because otherwise water trapped in layer coating each nonpolar molec; more ordered state
  
  • SA (group of nonpolar) < SA (indiv nonpolar)

Question 3

Ion product constant for water

Answer 3

Kw = Keq[H2O] = [H+][OH-] = 10^-14 M^2

Question 4

Dissociation constant

Answer 4

Ka

Question 5

Henderson-Hasselbalch equation

Answer 5

pH = pKa + log [A-]/[HA]