WEEK 1: Chemistry

Question 1

List the 4 major elements and their percentages that are present in the body

Answer 1

Oxygen 65%
Carbon 18.5%
Hydrogen 9.5%
Nitrogen 3.2%

Question 2

What is the significance of oxygen in the body

Answer 2

Part of water and many organic (carbon-containing) molecules: used to generate ATP, a molecule used by cells to temporarily store chemical energy

Question 3

What is the significance of Carbon in the body?

Answer 3

Forms backbone chains and rings of all organic molecules; carbohydrates, lipids (fats), proteins and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA)

Question 4

What is the significance of Hydrogen in the body?

Answer 4

Constituent of water and most molecules; ionized form (H) makes body fluids more acidic.

Question 5

What is the significance of Nitrogen in the body?

Answer 5

Compenent of all proteins and nucleic acids

Question 6

What are the lesser elements present in the body?

Answer 6

Calcium (1.5%)
Potassium (0.35%)
Sodium (0.2%)

Question 7

What is the significance of Calcium in the body?

Answer 7

Contributes to hardness of bones and teeth: ionised form (Ca2+) needed for blood clotting, release of hormones, contraction of muscle and many other processes

Question 8

What is the significance of Potassium in the body?

Answer 8

Ionised form (K+) most plentiful cation (positively charged particle) in intracellular fluid; needed to generate action potentials.

Question 9

What is the significance of Sodium in the body

Answer 9

Ionised form (Na+) most plentiful cation in extracellular fluid: essential for maintaining water balance; needed to generate action potentials

Question 10

What an electolyte?

Answer 10

The term for a salt or ion in the blood or other bodily fluid that carries an electric charge

some are elements other are compounds

regulate the movement of fuid between bodily fluid compartments

regulars the acid/base balance

Question 11

What are the types of carbohydrates (M) and what are their functions?

Answer 11

Monosaccharides are monomers of carbohydrates, or simple sugars.
glucose: provides energy to most cells
ribose: Component of RNA
(simple sugars)

Question 12

What are the types of carbohydrates (D) and what are their functions?

Answer 12

Dissaccharides are two monosaccharides bound together
Lactose: glucose + galactose
Maltose: glucose + glucose
(simple sugars)

Question 13

What are the types of carbohydrates (P) and what are their functions?

Answer 13

Polysaccharides are long chains of monosaccharides
starch: complex carbohydrates in plants
glycogen: energy storage in humans
(complex carbs)

Question 14

What are lipids and carbohydrates made out of?

Answer 14

Carbon, oxygen and hydrogen atoms

Question 15

What are the types of lipids and their functions?

Answer 15

Fatty acid - monomers of lipids - include waxes, oils and fats (function) - energy, cushion organs and insulation.

Triglycerides - contains 3 fatty acids bonded to a glycerol (function) - excess lipids are stored as triglycerides or adipose tissue

Phospholipids - contains 2 fatty acids and a phosphate group - (function) - a bilayer of phospholipids make up all cell membranes

Question 16

What are the types of proteins?

Answer 16

Amino acids - the monomers of proteins

4 level of complexity
Primary - simple strand of amino acids
Secondary - primary structure either coiled or folded
tertiary - 3d folding with side chain interaction or binding
quaternary: bound polypeptides which forms a complex structure

Question 17

What is Denaturation?

Answer 17

causes proteins to unfold, losing their functional 3D shape, caused by severe change
to pH or temperature.