The Chemistry of Life

Life Substances

Covalent Carbons

How to draw atoms and molecules conveniently…

C10H22

Carbon bonded to Carbon can form… Straight Chains

Branched Chains

Rings

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19nzPt62UPg

C7H16

Isomers

Compounds with the same chemical formula but different 3D structures

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnQe0xW_JY4

Carbon compounds vary greatly in size

Biomolecules Large organic molecules found in living

organisms

What are the 4 most important types of (bio)molecules?

Biomolecules

Cells build biomolecules by bonding small molecules together forming a chain

The small molecules are referred to as monomers

This chain is called a polymer

How do the monomers bond

together?

Polymers can be broken back into monomers too…

Carbohydrates

Used by cells to provide energy

Terminology Simplest carbohydrate = monosaccharide 2 monosaccharides = disaccharide Larger = polysaccharide

Types of Carbohydrates

When you have only one or two monosaccharides…you have a

sugar

When you have a long, slightly branched chain of many glucose

molecules…you have starch

Types of Carbohydrates

When you have highly branched chains of glucose molecules…you

have Glycogen

When you have long chains of glucose linked together…

you have Cellulose

Types of Carbohydrates

Starch (plants) and Glycogen (animals) are used as energy storage

Cellulose forms the cell walls of plants and gives them structural support

Lipids

Cells use lipids for energy storage, insulation and protective coverings

Lipid Structure

Protein

Provide structure

The basic building block of proteins are amino acids

There are about 20 common amino acids

Thousands of possible combinations = thousands of possible proteins

Protein synthesis

The 4 levels of Protein Structure

1. Primary – The order in which the amino acids are bonded together

2. Secondary – Folding caused by hydrogen bonds

1. Alpha Helix2. Beta Pleated Sheets

3. Tertiary – Folding caused by R group interaction

4. Quaternary – 2 or more proteins working together

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Jgb_DpaQhM

Proteins are responsible for many things. To name a few… Structure Muscle contraction Transporting oxygen in the blood Providing immmunity Carrying out chemical reactions*

Enzymes*

Enzymes Enzymes speed up chemical reactions

Catalyst

Substrate Product

Enzymes are not used up…they keep working after they have turned one molecule of substrate to product

How enzymes work…

Nucleic Acids

Blueprints for building proteins

Nucleic acids are made of nucleotides

Examples?