CHAPTER 2 THE CHEMICAL CONTEXT OF LIFE Learning objectives Elements an com!o"n s #$ %isting"is& bet'een an element an a com!
o"n $ Element: A substance that can't be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions. Compound: A substance consisting of two or more different elements combined in a fixed ratio. 2$ I enti() t&e (o"r elements t&at ma*e "! +,- o( living matter$ Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen itrogen !. %e(ine t&e term trace element an give an [Link]!le$ A chemical element re"uired in minute "uantities by an organism to maintain proper physical functioning Atoms an molec"les #. $raw and label a simplified model of an atom. Explain how this model misrepresents our understanding of atomic structure. /$ %isting"is& bet'een eac& o( t&e (ollo'ing !airs o( terms0 a. Protons: ha%e a positi%e charge and Ne"trons0 ha%e no charge b. Atomic n"mber: umber of protons Mass n"mber: &um of protons plus neutrons in the nucleus of an atom c$ Atomic 'eig&t an mass n"mber Atomic 'eig&t0 is calculated as the a%erage weight of an element according to the mass of its different isotopes. Atomic mass0 is the mass of the protons' neutrons' and electrons that make up the atom when the atom is at rest. ,$ E.!lain &o' t&e atomic n"mber an mass n"mber o( an atom can be "se to etermine t&e n"mber o( ne"trons$ (ass number minus the atomic number e"uals the number of neutrons. ). E.!lain &o' t'o isoto!es o( an element are similar$ E.!lain &o' t&e) are i((erent. *sotope: All atoms of a gi%en element ha%e the same number of protons' but some
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atoms ha%e more neutrons than other atoms of the same element and therefore ha%e greater mass O. different atomic forms. 1$ %escribe a biological a!!lication t&at "ses ra ioactive isoto!es$ .adioacti%e isotope: One in which the nucleus decays spontaneously' gi%ing off particles and energy. *mportant because they can helps biologists date fossils and past life O. tracers to follow atoms through metabolism. Electron istrib"tion an c&emical !ro!erties 3. $efine the terms energy and potential energy. Energ)0 is defined as the capacity to cause change4for instance' by doing work. Potential Energ)0 5he energy that matter possesses because of its location. E.!lain '&) electrons in t&e (irst electron s&ell &ave less !otential energ) t&an electrons in &ig&er electron s&ells$ 6hen an electron absorbs energy' it mo%es to a shell farther out from the nucleus. 27. $istinguish between nonpolar co%alent' polar co%alent and ionic bonds. Non!olar covalent bon s0 A type of co%alent bond in which electrons are shared e"ually between two atoms of similar electronegati%ity. Polar covalent bon s0 A co%alent bond between atoms that differ in electronegati%ity. 5he shared electrons are pulled closer t the more electronegati%e atom' making it slightly negati%e and the other atom slightly positi%e. Ionic bon s: Opposites attract 8Cation and anion9. ##$ E.!lain '&) strong covalent bon s an 'ea* bon s are bot& essential in living organisms$ &trong co%alent bonds link atoms to form a cell's molecules and weak bonds can be broken down and easily made again. #2$ %isting"is& bet'een &) rogen bon s an van er 2aals interactions$ H) rogen bon s: A type of weak chemical bond that is formed when the slightly positi%e hydrogen atom of a polar co%alent bond in one molecule is attracted to the slightly negati%e atom of a polar co%alent bond in another molecule of in another region of the same molecule. 3an er 2aals interactions: 6eak attractions between molecules or parts of molecules that result from transient local partial charges.
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#4$ 5ive an [Link]!le t&at ill"strates &o' a molec"le6s s&a!e can etermine its biological ("nction$ Opiates ha%e shapes similar to endorphins and mimic them by binding to endorphin receptors in the brain. #7$ E.!lain '&at is meant b) a c&emical e8"ilibri"m$ 5he point at which the reactions offset one another exactly
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