Chapter 2 Water and Carbon The Chemical Basis of Life The mother of all questions how did life begin Theory inputs of energy led to the information of complex carbon containing substances making a compound that could duplicate itself biological evolution Chemical evolution 2 1 Atoms Ions Molecules The Building Blocks of Chemical Evolution 4 types of atoms 96 of all matter Carbon Hydrogen Nitrogen Oxygen STRUCTURE AFFECTS FUNCTION Atoms Protons 1 charge does not vary identifier Neutrons can vary isotopes Atomic weight average of all mass numbers Most isotopes are stable Exception carbon 14 Electronegativity How attached an element is to its outer electrons O N C H most electronegative to least Polar Bonds Nonpolar Bonds O H O C N H C H O O H H Water All biological interactions happen in the context of water solutions Water interacts with ionic polar and nonpolar compounds differently Nonpolar bonds do NOT interact with water but with each other fats and oils are hydrocarbons cell membrane mostly nonpolar nonpolar bonds contain more chemical energy More polar bonds more soluble Carbon Carbon forms the skeleton of all organic compounds Can form lines rings etc Single double bonds alter shape Functional Groups Critical in understanding How proteins fold What holds DNA together How enzymes react with substrates Why changing one functional group in a protein can destroy its function All functional groups are polar
View Full Document
Unlocking...