Chemistry of Life

PA State Standards

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Nutrition• Secretion• Excretion• Movement• Reproduction• Response• Growth• Respiration

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Nutrition • Made up of

ingestion, or taking in food, and digestion, or changing food into a usable form.

• Plants ingest sunlight, water, minerals

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Respiration• Exchange and use

of gases• Especially oxygen

and carbon dioxide

• Helps to release energy from food

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Reproduction• Producing more of

it’s own kind• Survival of the

species depends on it

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Excretion• Removal of

wastes

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Growth• Development and

aging of organisms over time

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Response • React to changes

in its surroundings or the environment

• Example: Blinking

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Movement• Organism may

move and materials inside also move

8 Functions (in no particular order)

• Secretion• Useful chemicals

made and given off

Living vs. Non-living vs. Dead

Dead Non-Living Living

Living organisms that were once alive, but are no

longer

Not able to do all of the 8 functions nor were ever alive

An organism that is able to perform

ALL 8 functions

Example: Roadkill

Example:Rock

Example:Plant,

Animal, etc.

Spontaneous Generation

• The thought that living things come from non-living things.

Francesco Redi

• Italian doctor who challenged the theory of spontaneous generation

Redi’s experiment

• Problem: Where do maggots come from?

• He believed maggots come from flies.

• He took 3 jars of meat . . .

Redi’s experiment

• His first jar of meat had no covering

• Flies were seen flying on and near meat

• Maggots developed on the meat

Redi’s Experiment• The 2nd jar of meat

had a netting on top.

• Flies were observed flying on and near netting

• Maggots appeared on the netting.

Redi’s Experiment

• The 3rd jar of meat was sealed.

• No flies could get near the meat.

• No maggots developed

Redi’s experiment

• What did Redi’s experiment show? – Maggots do not come from rotting

meat, they come from other flies– Disproved Spontaneous Generation

– Was his hypothesis correct or incorrect?

Louis Pasteur

• A French chemist and microbiologist who also disproved the idea that microbes grew from organic matter.

Louis Pasteur’s Experiment

• Where do microbes come from that cause broth to decay?

• Believed that microbes come from cells of organisms in the air, not the air itself.

• Set up an experiment using 3 S-shaped jars

Pasteur’s experiment

• Filled the jar with broth

• The S-shape was used to try and stop dust particles from entering jar.

Pasteur’s experiment

• He boiled the jars to kill any microbes

Pasteur’s experiment

• Left the three flasks out in various locations

• The broth did not turn cloudy, and no microbes were present in the broth

Pasteur’s Experiment• Notice the dust

that collected in the neck of the jar.

• When the S-shape was broken, Microbes were found growing in the broth.

Pasteur’s Experiment

• What did Pasteur disprove?– Spontaneous Generation – Microbes

come from cells in organisms found in the air, not the air itself.

• What did Pasteur discover? – Pasteurization

Matter

• Anything that has mass and takes up space

4 States of Matter

S o lidIce cube

A tom s packed tight

L iqu idW ater

A tom s not packed as tight

G asW ate r V apor

A tom s free to m ove

P lasm aN orthern ligh ts

M ore ene rgy than gas

4 s ta tes o f m a tter

Solid – ice cube – atoms packed tight together

Liquid – water – atoms not packed as tight

Gas – Water Vapor – atoms free to move about

Plasma – Northern lights, neon lights – more energy than gas

Phase Changes

• Kinetic Theory of Matter – Occur due to adding or taking away energy

• given this term because Kinetic means motion of energy

Phase Changes

• Melting• Solid to a liquid• Ice cube to water

Phase Changes

• Freezing • Going from a

liquid to solid• Water to Ice cube

Phase Changes

• Condensation• Gas to a Liquid• Steam to Water

Phase Changes

• Sublimation• Solid to Gas• Dry Ice to Carbon Dioxide

Phase Changes

• Evaporation• Liquid to Gas• Water to Steam

Atom

• Tiny particles that make up matter or the building blocks of matter

• 3 Basic Parts– Neutron– Proton– Electron

Element

• Matter that is made up of only one kind of atom

• Examples:• C = Carbon• N = Nitrogen• Fe = Iron

C. HOPKINS CaFe – Elements found in all living things *found in large amounts

C * Carbon N * Nitrogen

H * Hydrogen S Sulfur

O * Oxygen Ca * Calcium

P * Phosphorous Fe Iron

K Potassium These are found

Na – SodiumZn - Zinc

I Iodine In small amounts

Cl – ChlorineMg- Magnesium

Compounds

• Two or more elements that are chemically joined

• Examples:

• H2O – 2 atoms of Hydrogen and 1 atom of Oxygen

Molecule• Smallest part of a

compound.• Example: A cup of

water might have 2,000 molecules of H2O

• Where a drop of water might have 5 molecules of H2O

• All molecules of water have the same properties

Chemical Formulas

• Combination of symbols

• Chemicals are joined by their outside energy levels

• Examples:

• CO2 – Carbon Dioxide

• NH3 - Ammonia

• C6H12O6 - Glucose

INORGANIC COMPOUNDS

• DO NOT contain CARBON.

• Carbon dioxide – Plants complete PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Water – without water, all living things would eventually die

ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

• CONTAIN CARBON

• Carbohydrates• Proteins• Lipids• Nucleic Acids

Carbohydrates

• Made up of C, H, O• Two types of Carbohydrates:

– Starches– Sugar

Lipids

• Another name: Fat• Made up of C, H, O - but in longer,

bigger molecules• Two types:

– Fat – Solid at room temperature– Oil – Liquid at room temperature

Proteins

• Made up of C, H, O, N and sometimes S and P

• Building blocks of proteins = Amino Acids

Important Jobs of Proteins

• Build growth and repair body structures

Important Jobs of Proteins

• Build Hair, Muscles, and other body parts

Important Jobs of Proteins

• Provide Energy

Important Jobs of Proteins

• Carry Oxygen in Blood (Hemoglobin)

Important Jobs of Proteins

• Make hormones and fight germs

What are enzymes?

• Special type of protein that regulate chemical activities in the body.

• Help to start or stop chemical reactions in the body

• Example: Salivary Amylase – in your saliva to break down sugars

NUCLEIC ACIDS

• DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)– Found in the nucleus of a cell– Carries the blueprint to make you, look

like you

• RNA (ribonucleic acid)– Single stranded (not double like DNA)– Single Copy of DNA– Many important jobs to do in body

Vitamins

• Mostly obtained from outside substances – found in our foods

• Needed for normal growth and metabolism

• Let’s look at a few examples.

Vitamin C

• Helpful for growth and strong gums

Vitamin A

• Needed for tissue and cell maintenance, night vision, healthy bones, teeth and skin

Vitamin B1

• Helpful for red blood cell production, healthy nervous system, and growth

Vitamin D

• Needed by bones to absorb calcium

• Maintains strength in bones and teeth

Minerals

• Inorganic Compounds needed in the body

• Examples: Calcium, Phosphorous compounds

Water

• All things need it to survive

Carbon Dioxide • Plants complete Photosynthesis – allowing them to make food for themselves by using the sunlight for energy

• Plants take in Carbon Dioxide and give off Oxygen during respiration.

7 Compounds needed for LifeCompound Elements

Carbohydrates C, H, OStarch and Sugar are examples

Lipids (Fat) C, H, OFat (solid) and Oil (liquid)

Proteins C, H, O, N and sometimes S and PBuilding blocks = Amino Acids

Vitamins C, A, B, D – look at your handout

Minerals Inorganic compounds needed in small amounts to form body structures

Water Dehydration occurs with loss of water

Carbon Dioxide Photosynthesis – plants take in Carbon Dioxide give off Oxygen