Chemistry of Life How do macromolecules effect living things?

Notes: Carbon Compounds  QPGrjehze3eDpco1eVz QPGrjehze3eDpco1eVz

The Chemistry of Carbon  Carbon can bond with many elements, including hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, sulfur, and nitrogen to form the molecules of life.  Carbon atoms have four valence electrons which allows carbon to bond with multiple elements.

Macromolecules: Carbohydrates  Living things use carbohydrates as their main source of energy. Plants, some animals, and other organisms also use carbohydrates for structural purposes.  Carbohydrates are compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms.

Macromolecules: Lipids  Lipids can be used to store energy. Some lipids are important parts of the cell membranes which allows certain materials to enter or exit the cell.  Lipids are made mostly from carbon and hydrogen atoms and are generally do not dissolve in water.  Steroids synthesized by the body are lipids as well. Many steroids, such as hormones, serve as chemical messengers

Macromolecule: Nucleic Acid  Nucleic acids store and transmit hereditary, or genetic, information.  Nucleotides consist of three parts: a 5-carbon sugar, a phosphate group and a nitrogenous base.

Macromolecule: Protein  Proteins control the rate of reactions and regulate cell processes. Others form important cellular structures, while still others transport substances into or out of cells or help to fight disease.  Amino acids are compounds with an amino group (–NH2) on one end and a carboxyl group (–COOH) on the other end.  Amino acids differ from each other in a side chain called the R-group, which have a range of different properties.

Chemistry of Life How do macromolecules effect living things?

Notes: Chemical Reaction and Enzymes  Everything that happens in an organism—its growth, its interaction with the environment, its reproduction, and even its movement—is based on chemical reactions.

Chemical Reactions  Chemical reactions involve changes in the chemical bonds that join atoms in compounds.  The elements or compounds that enter into a chemical reaction are known as reactants.  The elements or compounds produced by a chemical reaction are known as products. An important chemical reaction in your bloodstream enables carbon dioxide to be removed from the body.

Energy in Reaction  Energy is released or absorbed whenever chemical bonds are formed or broken during chemical reactions.

Activation Energy  The energy that is needed to get a reaction started is called the activation energy.

Catalyst  Enzymes act by lowering the activation energy and speeding up chemical reactions. Example: Digestion, cooking food deactivates enzymes. Therefore your body has to work internally to digest the food. Enzymes help with his process!

Enzyme-Substrate Complex  Enzymes provide a site where reactants (substrates) can be brought together to react. The active site reduces the energy needed for the reaction.  The active site and the substrates have complementary shapes. Draw diagram in notebook

Regulation of Enzyme Activity  Temperature, pH, and regulatory molecules are all factors that can affect the activity of enzymes. Example: Enzymes produced by human cells generally work best at temperatures close to 37°C. The stomach enzyme pepsin, which begins protein digestion, works best under acidic conditions. Most enzymes are regulated by molecules that carry chemical signals within cells, switching enzymes “on” or “off” as needed.

Chemistry of Life How do macromolecules effect living things?