1. Building Blocks of Life
Biochemistry
Building Blocks of Life

2. located in electron cloud
Chemistry Review
Atoms - building blocks of matter
Nucleus - center of atom
Electron cloud - surrounds the nucleus
- electrons are found in shells or energy levels
- First level holds 2 electrons
- Second holds 8 electrons
DE Video
(1min)
Protons + charge, atomic #
Neutrons 0 charge
located in nucleus
Electrons - charge
located in electron cloud

3. Elements – different types of atoms
- pure substance that cannot be broken down by physically or chemically
- around 118 known elements, 92 naturally occurring
- 1st letter capitalized, 2nd letter lower case

4. - 2 or more elements chemically combine
Compounds
- 2 or more elements chemically combine
- combination of elements is always in a fixed ratio
Chemical Bonds
- Force that holds elements together
- Types:
* Covalent bond
* Ionic bond
* Hydrogen bond

5. - Electrons are shared between two atoms - Usually shown as a dash -
Covalent Bonds
- Electrons are shared between two atoms
- Usually shown as a dash -
- This type of compound is a molecule
Example:
Carbon has 4 electrons in its outer shell, but would be more stable with 8
Hydrogen has 1 electron in it outer shell, but would be more stable with 2

6. - electrons are transferred between a metal and nonmetal making ions
Ionic Bonds
- electrons are transferred between a metal and nonmetal making ions
- Atom that gains an electron = negative ion
- Atom that loses an electron = positive ion
- the positive atom attracts to the negative
Discovery Education Techbook

7. Water = H2O Hydrogen bond - interaction involving H and either
F, O, or N atom
- polar molecule = unequal distribution of charges
Water = H2O
- covalent bond
- polar molecule

8. Chemical Reactions CO2 + H2O  C6H12O6 + O2
-- process in which atoms are rearranged into different
substances
reactants  products
CO2 + H2O  C6H12O6 + O2
6CO2 + 6H2O  C6H12O6 + 6O2
-- the number of atoms of each element must be equal on
either side of the equation

9. Enzymes (act as a catalyst)
---speed up biochemical reactions by lowering
activation energy (energy used to START
reaction)
---hundreds of different kinds of enzymes; each
specific to a chemical reaction

10. Chemistry of Life Organic molecule -- compound containing carbon atoms
C6H12O6 --- glucose
Inorganic molecule -- not consisting of or deriving from living matter (usually doesn’t contain carbon)
H2O -- water

11. Monomer ---- a small molecule
Polymer (macromolecules) ---- a long-chain molecule made up of a repeated pattern of monomers

12. Types of organic compounds:
a. Carbohydrates
b. Lipids
c. Proteins
d. Nucleic Acids

13. Carbohydrates --- contain C, H, and O (ratio: C1H2O1)
--- main source of energy
--- helps give structure to living things
Monosaccharide
(monomer)
Disaccharide
(polymer)
Polysaccharide
(polymer)

14. Monosaccharides – simple sugars
Ex: glucose, fructose, and galactose
Disaccharides – double sugars
Ex: sucrose, maltose, lactose
Polysaccharides – long chains
Ex: cellulose, chitin, glycogen

15. Lipids --- contain C, H, and O
--- hydrophobic = do not dissolve well in water
--- stored energy

16. Types of Lipids:
fats
--- great deal of energy, insulation, cushioning
--- saturated (butter) or unsaturated (oil)

17. phospholipids
--- contained in cell membrane
--- double-layered that help control entry & exit

18. --- include cholesterol, estrogen, testosterone
steroids
--- include cholesterol, estrogen, testosterone
--- help in signaling and communication
cholesterol
estrogen
testosterone

19. Proteins --- made up of amino acids --- contain C, H, O, and N
--- vary in size and structure which determines the
function
--- allow passage of materials; make up muscle fibers;
give cells shape; long term nutrient storage; control
chemical reactions

20. Nucleic Acids --- store genetic information in sequenced codes
--- Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and
Ribonucleic acid (RNA)
--- nucleotides are the building blocks of nucleic
acids
---- They are made of  sugar, phosphate, and a base

21. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
--- a nucleotide
--- provides energy for reactions, transport between cells, etc.
---- made of a sugar group, a nitrogen-containing base
group, and three phosphate groups
--- if one phosphate group is removed from ATP, energy is
released…resulting molecule is called ADP (adenosine
diphosphate) which only has two phosphate groups

23. Organic Compound
Monomer
Polymer
Carbohydrates
Glucose/Simple Sugars
sucrose, starch
Lipids
glycerol and fatty acids
triacylglycerol
Proteins
amino acids
polypeptides
Nucleic Acids
nucleotides
polynucleotides