The

CHEMISTRY OF LIFE

CHEMISTRY OF LIFE
All structures of the body are composed of chemicals
complex substances --- simpler substances through chemical
reactions
simple substances -- ADENOSINE TRIPHOSPHATE (ATP)
ATP: chemical fuel which allows body cells to do work & function
COMMON SUBSTANCES IN LIVING SYSTEMS:
1. Water
2. Carbon Dioxide
3. Ammonia
4. Mineral salts
5. Acids and Bases

The
CHEMISTRY OF LIFE

1. WATER
1. Water
. most abundant compound in living cells
. 60-80% of the total body weight
. plasma liquid portion of the blood
- 92% H20
. for photosynthesis in plant cells
. for cellular respiration in both plants and
animals

IMPORTANCE OF WATER
a. Digestion of food requires water to breakdown larger molecules through
hydrolysis
b. Universal solvent
c. Controls body temperature
d. Protection:
. Amniotic fluid- protects developing fetus
. Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain and spinal cord- as shock absorber
e. Base for all body lubricants- like mucus in the digestive tract and
synovial joints

2) CARBON DIOXIDE
-

source of the element CARBON found in all living things

waste product of cellular respiration

C 6H 12O 6+ O 2CO 2 + H 2O + ATP

it must be eliminated quickly via respiratory system and cardiovascular

system

toxic when carbonic acid accumulates within cells

3. AMMONIA (NH3)
comes from the decomposition of proteins via the digestive process
and conversion of amino acids in cellular respiration to ATP
important component is NITROGEN essential element in amino acids
which are the building blocks of proteins
NH3can be toxic even in small amounts- it must be eliminated quickly
HOW?
- enzymes in the liver convert toxic ammonia to UREA which is now a
harmless substance
- urea is soluble in H2O, blood carries urea to be filtered in the kidneys
and eliminated as URINE
- common constituent of fertilizers- used by plants as a nitrogen source

4. MINERAL SALTS

ionic cpds that dissociate in an aqueous solution

all salts are electrolytes
when electrolyte balance is severely disturbed, virtually nothing in the body works
For functioning and survival of body cells
most impt salts in the body:
Calcium: necessary for muscle contraction
: nerve impulse transmission
: builds strong bones
Phosphate: necessary to produce ATP
Chloride: necessary for nerve impulse transmission
Sodium and Potassium: necessary for muscle cell contraction
: necessary for nerve impulse transmission
: maintain water balance

5. ACIDS and BASES

pH scale
: a scale used to indicate the
acidity and alkalinity of a
substance relative concentration
of hydrogen ions and hydroxyl ions
: ranges from 0-14
: values equal at pH 7.0- neither
acid nor base Ex.?
- the concentration of H+ decreases
and the concentration of OHincreases as the pH values
increase
-> ACIDS: solutions with a pH
less than 7
-> BASES: solutions with a pH
greater than 7

MAJOR ORGANIC COMPOUNDS

1. Carbohydrates
a. Monosaccharides
b. Disacccharides
c. Polysaccharides

2. Lipids
a. Triglycerides : Saturated and Unsaturated Fatty Acids
b. Phospholipids

3. Proteins
4.

Nucleic Acids

1. CARBOHYDRATES
=> C,H,O
Main function: primary source of energy; energy storage ( sugar , starch, glycogen)
3 Major Classes:
A. MONOSACCHARIDES: simple sugars
Glucose: blood sugar -> main energy source
B.

DISACCHARIDES: consists of two sugar units

Lactose: glucose + galactose- milk sugar
Sucrose: glucose + fructose- most plentiful sugar in nature- table sugar
Maltose: malt sugar- found in beverages, beer, cereal, potatoes, pasta

C. POLYSACCHARIDES: Sugar chains that store energy

: most of the carbohydrates humans eat are in the form of polysaccharides
Glycogen: sugar storage form in animals in muscle tissues and liver
- what happens when the blood sugar level of a person falls? What happens during exercise?
Starch: storage form of glucose in plants: potatoes, camote, rice, wheat, etc
Cellulose: tough, insoluble material in plant cell walls
- adds bulk to help move waste( feces) from the body.

CARBOHYDRATES

2.1. LIPIDS: TRIGLYCERIDES

-

also called FATS

consists of 1,2,3 fatty acids attached to glycerol

Important Lipids in the human body:

a. TRIGLYCERIDES( neutral fats)
- major reservoirs of energy , most abundant lipids in the body, found in:
Butter , Lard, Plant cells
- excess nutrients - stored as triglycerides in fat cells of the body, primarily

around internal organs & under the skin

Classification of Triglycerides:
a. Unsaturated fatty acids: stay liquid at room temperature Ex?
b. Saturated fatty acids: solid at room temperature
Ex?
Trans fatty acids are Hydrogenated main ingredient in margarines and many
packaged foods these have been implicated in the development of some types of
heart disease.

Triglycerides:
SATURATED vs UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS
SATURATED FATTY ACIDS
- solid at room temp
- common in animal fats
- lard, butter, margarine
- excessive saturated fats in the diet are
associated with an increased risk of heart disease

UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS

- liquid at room temp.
- occur as OILS
- plant oils: olive oil, corn oil, canola
-it is better to cook with oils than with lard
because saturated fats are more easily converted
into the bad cholesterol associated with heart
disease

Foods rich in lipids

2.2.

Lipids: Phospholipids

2. PHOSPHOLIPIDS
Contains glycerol, fatty acid tail,
phosphate grp
Function:
- component of cell membranes:
responsible for its selective
permeability

Dietary consumption of
saturated
fats
&
cholesterol should be
controlled because they
contribute to the formation
of
deposits
called
PLAQUES, which clog
the arteries and lead to
cardiovascular disease,
including high blood
pressure.
Diabetes ?

3. PROTEINS
-

made up of C,H,O,N ,S
basic building blocks are AMINO ACIDS

Functions:
many are structural in nature- part of plasma membrane and nuclear
membrane
*Actin and myosin => structural proteins found in muscle cells- cannot
talk, walk , circulate blood without these
Enzymes or Catalysts - speed up chemical reactions
Antibodies to combat Antigens
Proteins are also source of energy that can be broken down and
converted to ATP just like carbohydrates and fats

Examples of Proteins

4. NUCLEIC ACIDS: DNA & RNA

: C,H,O,N , P
: very large molecules
: composed of NUCLEOTIDES- > of sugar ,a deoxyribose (in DNA); ribose(RNA) with a
nitrogen base; phosphate group
2 types of Nucleic acids:
a. DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC acid ( DNA )
- genetic material of cells located in the nucleus of the cell-> determines all the
functions and the characteristics of the cell
- provides instructions for building all the proteins in the body
b. RIBONUCLEIC acid ( RNA )
- structurally related to DNA
- carries the coded information from DNA (regarding the amino acid sequence) to the
cellular machinery involved in protein synthesis
TYPES:
Messenger RNA and Transfer RNA- important molecules necessary for protein
synthesis

Nucleic acids: DNA & RNA

5.

ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)

modified nucleotide
joined by high-energy PO4 bonds
primary energy carrier in cells
energy liberated by glucose oxidation, some of the energy is captured in
high-energy PO4 bonds of ATP for later use
ATP breakdown: ATP => ADP + PO4 + energy (released) to power
cellular reactions
when cells require energy, they spend ATP > immediate energy to keep
cellular /chem rxns operating=> allows body cells to do work and function
w/o ATP, molecules cant be made or broken down, cells cant maintain their
boundaries, all life processes halts
cells use ATP for : synthesis of carbohydrates & proteins; for muscle
contraction; conduction of nerve impulse (neurons) ; etc..