Unit 2: Cellular
Chemistry
Warm Up #4
For each statement, answer in your notebook whether the
statement is true or false.
1. Chemicals are made up
6. Proteins are a good
of cells.
source of energy.
2. Organic means
7. Carbohydrates help
something is chemical
“build” your body
free.
structures.
3. We need water because
8. An enzyme can be used
each cell is filled with
again and again to
water.
speed up a chemical
4. Fats are bad for you.
reaction.
5. It is important for your
9. A buffer keeps the pH
body to stay exactly the
at neutral.
same.
Where Can I Find Chemicals in My
Body?
• A chemical is any substance that is made up of
elements/molecules and used in a chemical
reaction. Chemicals made up of more than one
type of element are called compounds.
Living things are made of two main
types of chemical compounds:
1. Inorganic: compounds that do not contain carbon
bonded with hydrogen.
• Water (made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen) is
the most important inorganic compound for life:
• Water is the most abundant compound in a cell (and
organism). Most organisms are 60% - 90% water by weight.
• Most chemical reactions occur in water because it provides an
optimum environment.
• Ex: transport of molecules in a cell
Living things are made of two main
types of chemical compounds:
2. Organic: compounds that DO contain carbon bonded
with hydrogen. There are four main types:
a.
Carbohydrates (made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)
a.
b.
Lipids (made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen)
a.
c.
Example: insulate and protect organs in the body (fats)
Nucleic Acids (made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
and phosphorus)
a.
d.
Example: provide energy source for respiration (glucose)
Example: allow traits to be passed from parent to child (DNA).
Proteins (made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen,
sulfur, phosphorus)
a.
Example: provide specifically shaped molecules that can carry
other molecules (hemoglobin carries oxygen).
Matter and Elements
• What is “matter?”
• Matter is anything that takes up space and has mass
• What is an “element?”
• All matter is made up of one or more ELEMENTS.
Elements are found in nature as solids, liquids, or gases.
Scientists have organized natural Elements into a
periodic table.
Molecules
• What is a “molecule”?
• Elements can take on different properties when they are
bonded together with other elements to form a
MOLECULE.
• For example:
• CO2 = 1 carbon + 2 oxygen
• NaCl (table salt) = 1 Sodium + 1 Chlorine
• H2O2= 2 Hydrogen + 2 Oxygen (hydrogen peroxide fizzes
when cleaning cuts)
Written Response #1: What are
molecules made of?
• O2:
• C9H8O4:
• C8H10N4O2:
Organic vs. Inorganic
Organic
Inorganic
• carbon – hydrogen
bond
• NO
• carbon-hydrogen bond
• C -- H
• C -- H
Am I Organic or Inorganic?
Organic
Inorganic
OR
ORGANIC
ORGANIC
INORGANIC
ORGANIC
INORGANIC
ORGANIC
INORGANIC
Written Response #2
• Answer the following question to the best of your
ability based on prior knowledge and what we have
covered up to this point. Take in consideration of
each of the elements:
• CHNOPS – carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen,
phosphorus and sulfur.
• How do the six essential elements help to maintain
homeostasis?
How do the six essential elements
help to maintain homeostasis?
• The elements make up essential organic and
inorganic compounds. Each type of molecule
performs a specific function/job in organisms.
• Hydrogen is also donated or accepted by weak
acid-base pair to regulate the pH of a system like
cells and blood. These weak acid-base pairs are
called buffers.
Buffers
• When a cell’s pH drops (becomes more acidic), the
buffers in the cell “accept” the hydrogen ions which
reverses the pH change.
• When a cell’s pH rises (becomes more basic), the
buffers in the cell “donate” hydrogen ions
• In a cell, acid is being produced as the cell respires. To
maintain the pH, a cell must use buffers to counteract
the acid.
• Different cells or areas of the organism need different
pH levels to perform. Buffers help keep that pH level
constant.
• Example: the stomach of a human maintains a pH of 1.5 – 3.5,
but the blood of a human must remain between 6.8 – 7.8.
This requires different buffers in the stomach and blood.
Written Response #3 – pH Scale
• Draw a diagram of the pH scale. Make sure you
include the following:
• Scale (numbers 1-14)
• Label and color the following on your diagram: strong
acid, weak acid, neutral, weak base, strong base
pH Lab