This document provides an overview of basic chemistry concepts. It discusses that chemistry is the study of matter and its properties, and that all living things are made up of chemicals and chemical processes. The three main states of matter are solids, liquids, and gases. Key concepts covered include elements, atoms, the periodic table, chemical bonds including ionic and covalent bonds, and the four main types of macromolecules that make up living things: carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Chemical reactions such as synthesis, decomposition, and exchange reactions are also briefly discussed.

1. BASIC CHEMISTRY

3.  your entire body is made up of chemicals
 chemical processes underlie all body
processes
 the food you eat, the medicines you take,
it’s all chemistry!

4.  chemistry: the science that deals with the
composition and properties of substances and
various elementary forms of matter.
 biochemistry: the chemistry of living
material

5.  matter: anything that has mass and takes
up space
 it is the “stuff” of the universe
 chemistry studies the nature of matter

6.  three main states of matter
 1. solid – definite shape, definite volume
 2. liquid – no definite shape, definite volume
(fits to the size of its container)
 3. gas – no definite shape, no definite volume
(expands to fill available space)

7.  Bodily examples:
 1. solid – bones, teeth
 2. liquid – blood, urine
 3. gas – air, digestive byproducts

8.  Element: substances that cannot be broken
down into simpler substances
 Can you name some examples?
 (Please say yes!)

9.  A complete listing of all the elements
appears in the Periodic Table
 It is called periodic because it repeats
 The modern Periodic Table was developed in
1869 by a Russian scientist named Dimitri
Mendeleev

11.  A vertical column is called a group or a
family
 These groups usually contain the same number of
valence electrons
 A horizontal row is called is called a period
or a series
 These periods show similarities in ionization and
activation energy

12.  On the left hand side are the metals
 Usually solid, shiny, good conductors of heat and
electricity
 On the right hand side are the non-metals
 Usually gaseous, dull, poor conductors of heat
and electricity
 In the diagonal space between metals and
non-metals are the metalloids
 Some characteristics of both metals and non-
metals

14.  Review: (fingers crossed here)
 All elements are made up of only one type of
atom
 Atom: the smallest part of an element,
indivisible by normal chemical means

15.  Every atom is composed of three types of
subatomic particles:
 1. Protons (P+) positively charged, found in
the nucleus, has mass
 2. Neutrons (N0) neutrally charged, found in
the nucleus, has mass
 3. Electrons (E-) negatively charged, found
outside the nucleus, had negligible mass

16.  The Chemical/Elemental Name of the
element is given
 The abbreviated symbol related to the name
of the element is called the
Chemical/Elemental symbol

17.  The atomic number is the number of
electrons
 And in a balanced atom, the number of
electrons is equal to the number of protons
 Think here, - = + means no charge!

18.  Then the atomic mass is equal to the mass of
the nucleus (protons + neutrons)
 Remember, neutrons add mass but have no
charge!

19.  To find the number of neutrons all you must
do is:
 Atomic mass – atomic number
 (protons + neutrons) – protons = neutrons
 Easy!

20.  You should be able to tell me the chemical
symbol, chemical name, atomic mass, atomic
number, number of protons, neutrons and
electrons.

21.  Ok, so now that you are experts (or at least
not clueless) let’s try so advanced uses of the
Periodic Table

22.  Electrons exist outside the nucleus of the
atom and move continuously
 They are negatively charged and are always
pulled towards the positively charged
nucleus
 But they do this at different locations

23.  Electron shells or energy levels: the regions
in which electrons travel
 Each shell can only hold a certain number of
electrons
 The outer most level is called the valence
level and the electrons in that level are
called valence electrons

24.  In English,
 Level 1 = 2
 Level 2 = 8
 Level 3 = 18
 Level 4 = 32
 That’s all I will
make you learn for
now

25.  Because electrons are not stationary it is
important to show where they are generally
located
 In order to do this we can used either a Bohr
Diagram or a Lewis Diagram (Dot Diagram)

26.  Bohr Diagrams show ALL electrons in their
correct energy levels
 Let’s look at Oxygen:

27.  Now try Neon on your own.
Not Neon

28.  Does your diagram look something like this?

29.  Now on the other hand, a Lewis Diagram
(also called a Dot Diagram) only shows the
VALENCE electrons

30.  Now try Chlorine on your own

31.  Let’s hope yours looks like this:

32.  Isotopes: atoms of the same elements with a
different number of neutrons
 Therefore, they have a different atomic mass
 The mass changes but the charge does not!

33.  Because isotopes have the
same number of electrons
their chemical properties
are the same
 They have the same
reactivity and bonding
ability

34.  Radioisotopes: the heavier isotopes of
certain atoms are unstable and tend to
decompose (to become more stable)
 Radioactivity: the spontaneous decay of
radioisotopes
 The most commonly used radioisotope is C13

35.  Radioisotopes are used in minute amounts to
tag biological molecules so that they can be
followed throughout the body
 Valuable for medical diagnosis and treatment

36. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFqqVpPzUaI

37.  matter may be changed both physically and
chemically
 physical changes do not alter the basic
nature of a substance
 ex. melting, contraction of the muscles,
blood vessel contraction

38.  chemical changes do alter the composition of
the substance
 ex. burning, fermenting, lactic acid
production, hormone release

40.  energy: the ability to do work
 massless and does not take up space

41.  kinetic energy: energy of motion
 potential energy: inactive or stored energy
 all forms of energy exhibit both kinetic and
potential work capacities

42.  Remember!
 All living things are made or matter and all
living things require a continuous supply of
energy

43.  1. Chemical Energy
 2. Electrical Energy
 3. Mechanical Energy
 4. Radiant Energy

44.  is stored in the bonds
of chemical
substances
 when the bonds are
broken, the potential
energy is unleashed
and becomes kinetic
energy
 ex. car engine
(internal combustion
engine)

45.  results from the movement of charged
particles
 in the house, electrical energy is the flow
through your wiring

46.  in your body, an
electrical current is
generated when charged
particles (ion) move
across cell membranes
 the nervous system uses
electrical currents
called nerve impulses to
transmit messages from
one part of the body to
another

47.  energy directly involved in moving matter
 as the muscles in your legs shorten, they
pull on your bones, causing your limbs to
move

48.  travels in waves
 the energy of the electromagnetic spectrum
 this includes x rays, infrared radiation,
visible light, radio, uv rays

49.  with a few exceptions, energy is easily
converted from one form to another

50.  in the body, chemical
energy of foods is
trapped in the bonds of
a high-energy chemical
called ATP (Adenosine
TriPhosphate)
 ATP’s energy may
ultimately be
transformed into the
electrical energy of a
nerve impulse or
mechanical energy of
shortening muscles

51.  Energy conversions are inefficient
 some of the energy supply is always “lost” to
heat

52.  it is not really lost but rather unusuable
 Remember, energy is neither created nor
destroyed, it only changed form
 for example, when matter is heated, the
particles move more quickly (their kinetic
energy increases)

53. THE BUILDING BLOCKS - MACROMOLECULES

54.  Organic compounds:
Molecules that contain
atoms of Carbon,
Hydrogen and usually
Oxygen
 High energy molecules, it
takes energy to make
them
 The ability to use energy
to make or synthesize
organic compounds is an
important characteristic
of all living things

55.  On their own, organic compounds would
break down, releasing energy
 Organisms are able to control this breakdown
in order to harness the energy released
 Most organic compounds belong to one of
four main groups: Carbohydrates, Proteins,
Lipids, Nucleic Acids

56.  Carbohydrates are composed mainly of just
the basic elements of other organic
molecules: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
 monomer: monosaccharides, polysaccharides
 Simplest one is glucose

57.  Most complex sugars are formed from a chain
of simple sugars
 Starches and more complex sugars consist of
very long chains that may include more than
just simple sugars

58.  Some carbs are structural molecules which
provide support and protection
 Ex. Chitin and cellulose
 Healthy carbs are naturally occurring sugars
 Unhealthy carbs are refined, added simple
and complex sugars
 kCals only, no nutritional value

59.  Made up of amino acids - 20 different a.a.
 Monomer: amino acids
 Enzymes: proteins that speed up or
catalyze, specific chemical reactions
 All enzymes are proteins but all proteins
are not enzymes
 work in enzyme-substrate complex
 enzyme is the “lock”
 substrate is the “key”

60.  Without enzymes, most metabolic
reactions would proceed very slowly or
not at all
 Ex. Lipases break down lipids (fats)
 Some hormones are proteins
 Ex. Insulin
 Hormones: chemicals that act as
messengers to help different parts of the
body to work together

61.  Four stages of Protein Folding
 1. Amino Acid strand - disulfide bridges
 2. A helix or B pleated sheets
 3. Tertiary folding - hydrogen bonding,
more disulfide bridging within the same
molecule
 4. Quaternary structure, multiple tertiary
structures joining together

63.  Humans can synthesize 11 of 20 a.a.
required for protein synthesis - “non-
essential a.a.”
 Remaining 9 - “essential a.a.”
 must be included in diet

64.  Monomers: Glycerol molecule bonded to 3
fatty acid molecules
 Lipids are often used for energy storage,
helping form membranes, and waterproofing
surfaces

65.  Some hormones are fats
 Ex. Steroid hormones

66.  Saturated Fats - “bad” fats
 no “kinks” in the chain, able to pack together
 Unsaturated Fats
 Polyunsaturated fats and monounsaturated
fats - “good” fats
 “kinks” allow fats to stay free

67.  Nucleic acids store and transmit the basic
genetic information of all living things
 Monomer: nucleotides
 Nucleotides consist of a simple sugar joined
to molecules containing phosphorus and
nitrogen

68.  One type of nucleic acid is DNA
(Deoxyribonucleic Acid)
 DNA specifies all the instructions for an
organism’s construction and maintenance

69.  Genome: An organism’s complete genetic
information
 The 4 nitrogenous bases of the nucleotides
are: Adenine, Cytosine, Thymine, and
Guanine
 Nitrogenous bases are like letters in a word,
and genes are like complete “words” in a
sentence

70.  RNA – Ribonucleic Acid
 Uracil instead of Thymine
 Many RNA molecules help
convert the genetic info
contained in DNA into
proteins - protein
synthesis
 Some RNAs catalyze
reactions like enzymes

71.  When two or more atoms
combine chemically
molecules are formed
 For example, when two
Nitrogen atoms bond, a
molecules of Nitrogen gas
is formed
 N + N -> N2

72.  In the Nitrogen example the reactants are
the substances involved in the chemical
reaction (the single Nitrogen atoms)
 The product is the substance that results
from the reaction (the Nitrogen molecule)

73.  A Molecular formula shows the chemical
composition or atomic makeup of a molecule
 What chemicals are in NaCl?
 Bonus points if you know what this is!

74.  When two or more different atoms bond
together to form a molecule, the molecule is
called a compound
 For example 2H + O -> H2O
 Thus a molecule of water is a compound

75.  It is important
to remember
that compounds
have properties
different from
those of the
elements of
which they are
composed

76.  Chemical reactions: when two or more atoms
combine with or dissociate from each other

77.  A chemical bond is an
energy relationship
 Bonds are directly
related to the number of
valence electrons and
the electron levels

78.  Remember, electrons occupy generally fixed
regions of space around the nucleus called
electron shells or energy levels
 The electrons closest to the nucleus are the
most strongly attracted and those farther
from the nucleus are less securely held

79.  The only electrons that
are important when
considering bonding
behavior are those in
the valence level
 When the valence level
has 8 electrons, the
atom is completely
stable and is chemically
inactive (inert)

80.  When the
valence shell
contains fewer
than 8
electrons, an
atom will tend
to gain, lose or
share electrons
to reach a
stable level

81. 1. Ionic Bonds
2. Covalent Bonds
3. Hydrogen Bonds

82.  Ionic Bond: A chemical bond formed when
electrons are completely transferred from
one atom to another

83.  Atoms are electrically neutral, but when
they gain or lose electrons during bonding,
their positive and negative charges are no
longer balanced
 This creates ions or charged particles

84.  Polyatomic ions: Ions composed of multiple
atoms
 Ex. Ammonium NH4
+

85.  Anions: negatively charged ions that result
from the addition of an electron

86.  Cation: a positively charged ion that results
from the loss of an electron

87.  Both anions and cations result when an ionic
bond forms
 Because opposite charges attract, the newly
created ions tend to stay together
 Ex. Sodium chloride (Table Salt)

88.  Salts: are ionic compounds that result from
the neutralization of an acid and a base
 They are composed of a cation and an anion
so the resulting product is neutral

89.  Electrons do not need to be completely
gained or lost for atoms to become stable
 Covalent molecules: molecules in which
atoms share electrons
 Covalent bonds: bonds resulting from a
shared pair of electrons
 (co = with, valent = having power)

90.  Ex. formation of diatomic gases

91.  Molecules in which the electrons are shared
equally are called nonpolar covalently
bonded molecules

92.  When the electron pairs are not equally
shared, the result is a polar molecule
 (A molecule with two poles)

93.  Hydrogen bonds:
extremely weak bonds
formed when a Hydrogen
atom bound to one
electron-hungry atom is
attracted by another
electron-hungry atom
 (Nitrogen or Oxygen are
good examples of
electron-hungry atoms)
 Forms a “bridge”

94.  Hydrogen bonds are also important
intramolecular bonds
 They help binds different parts of the same
molecule together
 They are fragile but very important in
helping maintain the structure of protein
molecules

95. Synthesis reactions
Decomposition reactions
Exchange reactions

96.  Synthesis reactions: when two or more atoms
or molecules combine to form a larger, more
complex molecules

97.  Always involve bond formation
 Energy must be absorbed to make bonds
 Underlie all anabolic (constructive) activities
in body cells
 Important in growth and tissue repair

98.  Decomposition reactions: when a molecule is
broken down into smaller molecules, atoms
or ions

99.  Synthesis reactions in reverse
 Bonds are always broken
 Chemical energy is released
 Underlie all catabolic (destructive) processes
in body cells
 Molecule-degrading reactions
 Ex. food digestion and glycogen breakdown

100.  Exchange reactions: reactions that involve
both synthesis and decomposition reactions

101.  Bond are both made and broken
 A switch is made between molecule parts and
different molecules are formed

102.  Remember! Regardless of the type of
reaction, most chemical reactions are
reversible.
 Also temperature, particle size,
concentration of particles and catalyst
presence influence the rate of chemical
reactions