Water, carbon dioxide, acids, bases, salts, and organic compounds like carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids are the basic chemical components of life. Water makes up 80% of living matter, provides solvent properties, and transports substances. Carbon dioxide provides carbon and oxygen for organic compounds. Changes in acidity and salt concentrations can impair cell function and cause death. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids are organic polymers that serve vital structural and metabolic roles within cells. DNA contains the genetic code and is replicated for inheritance, while RNA aids in protein synthesis.

1. THE CHEMICALTHE CHEMICAL
BASIS OF LIFEBASIS OF LIFE
INORGANIC COMPOUNDS –
found in living organisms.

2. WATERWATER
Makes up 80% of the
protoplasm
Has solvent power, heat
absorption capacity,
power to dissociate into
hydrogen and hydroxide
ions, and has capacity
for absorbing,
dispensing and
transporting
substances.
Neutralizes heat and is
geographically
abundant.

3. CARBON DIOXIDECARBON DIOXIDE
Source of carbon and
oxygen.
Considered the key
element in the
organization of all
organic compounds.

4. ACIDS AND BASESACIDS AND BASES
Considerable changes
affects the life of cells in
living organisms.
Shown here in the
pictures are various
phosphoric acids and
barium hydroxide.

5. SALTSSALTS
Compounds where the
hydrogen atoms of the
acids is replaced by
some metals.
Marked change in
concentration results in
impaired function and
death of cells.
Shown in these pictures
are the molecule and
appearance of copper
sulfate.

6. ORGANIC COMPOUNDSORGANIC COMPOUNDS
Found present in living organisms. These are
vital for the structural integrity of the cell in
order to supply the energy needed for overall
functioning and regulation of metabolic
activities within the cell.
Mainly have C, H and O atoms.

7. 1. CARBOHYDRATES1. CARBOHYDRATES
Organic molecules made of sugars and their
polymers.
1. Monosaccharides – monomer building block
of carbohydrates.
2. Polymers are made by condensation
reactions.
3. Carbohydrates are classified by the number
of simple sugars they contain.

8. MonosaccharidesMonosaccharides
These are simple sugars in which C, H and O
occur in the ratio of 1:2:1 (CH2O)
Major nutrient source for cells; glucose is the
most common.
Photosynthetic organisms produce glucose from
CO2, H2O and sunlight.
Energy is stored in sugar’s chemical bonds and
this energy is harvested by cellular respiration.
Other organic molecules are made from the
carbon skeleton of sugars.
Sugars are the monomers used to make di- and
polysaccharides.

9. Characteristics of SugarsCharacteristics of Sugars
An –OH is attached to each carbon except one,
which is double bonded to an oxygen.
Carbon skeleton varies in size from three to
seven carbons.
Sugars have asymmetrical carbons which allow
the formation of enantiomers (glucose and
galactose).
In aqueous solutions, many monosaccharides
form ring structures. The ring structure is
favored in chemical equilibrium.

10. TrioseTriose
Glyceraldehyde
Number of carbons: 3

11. PentosePentose
Ribose
Number of carbons: 5

12. HexoseHexose
Glucose (with fructose)
Number of carbons: 6

13. DisaccharidesDisaccharides
These are double sugars that consist of two
sugars joined by a glycosidic linkage.
Glycosidic linkage – covalent bond formed by a
condensation reaction between two sugar
monomers like maltose.

14. DisaccharideDisaccharide
Maltose:
Glucose + glucose
Used in beer formation

15. DisaccharideDisaccharide
Lactose:
Glucose + galactose
Present in milk

16. DisaccharideDisaccharide
Sucrose:
Glucose + fructose
Example is table sugar.

17. PolysaccharidesPolysaccharides
These are macromolecules that are polymers of
a few hundred or thousand monosaccharide.
Formed by enzyme mediated condensation
reactions.
Important biologically as: energy storage (starch
and glycogen), and structural support (cellulose
and chitin).

18. PolysaccharidePolysaccharide
Starch (with amylose &
amylopectin)
Glucose polymer
Storage polysaccharide in
plants.

19. Glucose (with fructose)
Glycogen – glucose
polymer
Storage polysaccharide in
animals.

20. Cellulose
Linear un-branched polymer of glucose

21. PolysaccharidePolysaccharide
Chitin
Structural polysaccharide
that is a polymer of an amino
sugar
Exoskeleton of arthropods
Cell walls of some fungi

22. LIPIDSLIPIDS
Lipids are a diverse group of
water insoluble compounds.
Include fats, phospolipids and
steroids.
Fats are macromolecules
constructed from glycerol.

23. CharacteristicsCharacteristics FunctionsFunctions
Insoluble in water
Variation is due to the
fatty acid composition
Fatty acids in a fat may be
the same or varies
Fatty acid vary in length
Fatty acid may vary in the
number and position of
double bonds
Energy storage (C-H bond
is energy rich)
Take up less space than
that of carbon; therefore
more compact reservoir
for energy storage
Insulation
Cushioning

24. Saturated Fat Unsaturated Fat
No double bonds in the fatty
acid tail
Has double (one or more) bonds
Carbons in skeleton are bonded
with maximum number of H’s
Carbon double bond does not
allow close packing at room
temperature
Solid at room temperature Liquid at room temperature
Butter, lard, grease Olive, corn, peanut oil

25. PROTEINSPROTEINS
Polypeptide chain – polymers of amino acids
arranged in a particular linear sequences and
linked by peptide bonds.
Proteins – macromolecules that consist of 1 or
more polypeptide chain organized in 3D space.
Proteins make up 50% of cellular dry weight.
Proteins are made up of amino acids. These
consist of asymmetrical alpha carbon which are
covalently bonded to: hydrogen atom, carboxyl
group, amino group, and variable R group.

26. Functions:Functions:
Structural support
Storage
Transport (like hemoglobin)
Signaling (like neurotransmitters)
Signal transduction (receptors)
Movement (like contractile proteins)
Defense (like antibodies)
Catalysis of biochemical reactions
Very extensive in structure
Comprised of 20 amino acids

27. PROTEINS: Amino AcidsPROTEINS: Amino Acids

28. Nucleic AcidsNucleic Acids – make up genes, an organism's– make up genes, an organism's
heritable unit. These are polymers of nucleotidesheritable unit. These are polymers of nucleotides
linked together by condensation reactions.linked together by condensation reactions.
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA):
Makes up genes that direct protein synthesis
Contains information for its own replication
Contains coded information that programs all
cell activity
Replicated and passed to next generation
In eukaryotic cells, it is found primarily in the
nucleus.

29. Ribonucleic Acid (RNA):
Functions in the synthesis of proteins coded for
by DNA
Messenger RNA (mRNA) carried encoded
genetic message from the nucleus to the
cytoplasm
Information flow: DNA RNA Protein
Sequence:
In the nucleus, genetic message is transcribed from
DNA into RNA
RNA moves into the cytoplasm
Genetic message is translated into a protein

30. Nucleic acids are formed by phosphodiester
linkages; these are bond between the
phosphate of one nucleotide and the sugar of
another.
Backbone consists of repeating pattern of sugar
– phosphate – sugar phosphate.
Varying nitrogenous bases re attached to the
backbone.
Genes are represented by linear sequence of
nitrogenous bases which in turn is the unique
code for linear sequence of amino acids in a
protein.

31. PROTEINSPROTEINS
Nucleic Acids

32. NucleotideNucleotide – building block of nucleic acids;– building block of nucleic acids;
compirsed of a five-carbon sugar covalentlycompirsed of a five-carbon sugar covalently
bonded to a phosphate group and a nitrogeneousbonded to a phosphate group and a nitrogeneous
base.base.Pentose – five carbon sugar. Two types: ribose,
found in RNA; and deoxyribose, found in DNA
and lacks –OH group on carbon 2.
Phosphate – attached to carbon 5 of the sugar
Nitrogenous base – there are two families:
Pyrimidine – 6 member ring comprised of caarbon
and nitrogen
Cytosine (C), Thymine (T) DNA only, Uracil (U) RNA only
Purine – 5 member ring fused to a 6 member ring
Adenine (A), Guanine (G)

33. Functions of NucleotidesFunctions of Nucleotides
Monomer for nucleic acids
Energy transfer (like adenosine triphosphate or
ATP)
Electron receptors in enzyme control redox
reactions (like NADPH)

34. PROTEINSPROTEINS
Nucleotides

35. Inheritance is based on the replication of the DNAInheritance is based on the replication of the DNA
double helix:double helix:
DNA consists of 2 nucleotide chains wound in a
double helix shape
Sugar-phosphate backbone is on the outside of
the helix
The polynucleotide strands of DNA are held
together by hydrogen bonding between paired
nucleotide bases and by van der Waal attraction
between stacked bases

36. Base pairing rules:
A always with T
G always with C
In RNA, A is always with U.
The 2 strands are complementary and can serve
as templates for new complementary strands
Most DNA molecules are long (thousands or
millions of bases).