Download Elements and compounds in living organisms

Elements and compounds in
living organisms
Changting luo
Elements in living oraginsms
• living organisms contain many chemical
elements,some in large quantities and
some in very small amounts.
Elements in living oraginsms
Elements in living oraginsms
• The four commonest chemical elements of
life are carbon,hydrogen,oxygen and
nitrogen.
Elements in living oraginsms
Organic and inorganic compounds
• Living organisms contain many chemical
compounds.Some of them are organic and
some are inorganic.
• All compounds that contain no carbon are
inorganic.
• Organic compounds are defined as
compounds containing carbon that are
found in living organisms,but there are a
few carbon compounds are inorganic.
Chemical elements and their roles
• Sulphur(S)--Needed to make two of the
twenty amino acids that proteins contain
• Calcium(Ca)--Acts as a
messenger,binding to calmodulin and
other proteins that regulate processes
inside cells,including transcription
• Phosphorus(P):Part of the phosphate
groups in ATP and DNA molecules
Elements in living oraginsms
• Some elements have other specific rolesin
some organisms.For example,iron is
needed to make hemoglobin in many
animals and calcium is needed to make
the minerals that strengthen bones and
teeth.
Subunit of organic
macromolecules
The molecules of many organic compounds
are large and so are called
macromolecules.
They are built up using small and relatively
simple subunits.
Main subunits are proteins, carbohydrates
and lipids.