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Chemistry of Cells
What our bodies are made of
Nature of Matter
• All matter is made of atoms. Atoms
consist of electrons, protons and
neutrons.
• Molecules are groups of atoms linked
by covalent bonds
• Hydrogen bonding occurs between
polar molecules
• An ion is a charged atom or molecule.
Ions of opposite charge may form an
ionic bond
Chemistry of Cells
• Organic Compounds
are compounds
containing carbon
• Organic compounds
include
–
–
–
–
carbohydrates,
lipids,
proteins, and
nucleic acids
Chemistry of Cells
• Carbohydrates,
such as glucose, are
a source of energy
and are used as
structural materials
in cells.
Chemistry of Cells
• Lipids are non-polar
molecules that store
energy and are an
important part of cell
membranes
Proteins
• Proteins are chains
of amino acids. The
sequence of amino
acids determines
the protein’s shape
and specific
function
Chemistry of Cells
• Nucleic Acids
store and transmit
hereditary
information
• DNA and RNA are
the two main
types of nucleic
acid
Chemistry of Cells
• Nucleotides are the
building blocks of
nucleic acids
• ATP is the main
energy currency of
cells
• The structure of ATP
is similar to that of
nucleotides
Energy & Chemical Reactions
• Chemical reactions
absorb or release
energy
• The energy required
to start a reaction is
called the activation
energy
Energy & Chemical Reactions
• Enzymes speed up
chemical reactions
by decreasing the
activation energy of
the reactions
Energy & Chemical Reactions
• Each enzyme binds
only specific
molecules
• The molecule(s) that
an enzyme binds to
is/are called that
enzyme’s substrate
Energy & Chemical Reactions
• Factors such as
temperature and
acidity affect
enzyme activity
• Our body has to
maintain
homeostasis so that
our enzymes
function properly