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Chemical Basis of Life
Biology 200 Lecture Notes
6
Biology
Undergraduate 2
07/20/2011

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Term
What four elements if life made of?
Definition
Hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen. 96% of mass in living creatures is one of these elements.
Term
Pauling Scale of Electronegativity
Definition
O > N > C ~ H
Term
What are functional groups?
Definition
Common small molecules; also found as small parts of very large molecules; each has their own character and reactivity.
Term
Structure of Water
Definition
Polar; H-bonds form between water molecules; H-bonds can break and reform quickly.
Term
Effects of Water's Structure
Definition
Readily available H-bonding with other polar molecules (quickens reactions by forming a good solvent, ions and polars stay in solution, self-bonding gives cohesion and surface tension); acts as an insulator (due to high specific heat, maintains a consistent temperature for reactions); expands at its freezing point (ice is less dense than water, keeps seas free of submerged ice).
Term
What are the four classes of biological molecules?
Definition
Lipids, Carbohydrates, Nucleic Acids, Proteins.
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