Chemical Analysis in Living Organisms

What is the primary question that arises regarding the chemical composition of living organisms?

Which of these elements is found in a living tissue?

What technique is used to separate organic compounds from living tissue?

The dry weight of living tissue includes all the remaining elements after water is evaporated.

What term is used for all carbon compounds found in living tissues?

The two fractions obtained after grinding living tissue in trichloroacetic acid are called the ______ and the ______.

Match the following elements with their percentage weight in the human body.

Chemical Analysis in Living Organisms

Living organisms are made up of various elements and compounds.
Chemical analysis of living tissue reveals a higher relative abundance of carbon and hydrogen compared to non-living matter.
To analyze the chemical composition of living tissue, scientists use a technique involving grinding the tissue in trichloroacetic acid (Cl3CCOOH).
This process creates two fractions: the acid-soluble pool (filtrate) and the acid-insoluble fraction (retentate).
The acid-soluble pool contains thousands of organic compounds, while the acid-insoluble fraction is composed of biomacromolecules like proteins, nucleic acids, polysaccharides, and lipids.
Isolating and purifying individual compounds from the acid-soluble pool provides information about their molecular formula and structure.

Inorganic Constituents of Living Tissues

Living organisms also contain inorganic elements and compounds, which are identified after burning the organic matter in a process called ashing.
Ash represents the inorganic components of the tissue.
Examples of inorganic constituents include sodium (Na+), potassium (K+), calcium (Ca2+), magnesium (Mg2+), chloride (Cl-), phosphate (PO43-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), sulphate (SO42-), and nitrate (NO3-).
These inorganic compounds play crucial roles in various cellular processes.

This quiz explores the chemical analysis of living tissues, focusing on the abundance of elements like carbon and hydrogen. It covers techniques for analyzing chemical composition, including the separation of acid-soluble and acid-insoluble fractions. Additionally, it highlights the presence of inorganic constituents in living tissues.