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Questions and Answers
What is an element?
What is an element?
A substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions.
Which of the following elements make up 96% of the living parts of organisms?
Which of the following elements make up 96% of the living parts of organisms?
- Hydrogen (correct)
- Nitrogen (correct)
- Oxygen (correct)
- Carbon (correct)
An essential element is one required for _____ and _____ .
An essential element is one required for _____ and _____ .
health, reproduction
All life is composed of the same few elements.
All life is composed of the same few elements.
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What percentage of the 92 natural elements are essential to life?
What percentage of the 92 natural elements are essential to life?
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What is the symbol for Sodium?
What is the symbol for Sodium?
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Study Notes
Chemistry of Life Overview
- The lecture introduces basic chemistry concepts applicable to the study of life.
- Organisms primarily consist of water, which significantly influences their environment and biology.
Key Learning Outcomes
- Understand the definition of an element and identify the main elements comprising living organisms.
- Describe atomic structure, including arrangement and significance of atomic components.
- Differentiate between strong molecular bonds and weak intermolecular bonds.
- Explain how hydrogen bonds confer unique properties to water.
Elements and Atoms
- Matter is anything that occupies space and possesses mass, composed of elements.
- An element is a fundamental substance that cannot be chemically broken down further.
- There are 92 naturally occurring elements recognized by chemists.
- Each element is represented by a symbol, often derived from its Latin or German name, like sodium (Na) from "natrium."
Essential Elements in Life
- Only about 20-25% of elements are essential for the health and reproduction of organisms.
- Four elements constitute 96% of the components in living organisms:
- Hydrogen (H)
- Oxygen (O)
- Nitrogen (N)
- Carbon (C)
- Essential elements are necessary for life processes, while trace elements are only required in minimal amounts.
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