Inorganic and Organic Compounds Overview

Study Notes

Inorganic Compounds

Inorganic compounds lack carbon
They tend to be simpler structures, such as water (H2O)
Water is the most abundant inorganic compound
Water plays a vital role due to its properties: high heat capacity, polarity, solvent properties, chemical reactivity, and cushioning ability
Salts easily dissociate into ions when dissolved in water
They are crucial for various bodily functions
Salts include electrolytes which conduct electrical currents
Acids release hydrogen ions (H+), making them proton donors
Bases release hydroxyl ions (OH-), making them proton acceptors
Neutralization reactions occur when acids and bases react, forming water and a salt.

Organic Compounds

Organic compounds contain carbon
Most are bonded covalently
Glucose (C6H12O6) exemplifies organic compounds
Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.
- They include sugars and starches
- They are classified by size:
  - Monosaccharides are simple sugars
  - Disaccharides are two simple sugars joined by dehydration synthesis
  - Polysaccharides are long, branching chains of linked simple sugars
Lipids contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (Carbon and hydrogen outnumber oxygen)
- They are insoluble in water
- Common lipids in the body include:
  - Neutral fats (triglycerides)
    - Stored in fat deposits
    - Composed of fatty acids and glycerol
    - Serve as a source of stored energy
  - Phospholipids
    - Form cell membranes
  - Steroids
    - Include cholesterol (basis of steroids made in the body), bile salts, vitamin D, and some hormones
Proteins are made of amino acids, which contain carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.
- Each amino acid has an amine group (NH2) and an acid group (COOH)
- Variation among amino acids arises from their R groups
- Fibrous proteins, also known as structural proteins, are found in body structures:
  - Examples include collagen and keratin
  - These proteins are stable
- Globular proteins, also known as functional proteins, serve as antibodies or enzymes:
  - They can be denatured
- Enzymes act as biological catalysts, increasing the rate of chemical reactions
Nucleic Acids provide the blueprint of life
- They contain nucleotide bases: A (adenine), G (guanine), C (cytosine), T (thymine), and U (uracil)
- These bases form DNA and RNA
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the chemical energy used by all cells
- Energy is released by breaking the high-energy phosphate bond
- ATP is replenished through the oxidation of food fuels

Overview of Cell Metabolism

Cell metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions occurring in a cell
Glucose is broken down through glycolysis in the cytoplasm, followed by the citric acid cycle and the electron-transport chain in the mitochondrion
This process generates energy (ATP) and produces waste products (CO2 and water)