Introduction to Biochemistry

Introduction to Biochemistry

• Biochemistry focuses on the molecules in living organisms, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Understanding these molecules is essential for insights into cellular structures, physiology, nutrition, and health.

Atoms, Ions, and Molecules

• Learning outcomes include identifying body elements by their symbols and distinguishing between elements and compounds.
• Importance of minerals in the body includes functions in structure and enzyme activity.
• Radioactivity principles and ionizing radiation hazards should be understood.
• Differentiation between ions, electrolytes, and free radicals is essential.
• Types of chemical bonds must be defined for comprehensive understanding.

The Chemical Elements

• An element is the simplest form of matter with unique chemical properties.
• The atomic number indicates the number of protons in an element's nucleus, determining its identity in the periodic table.
• 24 elements play biological roles, with 6 elements—oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus—constituting 98.5% of body weight.
• Trace elements, while present in minimal quantities, are crucial for various biological functions.

Role of Minerals

• Minerals are inorganic elements sourced from soil, absorbed by plants, and integrated into the food chain.
• Key minerals include calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), chlorine (Cl), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and sulfur (S), accounting for about 4% of body weight.
• Calcium is vital for structural components such as teeth and bones.
• Mineral salts function as electrolytes necessary for nerve and muscle operations.

Atomic Structure

• Neils Bohr proposed the planetary model of atomic structure in 1913.
• Atoms consist of a nucleus (central core) containing protons (positively charged, 1 amu) and neutrons (neutral charge, 1 amu).
• Atomic mass roughly equals the total count of protons and neutrons within the nucleus.
• Electrons, which have a negative charge and negligible mass, orbit the nucleus in concentric shells.
• An atom maintains electrical neutrality when the count of protons equals the number of electrons, with valence electrons influencing chemical bonding properties.

Introduction to Biochemistry

• Biochemistry focuses on the molecules in living organisms, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Understanding these molecules is essential for insights into cellular structures, physiology, nutrition, and health.

Atoms, Ions, and Molecules

• Learning outcomes include identifying body elements by their symbols and distinguishing between elements and compounds.
• Importance of minerals in the body includes functions in structure and enzyme activity.
• Radioactivity principles and ionizing radiation hazards should be understood.
• Differentiation between ions, electrolytes, and free radicals is essential.
• Types of chemical bonds must be defined for comprehensive understanding.

The Chemical Elements

• An element is the simplest form of matter with unique chemical properties.
• The atomic number indicates the number of protons in an element's nucleus, determining its identity in the periodic table.
• 24 elements play biological roles, with 6 elements—oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus—constituting 98.5% of body weight.
• Trace elements, while present in minimal quantities, are crucial for various biological functions.

Role of Minerals

• Minerals are inorganic elements sourced from soil, absorbed by plants, and integrated into the food chain.
• Key minerals include calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), chlorine (Cl), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), and sulfur (S), accounting for about 4% of body weight.
• Calcium is vital for structural components such as teeth and bones.
• Mineral salts function as electrolytes necessary for nerve and muscle operations.

Atomic Structure

• Neils Bohr proposed the planetary model of atomic structure in 1913.
• Atoms consist of a nucleus (central core) containing protons (positively charged, 1 amu) and neutrons (neutral charge, 1 amu).
• Atomic mass roughly equals the total count of protons and neutrons within the nucleus.
• Electrons, which have a negative charge and negligible mass, orbit the nucleus in concentric shells.
• An atom maintains electrical neutrality when the count of protons equals the number of electrons, with valence electrons influencing chemical bonding properties.