Inorganic Compounds Notes: Water, Minerals, Fertilisers, Organic Compounds - PDF

Okay, I will convert the information from the images into a structured Markdown format, maintaining the original language, content, and structure as closely as possible. ### Inorganic #### 28 January 2025 ### Water Water plays an important role in the maintenance of biological systems. ### Funct...

Okay, I will convert the information from the images into a structured Markdown format, maintaining the original language, content, and structure as closely as possible. ### Inorganic #### 28 January 2025 ### Water Water plays an important role in the maintenance of biological systems. ### Functions of Water: #### Temperature Regulation: * In humans, the sweat glands produce sweat which cools the body as it evaporates from the body surface in a process called perspiration. * In a similar way, plants are cooled by the loss of water vapour from their leaves in a process called transpiration. #### Form / Support: Water is a very important constituent of the body and plays an important role in providing form / support in plants and animals. Animals such as worms / jellyfish use water in special chambers in their body to give their bodies support. This use of water pressure to provide form, and enable movement is called Hydrostatic skeleton. Plants grow upright and keep their shape due to the pressure of water (turgor pressure) inside the cells. #### Transport Medium: Water transports substances around the body. * Water is the main constituent of blood and enables blood cells, hormones and dissolved gases, electrolytes and nutrients to be transported around the body. #### Lubricating agent: Water is the main constituent of saliva which helps chewing and swallowing and also allows food to pass easily along the alimentary canal. * Water is the main constituent of tears which helps keep the eye lubricated. #### Solvent for biological Chemicals: The liquid in which substances dissolve is called a solvent. Water is known as the universal solvent as more substances dissolve in water than any other liquid. * All chemical reactions in living organisms take place in water. #### Reactant: Water takes place in several classes of chemical reactions. * During hydrolysis reactions, Water is added to the reaction to break down large molecules into smaller molecules. * Water can be split into Hydrogen & Oxygen atoms to provide energy for complex chemical reactions such as Photosynthesis. ### Keywords: * **Constituent:** Being a part of a whole. * **Lubricate:** An action to minimize friction and allow smooth movement. ## Minerals Dietary minerals are the chemical elements that living organisms require to maintain health. In humans, essential minerals include: * Calcium * Phosphorous * Potassium * Sulfur * Sodium * Chloride * Magnesium ### Macro - elements / Macro - nutrients? Are nutrients that are required in large quantities by living organisms. * The main Macro - nutrients are: * Potassium * Sodium * Calcium * Phosphorus Then We have: * Carbon * Hydrogen * Oxygen * Nitrogen * Chloride * Magnesium * Sulfur ### Micro - Elements / Micro - Nutrients Are the nutrients we require in very small quantities for development and growth. They include: * Iron * Iodine * Chromium * Cobalt * Copper * Manganese * Zinc * Selenium ## Inorganic Fertilisers ### The use of fertilisers: * When crops are regularly grown and harvested on the same piece of land, the soil becomes depleted of one or more nutrients! * Fertilisers are natural or non-natural mixtures of chemical substances that are used to return depleted nutrients to the soil, improve the nutrient content of the soil and promote plant growth. * Inorganic nutrients (such as nitrates and phosphates) are added to the soil in the form of inorganic fertilisers. ### Effect of fertilisers on the environment * Using large amounts of fertilisers can be harmful to the environment. * Fertilisers wash off into rivers where they are poisonous to plant and animal life. * The accumulation of fertilisers in rivers can lead to a process known as eutrophication. * This process occurs when excessive nutrients (nitrates and phosphates) from the land (crops and fertilisers) runoff into rivers and lakes that leads to high growth of water plants. * Eutrophication leads to lost water plant growth blocking sunlight. * Underwater Plants stop photosynthesizing and die * Decomposing Plants and bacteria use up oxygen, causing fish / other animals to suffocate. * This process reduces oxygen levels , harming aquatic life. ## Organic Compounds * Organic compounds are molecules that contain carbon, usually bonded with hydrogen and other elements like oxygen, nitrogen & phosphorus. * They are essential for life and are more complex in structure compared to inorganic compounds. ### Examples: * Carbohydrates * Lipids * Protein * Enzymes * Vitamins * Nucleic acids (DNA / RNA) ### a) Carbohydrates * Elements : Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen * Hydrogen to Oxygen ratio = 2:1 * Monomer (building blocks): Saccharides (Greek: Sugar) ### b) Lipids: Cholesterol Cholesterol is a lipid found in the human body, sourced from both diet & liver production ### Functions: * Component of cell membranes * Needed to produce Vitamin D ### Health Effects: * Excess cholesterol can deposit on blood vessel thus leading to atherosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels) * If a blockage occurs in a vessel suppling the heart, it can result in a heart attack. ### Types of cholesterol: * **HDL (High -Density Lipoprotein) 1** * Good cholesterol which is beneficial to the body * **LDL (Low-Density Lipoprotein)** * Bad cholesterol which is harmful in high amounts. ### RISK factors for High Cholesterol: * Diet high in saturated fats * Obesity * Lack of exercise * Genetics * Aging * Fruits & vegetables don't contain cholesterol. ### c) Protein: Enzymes * Enzymes / their role in Metabolism : * Enzymes are complex Protein molecules that act as biological catalysts speeding up biochemical reactions in living organisms without being used up in the process. They are involved in both: * Anabolic reactions (building new molecules) * Catabolic reactions (breaking down molecules) Enzymes play a crucial role in processes such as: * Photosynthesis * Cellular respiration * Digestion of food in animals. ## Theory of Enzyme Action: * The lock (key has a specific active site that matches the shape of it's substrate. * When the substrate binds to the enzyme , an enzyme & substrate, the complex is formed. * The substrate undergoes a process / chemical reaction either breaking down or rearranging into new products. * The Products are released and the enzyme remains unchanged and free to act on another substrate. ### Industrial Used Of Enzymes: * **Biological Washing Powders:** Contain protease to break down protein stains like blood / egg * **Leather Production:** Enzymes help in processing animal hides * **Brewing Industry:** Enzymes aid in the beer-making process.