Lecture Notes: Introduction to Chemistry for Biology Students
Importance of Chemistry in Biology
- Biology students need to understand chemistry as living systems are chemical systems.
- Example: Humans take in food (a chemical substance) and convert it to energy and body mass, demonstrating chemical processes.
Basics of Atoms
- Atoms: Building blocks of matter; very small.
- Carbon Atom Example: Radii of ~70 trillionths of a meter.
- Nucleus: Dense core containing almost all of an atom's mass.
- Protons: Positively charged particles.
- Neutrons: Particles with no charge.
- Electrons: Negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus.
Concept of Charge
- Charge: Fundamental property of particles.
- Protons: Positive charge.
- Electrons: Negative charge.
- Neutrons: No charge.
- Charge Interaction: Like charges repel; opposite charges attract.
Structure of Atoms
- Atoms represented like a miniature solar system.
- Orbitals, Energy Levels, Shells:
- Regions where electrons are found.
- In uncharged atoms, protons = electrons.
- Neutrons can vary.
Elements and Atomic Structure
- Atoms with the same number of protons are the same element.
- Examples of Elements: Oxygen, Iron, Carbon, Uranium.
- Chemical Symbols: Each element has a unique symbol.
- Common: H (Hydrogen), He (Helium), C (Carbon).
- Uncommon: Na (Sodium), Fe (Iron).
The Periodic Table
- Organizes elements by the number of protons and chemical properties.
- Each element's square includes: Atomic number, Chemical symbol, Name, Atomic weight.
- Atomic Number: Number of protons.
- Element Organization:
- Rows: Increase in protons from left to right.
- Columns: Family of elements with similar chemical properties.
- Example: Lithium (Li) and Sodium (Na) are in the same family, very reactive metals.
Key Elements for Biology
- Biology focuses on a small number of elements.
Learning Recommendations
- Not enough to watch videos; need to interact with material.
- Visit science music videos dot-com for interactive learning activities like flashcards and quizzes.
Next Steps: Engage with the provided online resources to reinforce learning and prepare for subsequent lessons.