Understanding Chemistry's Role in Biology

Aug 13, 2024

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.