02. Chemical and Cellular Basis of Life Flashcards
(315 cards)
How many elements occur naturally on the earth’s crust?
92 elements occur naturally on the earth’s crust.
How many elements are essential to continue a healthy life and reproduction?
20-25% of elements are essential for a healthy life and reproduction.
What elements make up most of living matter?
Elements C, H, O, N make up 96% of living matter.
What elements make up 4% of the mass of an organism?
Ca, P, K, and S make up most of the remaining 4% of the mass of an organism.
What elements make up 96.3% of a human’s body mass?
C H O N
What elements make up the remaining 3.7% of a human’s body mass?
Elements - Ca, P, K, S, Na, Cl, Mg
Trace Elements - B, Co, Cu, Cr, F, I, Fe, Mo, Mn, Se, Si, Sn, V, Zn
Why chemical properties of water makes it important for life?
- It is a vital chemical constituent of the living cell
- It provides a biological medium for all organisms
Write 3 physical properties of water
Being a small, polar, and angular molecule
How do the properties of water arise?
The properties of water arise due to attractions of different water molecules. When water is in its liquid form H bonds are very fragile and the H bonds form, break and reform with great frequency.
Write the 4 major properties of water to maintain life related to functions
(CAVES)
1. Cohesive behavior
- Ability to moderate temperature
- Versatility as a solvent
- Expansion upon freezing
Write an example for cohesive behavior
Due to cohesion between water molecules, water and dissolved substances such as minerals and nutrients transport through vascular tissues, xylem and phloem against gravity.
Water has a high surface tension. This ability is given to water molecules, due to cohesion between the water molecules. In an aquatic system, upper surface water molecules are attracted by lower surface molecules and it forms a water film.
Small insects ( e.g. water skaters ) can walk on the surface of a pond.
Write an example for adhesive behavior
Adhesion between water molecules and cell walls also helps in conduction of water and dissolved substances
Write an example for water’s ability to moderate temperature
Evaporation of sweat from human skin helps to maintain the body temperature at constant level.
Transpiration in plants keeps the plant body surface as a cool surface and prevent from becoming too warm in the sunlight.
Due to the high specific heat, water will function as thermal buffer in living system and aquatic bodies during the temperature fluctuations on earth.
Due to the high heat of vaporization, with the minimum loss of water an organism can release much heat energy. Therefore, body surface of an organism maintained as cool surface.
e.g. Prevent from overheating.
Write an example for water’s property of expansion upon freezing
ice floats on the surface of water bodies. It is an important property of water in polar regions, where, organisms in aquatic bodies can survive during the winter.
Write an example for water’s property of versatility as a solvent
Polar molecules (e.g. Glucose), non-polar ionic (e.g. NaCl), both polar and ionic (e.g. lysozymes) can dissolve in water
Name the simplest formula of carbohydrate
(CH20)n
Name the simplest formula of carbohydrate
(CH20)n
According to number of carbons, name the types of carbohydrates
3C- Triose
4C- Tetroses
5C- Pentoses
6C- Hexoses
Name examples for triose
Glyceraldehydes (Phosphoglyceraldehyde is a derivative of
Triose)
Name an example tetrose
Erythrose (rare in nature)
Name an example for pentose
Ribose
Deoxyribose
Ribulose (RUBP is a derivative of ribulose)
Name an example for hexoses
Glucose
Fructose
Galactose
Name types of carbons according to their carbonyl groups
Aldoses-glucose, galactose
Ketoses-fructose
Name an example for aldoses
glucose
galactose