HTHSCI 1LL3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Chemical Polarity, Hydrogen Atom, University Of New Hampshire
24 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
The boyer text defines biochemistry as the study of life (structure, information and energy) at. Biochemistry examines the chemistry of living organisms. 4 big elements: hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen- they make up most molecules. Carbon is the atom involved in all organic molecules- this is because it can make four bounds that are not all in the same plane. The more electronegative an atom is, the closer the electrons will be to that element. Sharing electrons= covalent bond (water has a polar covalent bond) This results in a positively (cation) and negatively charged molecule (anion). Proteins are made up of amino acids. Amino acids all have a similar structure, with different side chains (this will confer the positive, negative or neutral charge on the molecule). Proteins contain nitrogen (unlike other biomolecules, this is important in nutrition) in addition to carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates consist of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen molecules.
