Water

- Hydrogen, Helium, Oxygen, and Carbon are the most abundant elements in the
universe
- Capillary action of water e.g. with a paintbrush dipped in water is explained by that
water molecules attract each other
- Hydrogen bonds not strong enough to support human weight
- Premature babies: havent developed __ in lungs, which breaks water tension.
Makes breathing difficult.
- Water molecules near the surface interact more with those below and adjeacent to
them, like a film.
- Water is a universal solvent in that it dissolves more substances than any other
liquid
- CO2 is a buffer (alkaline diet does not work. You cant change your body pH, but
with UTI alkaline symptom relievers, the kidneys break the salts down to make the
urine less acidic.)
- Fats and oils are not polar like water. Thus, molecules are not attracted to water.
Soaps with hydrophobic and hydrophilic ends are used to break up fat/oil droplets,
which can be washed away with water. Dish detergent, for example. Note that it
doesnt dissolve the fat it simply breaks it up.
- In ice: hydrogen bond lattice with holes
- We produce water when our bodies break down fuels to generate energy. One
glucose molecule yields 6 molecules of water, a reaction that occurs in our bodies
about 6 x 10^24 times. 80/85kg of ATP used daily! One glucose molecule gives about
32 ATP.
Oxidation of glucose: electrons taken from glucose -> on oxygen: water
- Alcohols are the 4th macronutrient.
The Components of Life
- C,H,O,N,P,S are the major elements of life.
They are present in quite uniform relative amounts across organisms.
They are part of DNA, fat etcetera.
- Peptides are a chain of amino acids. A full chain is a protein.
What is a cell?
- The smallest unit of organization that can perform all the
activities essential for life. (think of how there are single cell
organisms!)
- The actions of organisms are based on the activities of cells.
- Cells share characteristics.
-> All eukaryote cells have a membrane, for example! <-> Both have DNA <- Prokaryotes (dont have a membrane, usually smaller) and
Eukaryotes (have a membrane) are the most basic split of cell
types
What is life?
Can things: reproduce, grow and develop, respond to environment
(change food source, grow towards light etc.), metabolise (by
chemical reactions) to use and generate energy???????

What about viruses?

They are smaller and simpler than cells. They rely on a host to
reproduce. They also cannot carry out metabolism outside
their host.
What about prions?
They are infectious proteins that appear to cause a variety of
degenerative brain diseases such as mad cow disease. They
CANNOT replicate themselves: they simply fold normal
versions of a particular protein into the misfolded form they
are in. They are not living.
At the highest level 3 main domains in classifying life:
1. Bacteria
2. Archaea (microbes living in extreme environments)
3. Eukaryotes: generally plants, fungi, animals. BUT you can
have single celled eukaryotes too!