Basic Chemistry

• Matter is the "stuff of the universe" and can be seen, smelled and felt.
• More precisely, matter is anything that occupies space and has mass.
• Chemistry studies the nature of matter, how its building blocks are put together and how they interact.
• Energy is massless and does not take up space, it can be measured only by its effects on matter.
• Energy is commonly defined as the ability to do work or to put matter into motion.
• When energy is actually doing work it is referred to as kinetic energy.
• When energy is inactive or stored, it is called potential energy.
• Chemical energy is stored in the bonds of chemical substances and is unleashed when the bonds are broken, becoming kinetic energy.
• Electrical energy results from the movement of charged particles, for example, in your body, an electrical current is generated when charged particles (called ions) move across cell membranes.
• Mechanical energy is energy directly involved in moving matter, for example, when you ride a bicycle, your legs provide the mechanical energy that moves the pedals.
• Radiant energy travels in waves, it is the energy of the electromagnetic spectrum, which includes X rays, infrared radiation, visible light, radio and ultraviolet waves.
• All matter is composed of a limited number of substances called elements, unique substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical methods.
• Ninety-two of the elements occur naturally, the rest are produced artificially in accelerator devices.
• Each element is composed of more or less identical particles or building blocks called atoms.
• Because all elements are unique, the atoms of each element differ from those of all other elements.
• Each element is designated by one- or two-letter chemical shorthand called an atomic symbol.
• In most cases, the atomic symbol is simply the first letter(s) of the element’s name.
• Common elements making up the human body include hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, magnesium, sulfur, and iron.
• Subatomic particles include electrons, protons, and neutrons.
• Planetary and orbital models of an atom include the electron cloud, the nucleus, and the atomic number.
• Identifying elements involves understanding the atomic symbol, atomic weight, and isotopes.
• Isotopes of hydrogen include protium, deuterium, and tritium.
• Atomic weight and isotopes are important factors in understanding the atomic structures of the most abundant elements in the body.
• Chemical bonds and chemical reactions involve the role of electrons, types of chemical bonds, formation of an ionic bond, patterns of chemical reactions, and factors increasing the rate of chemical reactions.
• Biochemistry: The Chemical Composition of Living Matter includes inorganic compounds, organic compounds, representative lipids found in the body, and representative groups of functional proteins.
• Energy is the ability to do work.
• Oxygen is a major component of both organic and inorganic molecules and is essential to the oxidation of glucose and other food fuels, during which cellular energy (ATP) is produced.
• Carbon is the primary element in all organic molecules, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
• Hydrogen is a component of most organic molecules and as an ion (a charged atom), it influences the pH of body fluids.
• Nitrogen is a component of proteins and nucleic acids (genetic material).
• Calcium is found as a salt in bones and teeth; in ionic form, it is required for muscle contraction, neural transmission, and blood clotting.
• Isotope - atoms that have the same number of protons and electrons.
• ↑ temperature - ↑ the kinetic energy of the molecules, which in turn move more rapidly and collide more forcefully.
• ↑ concentration of reacting particles - ↑ the number of collisions because of increased numbers of reacting particles.
• ↓ particle size - Smaller particles have more kinetic energy and move faster than larger ones, hence they take part in more collisions.
• Presence of catalysts - ↓ the amount of energy the molecules need to interact by holding the reactants in the proper positions to interact.
• Water - most abundant inorganic compound in the body
• Cushioning - water serves a protective function
• Cerebrospinal fluid protects the brain from physical trauma, and amniotic fluid protects a developing fetus
• Atomic number-equal to the number of protons that the atom contains.