pt.1 evio chem

• Your body is made up of chemicals that come from the food you eat
• Nutrients are chemicals in food that are broken down through digestion and used by the body for growth, repair, or energy
• Nutrients are divided into 2 groups: organic and inorganic
• Organic compounds contain carbon and are classified as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids (fats), and vitamins
• Many organic compounds can only be formed by green plants
• Organic compounds examples:

  • Methanol: CH3OH
  • Butane: C4H10
  • Nucleic Acids: C9H12O6N3P
  • Sucrose (sugar!): C12H22O11
• Inorganic compounds do not contain carbon and examples include salt (NaCl) and water (H2O)
• Inorganic compounds that are not destroyed by cooking or exposure to air are called minerals
• Minerals are divided into 2 categories: Macro-minerals and Trace minerals
• Enzymes and vitamins are made up of minerals
• Sixteen elements occur in all living organisms, green plants need 18, and humans need at least 22 elements for proper growth and function
• Sometimes our bodies need mineral or vitamin supplements to balance our diet
• Plant roots absorb minerals from the soil, concentrate them, and build them into organic compounds that we obtain when we eat the plants
• Commercial fertilizers add nutrients to plants, with nitrogen helping leaves, phosphorous helping roots, and potassium helping flowers
• The use of fertilizers has increased nitrogen in the environment, leading to increased plant growth and easier crop production
• Producing high-yield crops requires water and fertilizer, and monoculture (planting only 1 crop) can lead to problems that pesticides may help reduce at a cost and environmental impact