The Chemical Context of

Life
A. Atomic structure
B. The periodic table
C. Chemical bonding
D. Important elements in living
organisms
 A. Atomic
Structure
Matter
– Anything that takes up space and has
mass
Atom
– The smallest stable particle of matter
– Composed of protons, neutrons, and
electrons
 A. Atomic
Structure
Protons
– Positively charged
– Atomic mass ≈ 1 atomic mass unit
– Located in the nucleus of an atom
Neutrons
– Electrically neutral
– Atomic mass ≈ 1 atomic mass unit
– Located in the nucleus of an atom
 A. Atomic
Structure
Electrons
– Negatively charged
– Atomic mass: very small, almost
negligible
– Located in electron shells (orbitals)
around the nucleus
In a neutral atom, the number of
electrons and protons is the same
Atoms can lose or gain electrons
during chemical bonding
 A. Atomic
Structure
Element
– A substance composed of only a single
type of atom
– Atomic number of an element
• The number of protons in its atoms
• The atomic number is the same for all
atoms of an element
– Mass number of an element
• The number of protons plus the number of
neutrons in its atoms
• The atoms of an element may have a
variable number of neutrons
 A. Atomic
Structure
Isotopes of an element
– Different forms of an element with the
same atomic number but with different
mass numbers
– The atoms of some isotopes are stable
– Other isotopes are radioactive, having
unstable atoms that spontaneously break
apart (decay) to form other atoms
– When radioactive atoms decay, energy is
released
 A. Atomic
Structure
For example, carbon has three isotopes
– Carbon-12, with 6 protons and 6 neutrons, is
the most common form of carbon
– Carbon-13, with 6 protons and 7 neutrons,
is stable (non-radioactive) and rare
– Carbon-14, with 6 protons and 8 neutrons,
is unstable (radioactive) and rare
 B. The Periodic
Table
In the periodic table
– Elements are listed in order of their
atomic numbers
– Elements are designated by standard
one or two-letter abbreviations
– Elements in the same vertical column
often have very similar chemical
bonding properties
 C. Chemical
Bonding
Chemical bonding occurs when two or more
atoms combine
Atoms combine by exchanging or sharing
electrons in their outermost electron shell
Chemical compound
– Formed when the atoms of two or more different
elements combine by chemical bonding
– Properties of a compound are usually very different
than those of its elements
 C. Chemical
Bonding
Ionic bonds
– Formed when electrons are completely
transferred from one atom to another
– The atom that gains electrons becomes
a negative ion (anion)
– The atom that loses electrons becomes
a positive ion (cation)
– Example: Sodium chloride
Na + Cl → Na+ Cl–
 C. Chemical
Bonding
Covalent bonds
– Form when two atoms share one or
more pairs of electrons
– Molecule: consists of two or more
atoms that are joined by covalent
bonding
– Covalent bonds are generally more
stable than ionic bonds in aqueous
(water) solution
 C. Chemical
Bonding
Other types of atomic & molecular
interactions
– Polar interactions
• Attraction between partially charged (polar)
molecules and other polar or charged molecules
• Similar to ionic bonding
– Hydrogen bonding
• Interaction between a hydrogen atom and two
strong electronegative groups
– Hydrophobic interactions
• Attraction between molecules that are insoluble in
water
 D. Important
Elements
See table in the textbook
Major covalent constituents of
biomolecules:
CHNOPS