CHEM 210 BIOCHEMISTRY - M1: Problem Set

CHEM 210 BIOCHEMISTRY - ni ni ni


M1: Problem Set ni ni ni


1.What are three ways that biochemists study biological organisms?: Bio-
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chemists study 1) the relationship between structure and function of bi
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omolecules,
2) chemical reactions of organisms (metabolism), and 3) communication
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within and among organisms. ni ni ni


2.What is the definition of biochemistry?: Often referred to as the chemi
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stry of life, biochemistry asks how the remarkable properties of organis
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ms relate to their molecules.
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3.What is another name for firefly?: lightning bug
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4.Is Li an element common in biological organisms?: No. See F ure 1.3 for t
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ig common elements.
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5.What is known as the "medium of life"?: Water
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6.What is the bond angle associated with trigonal pyramidal shape?: 107
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.5 degrees ni

7.Are transition metals commonly found in biological organisms?: Yes. The
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are trace elements in organisms. See Figure 1.3 for examples.
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8.True or false: Water can make up 85% (by mass) of a living organism.: Tr
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ue. Some plants are made up of 90% water by mass.
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9.True or false: Large elements tend to make the strongest covalent bonds.:
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False. Smaller elements tend to make the strongest bonds due to significa
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nt overlap. ni


10.Name three bulk elements. Name three trace elements.: Bulk elements:
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H, C, N, O, Na, P, S, Cl, K, and Ca, Trace elements: Mg, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co,
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Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, I, and W.
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11.Differentiate between inorganic chemistry and organic chemistry.: Organ ni ni ni ni ni ni ni

ic chemistry is the study of carbon-
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based compounds. Inorganic chemistry is the study of all other element
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s.
12.Is H2O an organic molecule? How about CO2?
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C100H202?: Water is not or-
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ganic; it does not contain carbon. Both CO2 and C100H202 are organic c
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ompounds.
13.The next row of Table 1 would be the 6-ni ni ni ni ni ni ni ni ni

carbon alkane, hexane. Write out its chemical formula and condensed for
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mula.: chemical formula: C6H14, Condensed formula: CH3CH2CH2CH
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2CH2CH3
14.On your own paper, draw the Kekule structures and line-
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1ni/
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