Chapter 2: The Chemical Context of Life

This chapter covers the basics of what you may have learned in your chemistry
class. The questions that follow should help you focus on the most important points.

Concept 2.1 Matter consists of chemical elements in pure form

and in combinations called compounds
1. Define and give an example of the following terms:
a. Matter

b. Element

c. Compound

2. What four elements make up 96% of all living matter?

3. What is the difference between an essential element and a trace element?

a. Trace element

b. Essential element

Concept 2.2 An elements properties depend on the structure of

its atoms
4. Sketch a model of an atom of helium, showing the electrons, protons,
neutrons and atomic nucleus.

5. What is the atomic number of helium? ___________ Its atomic mass? ____________
6. Here are some more terms you should firmly grasp. Define each term.
a. Neutron

b. Proton

c. Electron

d. Atomic number

e. Atomic mass

f. Isotope

g. Electron shells

h. Energy

7. Consider this entry in the periodic table for carbon.

a. What is the atomic mass? ________ atomic number? ________

b. How many electrons does carbon have? __________ Neutrons? __________

6
C
12
8. which is the only subatomic particle directly involved in the chemical
reactions between atoms?

9. What is potential energy?

10. Explain which has more potential energy in each pair:

a. Boy at the top of a slide / boy at bottom of slide

b. Electron in first energy shell / electron in third energy shell

c. Water / glucose
 11. What determines the chemical behavior of an atom?

12. Here is an electron distribution diagram for sodium:

a. How many valence electrons does it have? ____________

b. How many protons does it have? ___________

Concept 2.3 The formation and function of molecules depend on

chemical bonding between atoms.
13. Define molecule

14. Now, refer back to your definition of a compound and fill in the following
table:

Molecule? Compound? Molecular Structural

(y/n) (y/n) formula formula
Water

Carbon
dioxide
Methane

Oxygen gas

15. What type of bond is seen in O2? Explain what this means.

16. What is meant by electronegativity?

17. Explain the difference between a nonpolar covalent bond and a polar
covalent bond.

18. Make an electron distribution diagram of water. Which element is most

electronegative? Why is water considered a polar molecule? Label the
regions that are more positive or more negative.

19. Another bond type is the ionic bond. Explain what is happening in the figure
below.

20. What two elements are involved above?

21. Define anion and cation. In the preceding example, which is the anion?

22. What is a hydrogen bond?

23. Explain van der Waals interactions. Though they represent very weak
attractions, when these interactions are numerous they can stick a gecko to
the ceiling!

24. Here is a list of the types of bonds and interactions discussed in this section.
Place them in order from strongest to weakest: hydrogen bonds, van der
Waals interactions, covalent bonds, ionic bonds.

Strong

Weak
25. Use morphine and endorphins as examples to explain why molecular shape
is crucial in biology.

Concept 2.4 Chemical reactions make and break chemical

bonds
26. Write the chemical shorthand equation for photosynthesis. Label the
reactants and the products.

27. For the equation you just wrote, how many molecules of carbon dioxide are
there? ________ How many molecules of glucose? _________ How many elements
in glucose? ___________

28. What is meant by dynamic equilibrium? Does this imply equal concentrations
of each reactant and product?
Concept 2.5 Hydrogen bonding gives water properties that help
make life possible on Earth
29. Study the water molecules on the below. On the central molecule, label
oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H).

30. Add + and – signs to indicate the charged regions of each molecule. Then
indicate the hydrogen bonds.

31. How many hydrogen bonds can a single water molecule form?

Hydrogen bonding accounts for the unique properties of water.

Lets look at several.
Cohesion

32. Distinguish between cohesion and adhesion.

33. Explain how cohesion and adhesion both contribute to transpiration.

34. What is demonstrated when you see beads of water on a waxed car hood?

35. Which property explains the ability of a water strider to walk on water?
Moderation of temperature

36. The calorie is a unit of heat. Define calorie.

37. Water has a high specific heat. What does that mean? How does water’s
specific heat compare to alcohols?

38. Explain how hydrogen bonding contributes to water’s high specific heat.

39. Summarize how water’s high specific heat contributes to moderation of

temperature. How is this property important to life?

40. Define evaporation. What is heat of vaporization? Explain at least three

effects of this property on living organisms.

Expansion upon freezing

41. Ice floats! So what? Consider what would happen if ponds and other bodies
of water accumulated ice at the bottom. Describe why this property of water
is important.

42. Now explain why ice floats. Why is 4 degrees Celsius the critical temperature
in this story?
Solvent of life

43. Review and define these terms:

a. Solvent

b. Solute

c. Solution

44. Explain why water is such a fine solvent.

45. Define hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

46. You already know that some materials, such as olive oil, will not dissolve in
water. In fact, oil will float on top of water. Explain this property in terms of
hydrogen bonding.

47. Now, let’s do a little work that will enable you to prepare solutions. Read the
section on solute concentration carefully, and show the calculations here for
preparing a 1-molar solution of sucrose. Steps to help you do this follow. The
first step is done for you. Fill in the rest.

Steps to prepare a solution:

a. Write the molecular formula. C12H22O11

b. Use the periodic table to calculate the mass of each element. Multiply
by the number of atoms of the element. (for example, O has a mass of
16 x 11 = 176 g/mole)

c. Add the masses of each element in the molecule.

d. Add this mass of the compound to water to bring it up to a volume of 1

Liter. This makes 1 Liter of a 1 molar solution.
 48. Prepare 1 Liter of a 0.5 molar glucose solution. Show your work.

49. Define Molarity.

Acidic and basic conditions affect living organisms

50. What two ions form when water dissociates?

51. What is the shorthand way we represent the hydronium ion?

52. What is the concentration of each ion in pure water at 25 degrees Celsius?

53. pH is defined as the negative log of the hydrogen ion concentration. Look at
the pH equation for neutral water:

pH = -log [10-7] = 7

What is the pH if the hydrogen ion concentration is 10-3?

54. To go a step further, the product of H+ and OH- concentration is constant at

10-14.

[H+] [OH-] = 10-14

Water, which is neutral with a pH of 7, has an equal number of H+ and OH-

ions. Now, define

Acid

Base
55. Because the pH scale is logarithmic, each number change represents a 10X
change in ion concentration.
a. So how many times more acid is a pH of 3 compared to a pH of 5?

b. How many times more basic is a pH of 12 compared to a pH of 8?

c. Explain the difference between a pH of 8 and a pH of 12 in terms of H+

concentration.

56. A pH chart contains numbers from 1 to 14. Which numbers on the chart
represent acidic, basic and neutral solutions?

57. Even a slight change in pH is harmful! How do buffers moderate pH change?

58. Exercise will result in the production of CO2, which will acidify the blood.
Explain the buffering system that minimizes blood pH changes.

59. Discuss how CO2 emissions affect marine life and ecosystems.