Chemistry of LifeChapter 6

Elements

• Everything is made of elements• An element is a substance that

can’t be broken down into simpler chemical substances

• Ex. Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Calcium, Fluorine, Lithium, Gold

• (Elements are made out of atoms)

Compounds

• Elements can bond together to form compounds

• A compound is a substance that is composed of two or more different elements that are chemically bond

• Examples:

• Water is H2O

• Salt is NaCl

• Glucose (sugar) is C6H12O6

These are all the elements known in existence

Different types of compounds:

• All compounds on this Earth are either classified as inorganic or organic.

• Inorganic Compounds do not contain carbon elements

• Organic Compounds contain carbon elements

Importance of Carbon

• Carbon is used to distinguish between all compounds because it is so important to life: it’s the “backbone” of all living things

• Carbon has the ability to form many different types of bonds and shapes

• Carbon can bond to itself and other elements

Inorganic Compounds

• Examples of inorganic compounds include water and salt

• Water is the most important inorganic compound to life

• We’ve studied the properties of water and its unique characteristics and how that relates to living things

• Salt’s chemical formula is NaCl (sodium chloride) so it’s also inorganic

Organic Compounds are divided into 4 major classes:

• Carbohydrates

• Proteins

• Lipids

• Nucleic Acids

Major Elements of Human Body

• The majority of the human body and most living things is made up of just 4 basic elements:

• Carbon (C)• Hydrogen (H)• Oxygen (O)• Nitrogen (N)

Food Sort Activity (Examples of Compounds)

Carbohydrates

Nucleic AcidLipids

Proteins

Food Sort Activity (Examples of Compounds)

Carbohydrates (Sugars)

Nucleic AcidLipids (Fats, Waxes, Oils)

Proteins

Food Labels Activity

• Your group will be given a food label (from food sort)

• Analyze the food label and identify the following:• What organic compounds are in this food?• What inorganic compounds are in this food?• Identify the calorie, fat, sodium, sugar, and

protein content.