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Chemistry of Living Organisms

Students must know...

The three subatomic particles and their significance
The types of chemical bonds and how they form
The importance of hydrogen bonding to the properties of water
Four unique properties of water, and how each contributes to life on Earth
How to interpret the pH scale
How changes in pH can alter biological systems
The importance of buffers in biological systems
The properties of carbon that make it so important
The role of dehydration and hydrolysis reactions in forming and digesting organic molecules
How the sequence and subcomponents of the four major organic compounds determine their properties.
The cellular functions of carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins
How changes to these organic molecules would affect their function
The four structural levels of proteins and how changes in each level impact the activity of the protein
The impact that heat and pH can have on the conformation of a protein and how these impacts may affect the organism
Directionality influences structure and function of polymers, as in nucleic acids (5' and 3' ends) and proteins (amino and carboxyl ends)

Chemistry of Living Organisms Curriculum Map

Chapter 5: Structure & Function of Biomolecules

Chapter 4: Carbon & Molecular Diversity

Chapter 3: Water & Life

Chapter 2: Chemical Context of Life

Biological Macromolecules

Carbon Chemistry

Acid Base Chemistry

Water & Life

Macromolecule Monomers

Amino Acids & Functional Groups

Water Properties Model

Ocean Acidification & Coral Reef Ecosystems

Biological Molecules

Molecules of Life

Water & Life

Water - A Polar Molecule

Acids, Bases & pH

Chemical Bonds: Covalent vs. Ionic

Drawing Lewis Dot Structures

Atoms and the Periodic Table

Abiogenesis

HHMI How the Body Uses Fat

USGS Water Science School

TED Talks on Water

Protein Folding Animation