3.1.

1 State that the most frequently occurring chemical elements in living things are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.

Review ionic, covalent and hydrogen bonds

Some fun with elements

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CHONPS.

3.1.2 State that a variety of other elements are needed by living organisms, including sulphur, calcium , phosphorus, iron and sodium

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_020_Calcium.svg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_016_Sulfur.svg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_015_Phosphorus.svg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_026_Iron.svg http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Electron_shell_011_Sodium.svg

http://www.flickr.com/photos/csb13/1873194745/

3.1.3 State one role for each of the elements

Sulphur is an important element in some amino acids. It allows disulphide bonds to form in proteins, influencing the proteins shape see HL 7.5 Proteins

What about iron?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Granulated_sulphur02.jpg

Iron is in haemoglobin, to carry oxygen in blood.

Calcium?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/csutka/3956855512/

Calcium is in Bones!

Sodium?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mugley/3491817141/

Sodium is important for nerve impulses

See Core 6.5.5

Phosphorus?
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Nametal.JPG.jpg

Phosphorus is in ATP

And, of course, in phospholipids in cell membranes.

Here in Italian, just for a change. See: Structure of the membrane 2.4.1

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Fosfolipide.svg

and in DNA, amongst other things.

Also CHON!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:DNA_Structure%2BKey%2BLabelled.png

3.1.4 Draw and label a diagram showing the structure of water molecules to show their polarity and hydrogen bond formation.

Water is a weird and freaky substance.

It is this way because of its polar nature.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_drop_animation_enhanced_small.gif

No,
that kind
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eisb%C3%A4r_1996-07-23.jpg

Revisit the Crash Course Biology video Carbon (on slide 2) at the 8:08 mark

-ve

The oxygen atom has 8 positive charges (protons) at its nucleus. Therefore it attracts the shared electrons more strongly and they spend more time orbiting the O than the H.

O
+ve
H

Thus water molecules are polar, i.e. they have a negatively charged pole (the oxygen) and a positively charged pole (the hydrogens)
H

+ve

Hydrogen bonds form when the negatively charged oxygen on one molecule is electrostatically attracted to the positive hydrogen on another

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liquid_water_hydrogen_bond.png

3.1.5 Outline the thermal, cohesive and solvent properties of water

Thermal:
You know about the phases (states) of water: Solid, Liquid and Gas. Water changes from solid to liquid and gas progressively as more energy (heat) is added. The weird thing about water is that it takes more energy than it should to change from one state to the next. Why do you think that might be?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/westy559/328563694/

Extra energy is required to overcome the hydrogen bonds

We say that water has a very high specific heat capacity

It absorbs a lot of energy before changing state
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:3D_model_hydrogen_bonds_in_water.svg

Cohesive
The polar nature of water makes it sticky The molecules themselves stick together due to hydrogen bonds (cohesion) Water molecules stick to other substances, e.g. glass (adhesion) for the same reason If water did not have this cohesive nature then it would not form into drops like in the background. Drops form because the cohesive forces are trying to pull the water into the smallest possible volume, a sphere.

Solvent
Water is sometimes called the universal solvent Again, this is to do with the polar nature of water
Consider the sodium chloride below. The sodium and chloride atoms are held together by ionic bonds.

NaCl

Dissolving

NaCl
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sodium-3D.png http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sodium-chloride-3D-ionic.png

Chlorine

Solvent

Water

Sodium

The polar water molecules have a stronger affinity for both Na+ and Cl- than those ions do for each other. So the Na and Cl dump each other and drift off with the water molecules

NaCl

Dissolving

NaCl

The polar water molecules have a stronger affinity for both Na+ and Cl- than those ions do for each other. So the Na and Cl dump each other and drift off with the water molecules. Note how on the right of the diagram the oxygen in each water molecule is close to the Na+ and the hydrogen in the water molecules is close to the Cl-

NaCl

Dissolving

NaCl

All your ion are belong to us!!!

Also, the relatively small size of the water molecules means that they can gang up on the ions (not to scale)
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Water_molecule.svg

Check out the animation

3.1.6 Explain the relationship between the properties of water and its uses in living organisms as a coolant, medium for metabolic reactions and transport medium

Waters thermal properties, its high specific heat, means that it can cool us. Evaporating sweat (water changing phase from liquid to gas) takes heat away from the body Water is also the main component of blood plasma. It transfers heat from the internal organs to the skin.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bukutgirl/205304794/

Cohesion allows plants to pull water up their xylem via transpiration

Adhesion aids cohesion in drawing water up due to capillary action

See HL Plant Science 9.2.6

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaxxon/37559138/

Waters solvent properties mean that waste and nutrients can be moved around by blood in the veins and arteries.

It enables trees to transport gases and solutes as well

http://www.flickr.com/photos/roughgroove/3554305017/

Waters nature as a solvent means substances dissolved in it can react with one another. The main component of cytoplasm, where many reactions occur, is water.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cambridgeuniversity-engineering/5431155934/

Extension: Water as habitat

These water striders rely on the cohesive nature of water resulting in surface tension
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alexyo1968/4985953786/

Liquid water

Ice

What are the implications of ice being less dense (due to its highly organised crystalline structure) than liquid water?

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Liquid-water-and-ice.png

Back to the bear

I have somewhere to stand and hunt.

See 5.2.6 to see why you hoomans are worrying me!

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Eisb%C3%A4r_1996-07-23.jpg

Imagine if ice sank instead of floated

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toniblay/52925332/

Lakes at high latitudes would freeze from the bottom up. Solid. And remain so for most if not all of the year at high latitudes. The seas would be similarly affected. The water that is usually insulated by the ice, at above freezing temperatures, would not exist. There would be no habitat for the bottom dwellers. In fact, the pressure of the overlying water would make the water at the bottom freeze. Even in the tropics.

Lucky for us water is the way it is!

Further information:

Properties of water
Three of the best sites for IB-specific Biology information. The top link takes you to the PPT by Stephen Taylor