Matter: Elements and Compounds Matter
Matter: Elements and Compounds Matter
Matter is defined as anything that takes up space and has mass. Matter
exists in many diverse forms, each with its own characteristics. Rock, metals,
and glass are just few examples of what seems an endless assortment of mater.
Neutrons and protons are densely packed together tightly to form a dense
core, or nucleus at the center of the atom.
The number of protons present in atomic nucleus determines its atomic number.
The electric charge carried by each proton is exactly equal and opposite to
charge carried by a single electron
The neutron and proton are almost identical in mass, each about 1.7x10-24 grams
and other conventional units are not very useful for describing the mass
of the objects. Thus, for atoms and subatomic particle, scientists use a unit
of measurement called dalton.
Neutron 1 0
Proton 1 +1
Electron 1/2000 -1
The atomic weight or mass number is the sum of protons and neutrons located in the
nucleus of the atom
The Outermost Electrons Determine How Atoms Interact
Protons and neutrons are welded tightly to one another in the nucleus and change
partners only under extreme conditions.
These laws
dictate electrons in an atom can exist only in certain discrete regions (or orbit) of
movement and that there is strict limit to the number of electrons that can be
accommodated in an orbit of a given type, so-called electron shell.
Ionic bonds are most likely to be formed by atoms that have just one or two electrons
in their unfilled outer shell or just one or two electrons short of acquiring a filled outer
shell. For example, Na with atomic number 11 can donate one electron from its 3th shell
to chlorine with atomic number17. This event leads formation of compound called NaCl
or table salt. When electrons jump from Na to Cl, both atoms become electrically
charged
Na lost electron and has one less electron than it has proton in its nucleus Na+
Cl gain electron and has one more electron than it has protons Cl-
Covalent Bonds Form by the Sharing of Electrons
A covalent bond is the sharing of pair of electrons by two atoms. For example,
when two hydrogen atoms approach each other, they share their electrons and thus
filling their outermost shells. In the simplest possible molecule - a molecule of hydrogen-
two H atoms, each with a single electron, share their two electrons, filling their outermost
electrons.
There Are Different types of covalent Bonds
With six electrons in its second electron shell, oxygen needs two more electrons to
complete its outermost shell.
Nitrogen has five electrons in outermost shell, three less than it needs for
complete outermost shell. Two nitrogen atoms will join together by a triple covalent
bond and share pairs of outermost electrons. The molecules we have looked at so far
are H2, O2, and N2.
A third type of chemical bond important in life is the hydrogen bond. Hydrogen bond
occurs when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one electronegative atom is also
attracted to another electronegative atom. In living cells, the electronegative partners
involved are usually oxygen and nitrogen.
Water Is Held by Hydrogen Bonds
Water accounts 70% of a cell weight, and most intracellular reactions occur in an
aqueous environment. Life on earth is thought to have begun in the ocean and the
conditions in the primeval environment and put a permanent stamp on the chemistry of
living things. Life is therefore hinges on the properties of water.
Hydrogen bond is much weaker than the covalent bond. Thermal motions of electron
can even break hydrogen bonds. But
the combined effect of many of
many weak bonds is far from trivial.
Each water molecule can form hydrogen bonds through its two hydrogen
atoms to two other water molecules, producing a network in which hydrogen bonds are
being continually broken and formed.
Carbon is outstanding among all the elements in its ability to form large molecules.
Since carbon has 4 electron vacancies in its outermost shell, it can form 4 covalent
bonds with other molecules.
The small and large carbon compounds made by cells are called organic molecules.
All other molecules, including water, are said to be inorganic.
The small organic molecules of the cell are carbon compounds with molecular
weights in the range 100 to 1000 that contain up to 30 or so carbon atoms.
Generally, cell contains four major molecules, the sugars, the fatty acids, the amino
acids, and nucleotides
Sugars Are Energy Source for Cells and Subunits of Polysaccharides
The monosaccharide are the simple sugar with formula of (CH2O)n, where n can be
3,4,5, or 6. For example, glucose has the formula (C6H12O6) and can be shown in a
variety of ways.
Glucose can be converted to other sugar molecule simply changing orientation of
some of the hydroxyl group.
Monosaccharides can be linked by covalent bonds to form larger carbohydrates.
Monosaccharide+ Monosaccharide=disaccharide