Essential Elements
Bulk Elements |
required by the body in large amounts |
Oxygen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Phosphorus
Sulfur |
Trace Elements |
required in small amounts |
Copper
Iodine
Iron |
Ultratrace Elements |
required in very small amounts |
Arsenic
Boron
Nickel
Silicon
Tin |
Principle Elements in the Human Body
Element |
% of Body Weight |
Function |
Oxygen (O) |
65% |
Component of water, essential for respiration |
Carbon (C) |
18.6% |
Found in all organic molecules |
Hydrogen (H) |
9.7% |
Component of water and most compound in the body |
Nitrogen (N) |
3.2% |
Found in proteins and nucleic acids |
Calcium (Ca) |
1.8% |
Found in bones and teeth, needed for nerves and muscle contraction, blood clotting |
Phosphorus (P) |
1% |
Found in bones, teeth, ATP |
Potassium (K) |
0.4% |
Necessary for membrane function, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions |
Sodium (Na) |
0.2% |
Necessary for membrane function, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions |
Chlorine (Cl) |
0.2% |
Important for membrane function and water absorption, major component of stomach acid |
Sulfur (S) |
0.04% |
Found in many proteins |
Iron (Fe) |
0.007% |
Essential for oxygen transport |
Iodine (I) |
0.0002% |
Component of hormones of the thyroid gland |
Ions
Name |
Chemical Symbol |
Sodium |
Na+ |
Potassium |
K+ |
Calcium |
Ca2+ |
Chlorine |
Cl- |
Bicarbonate |
HCO3- |
Catabolism
Catabolism (Decomposition): breaks molecules into smaller fragments
Anabolism
Anabolism (Synthesis): assembles larger molecules from smaller ones
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Exchange Reactions
Exchange Reactions (replacement): reacting molecules are rearranged
Inorganic vs Organic Molecules
Inorganic
No C and H together
Smaller molecules
Dissociate in water
Water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and salts |
Organic
Contain C and H
Larger molecules
Dissolve in water
Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids |
Carbohydrates
Contains C, H, and O (often end in the suffix "-ose")
1:2:1 ratio
Monosaccharides and Disaccharides (simple sugars): provide energy
- Monosaccharide examples: glucose, fructose,
galactose
- Disaccharide examples: sucrose, maltose,
lactose
Polysaccharides: store glucose
- Examples: glycogen (in liver and muscle)
Glycoproteins and Glycolipids: on cell surfaces, aid in cell communication and recognition (ID tags)
- ex. MHC proteins, T-cell receptors, blood type |
Triglycerides
Functions:
- Used primarily for energy storage
- More energy rich than glucose
- Cushions and insulates the body and nerves
(myelin sheath)
Structure:
- Made of 1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids
- Saturated fats contain three saturated fatty
acids
- Saturated = all single C to C bonds
(saturated in hydrogen)
- Mostly solid and come from animals
- Unsaturated fats contain at least one
unsaturated fatty acid
- Unsaturated = at least one double C to
C bond (causes kinks in the chain)
- Mostly liquid and come from plants |
Triglyceride Structure
The first two fatty acid chains are saturated while the third fatty acid chain is unsaturated
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Phospholipids
Function:
- Major component of cell membranes
- Helps provide selective permeability
(water barrier)
Structure:
- Made of 1 glycerol, 2 fatty acids, and 1
phosphate
- Hydrophilic head and hydrophobic tails
(amphipathic) |
Steroids
Function:
- Synthesize sex hormones
- Cholesterol: Needed for vitamin D and bile
production
- HDL "good kind" goes to the liver
- LDL "bad kind" gets deposited on artery
walls
Structure:
- Four connected rings of carbon, hydrophobic |
Proteins
Functions:
- Structure and support: muscle, ligaments,
fingernails, hair, skin
- Last resort energy source
- Hormones
- Receptors
- Antibodies
- Enzymes
Structure:
- Made of amino acids (20 in human body)
- Amine group, carboxyl group, variable R group
- Amino acids held together with peptide bonds
- Must have specific shape to function correctly |
Nucleic Acids
Function:
- DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid): encodes genetic
information
- Provides instructions for making proteins
- RNA (ribonucleic acid): helps decode DNA
Structure:
- Contains the elements CHONP
- Made of nucleotides |
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