Chemistry of Life

1. Chemistry and physics are integral to biology

2. Review of the atom

• the basics
• periodic table
• isotopes
• How are the particles in an atom arranged?
• orbital theory:

-an orbital is a volume where two electrons will be found 90% of the time

-orbitals have 'shape' are are arranged in energy levels: K, L, M, N (1, 2, 3, 4)

-first energy level contains a single, spherical orbital: 1s

-second energy level has 4 orbitals: 2s, 2p_x, 2p_y, 2p_z

•  "s" orbital; "p" orbital
• electronegativity: the ability if an atom to attract electrons towards itself in a chemical reaction

3. Chemical Bonding

• ionic: electrons move from one atom to another resulting in the formation of ions

sodium + chlorine --> Na⁺Cl^-

• covalent: equal sharing of electrons

       the special case of carbon: atomic number = 6

       (sp³ hybridization)

• diversity of carbon compounds-hydrocarbons, carbohydrates
• polar covalent: unequal sharing of electrons produced partial charges