Holistic Midwifery - Chemistry Basics

Front 1

Anatomy

Back 1

the study of bodily parts and the relationships between them.

Front 2

Physiology

Back 2

the functions of the body parts, i.e. how they work.

Front 3

Chemical

Back 3

the most basic level includes all atomic and molecular substances essential for maintaining life.

Front 4

Cellular

Back 4

chemicals are organized into cells, the smallest body part capable of self-sufficient life.

Front 5

Tissues

Back 5

groups of similar cells and the substances between them that perform special functions.

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Organs

Back 6

different kinds of tissues joined together in a definite form as a functional unit.

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Systems

Back 7

consist of a group of organs which all have a common function such as the digestive system or the skeletal system.

Front 8

Organism

Back 8

all parts considered together; an individual animal or plant.

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Metabolism

Back 9

the sum total of all the chemical processes that occur in the body.

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Catabolism phase

Back 10

provides the organism with the energy needed to sustain life by breaking down chemical compounds into usable parts.

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Anabolism phase

Back 11

uses that energy to combine or synthesize various chemical substances that form the cells.

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Ingestion

Back 12

the taking in of foods

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Absorption

Back 13

the uptake of substances by cells

Front 14

Assimilation

Back 14

the formation of absorbed elements into substances required by the cells.

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Respiration

Back 15

the exchange of gases with the environment

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Secretion

Back 16

the production or release of a useful substance by the cells

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Excretion

Back 17

the elimination of wastes produced by the metabolic process

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Growth

Back 18

an increase in size and/or number of existing cells

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Reproduction

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the formation of new cells for growth, repair or replacement, or the creation of an entirely new individual.

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energy

Back 20

all things are made of.

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matter

Back 21

anything that occupies space and has mass (i.e., substance or weight).

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states of matter

Back 22

solid, liquid, or gas.

Front 23

chemical elements

Back 23

substances which cannot be broken down into simpler substances by ordinary chemical reactions.

Front 24

chemical symbols

Back 24

abbreviations assigned to chemical elements

Front 25

Oxygen (O)

Back 25

found in water and organic molecules, functions in cellular respiration

Front 26

Carbon (C)

Back 26

found in all organic molecules

Front 27

Hydrogen (H)

Back 27

found in water, all foods, and most organic molecules

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Nitrogen (N)

Back 28

found in all protein molecules and nucleic acid molecules

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Calcium (Ca)

Back 29

found in bones and teeth; required for blood clotting, intake and output of substances through cell membranes, motility of cells, movement of chromosomes before cell division, glycogen metabolism, neurotransmission and muscle contraction.

Front 30

Phosphorus (P)

Back 30

part of many proteins and nucleic acids; required for normal bones and teeth, found in nerve tissue.

Front 31

Chloride (Cl)

Back 31

combined with sodium it helps move water between cells.

Front 32

Sulfur (S)

Back 32

part of many proteins, especially contractile proteins of muscles

Front 33

Potassium (K)

Back 33

required for growth and important in conduction of nerve impulses and muscle contraction

Front 34

Sodium (Na)

Back 34

combined with Chloride it is a component of bone, essential in maintaining blood fluid balance and is needed for conduction of nerve impulses.

Front 35

Magnesium (Mg)

Back 35

component of many enzymes

Front 36

Iodine (I)

Back 36

vital to functioning of thyroid gland

Front 37

Iron (Fe)

Back 37

essential part of hemoglobin and respiratory enzymes.

Front 38

Atoms

Back 38

the smallest units of elements that enter into chemical reactions.

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Elements

Back 39

a quantity of atoms which are all alike.

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Atoms have _____ basic parts. The ______ and the ______.

Back 40

2; nucleus, electrons

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protons (p+)

Back 41

positively charged particles.

Front 42

Neutrons (n0)

Back 42

uncharged or neutral particles

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Electrons (e-)

Back 43

negatively charged particles that orbit the nucleus in unfixed three-dimensional variously shaped clouds called orbitals. this path is irregular and may occur anywhere in the cloud.

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path of probability

Back 44

no guarantee this is where the electrons may be, however, there is a good chance they will be.

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Cation

Back 45

more protons than electrons, positive net charge.

Front 46

Anion

Back 46

more electrons than protons, net negative charge.

Front 47

molecules

Back 47

groups of atoms bonded together, made of same type of atoms. can be positive or negative charge.

Front 48

chemical reaction

Back 48

atoms combine with or break apart from other atoms. foundation of all life processes on the physical plane.

Front 49

chemical bonds

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atoms in molecules and compounds are held together by forces of attraction called chemical bonds. can be ionic or covalent.

Front 50

covalent bond

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occurs when neither of the combining atoms loses or gains an electron; instead they share one, two, or three electron pairs.far more common in organisms than ionic bonds and are far more strong and stable.

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ionic bond

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results from the electrostatic interaction between ions. when a positively charged atom and a negatively charged atom are attracted to each other, an ionic bond occurs.

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Electron donors

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atoms that give up electrons

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electron acceptors

Back 53

atoms that pick up electrons.

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isotopes

Back 54

atoms of a given element with differing numbers of neutrons

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radioisotopes

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isotopes that are unstable because they continuously undergo alteration of their nuclear structure as they try to form a more stable configuration. this nuclear "decay" process causes the atoms to emit radiation.

Front 56

inorganic compounds

Back 56

small, ionically bonded molecules that lack carbon. some are vital to bodily function; they include water, many of the salts, as well as acids and bases.

Front 57

organic compounds

Back 57

molecules which contain carbon

Front 58

potential energy

Back 58

is inactive or stored.

Front 59

kinetic energy

Back 59

the energy of motion

Front 60

chemical energy

Back 60

released or absorbed in the breakdown or formation of chemical bonds. this energy is utilized when we metabolize food.

Front 61

mechanical energy

Back 61

that which is directly involved in movement.

Front 62

radiant energy

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such as heat and light, travels in waves. some heat is released during breakdown processes in the body; this helps maintain body temperature.

Front 63

electrical energy

Back 63

the result of the flow of charges, electrons or charged atoms called ions. it is essential for the conduction of nerve impulses. our muscles will not work without the electrical impulses from the attached nerves

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ionization

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when molecules of inorganic compounds such as acids, bases, or salts are dissolved in water they break apart into ions. such atoms are called electrolytes because they will conduct an electrical current.

Front 65

electrolytes

Back 65

in the body consist of essential minerals which help maintain normal fluid balance, conduct electrical impulses in the nerves and muscles, and make up the skeletal system among many other functions.

Front 66

serum electrolytes

Back 66

consist of ions dissolved in the blood that are responsible for maintaining pH in the body.

Front 67

potential of hydrogen (pH)

Back 67

the term used to describe the degree of acidity or alkalinity (basicity) of a solution. a scale of 1 to 14 is used. 1 describes the most acidic, 14 describes the most alkaline; 7.0 describes neuftrality.

Front 68

biochemical reaction

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(reactions that occur in living systems) very sensitive to small changes in the pH balance.

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buffer system

Back 69

a reserve of molecules which are utilized as needed to help resist large swings in pH; its essential function is to react with strong acids or bases in the body and replace them with weak acids or bases that will change the pH values only slightly. Carbonic acid and bicarbonate are both produced by the body and are important buffers involved in the maintenance of normal blood pH.

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organic compounds

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always contain carbon and hydrogen. carbon is a unique life-supporting element. because it has four electrons in its outer shell, it can combine with a variety of other atoms, including other carbon atoms to form straight chains, or branched chains and ring-shaped molecules.

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organic compounds held together almost entirely by covalent bonds:

Back 71

carbohydrates, fats, proteins, nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

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carbohydrates

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a large group of organic compounds known as sugars and starches. their principle function is to provide the most readily available source of energy to sustain life. they are mainly composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.

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monosaccharides

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simple sugars containing three to seven carbon atoms. glucose and fructose are in this category. although they have the same types of atoms, they are arranged differently, resulting in two different sugars.

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disaccharides

Back 74

consist of two monosaccharides which are chemically joined. this combining process results in the loss of a water molecule and is called dehydration synthesis. sucrose, or white table sugar is an example of this carbohydrate, it is a combination of fructose and glucose. disaccharides can be broken down into small molecules by adding water; this is called digestion.

Front 75

polysaccharides

Back 75

long chains of monosaccharides joined together through dehydration synthesis; they lack the sweetness of sugars. one of the main polysaccharides is glycogen.

Front 76

Lipids or fats

Back 76

composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. among these are fats, phospholipids (lipids that contain phosphorus), steroids, carotenes, vitamins E and K and prostaglandins

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fat molecule (triglyceride)

Back 77

consists of one molecule of glycerol and three of fatty acids.

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lipids

Back 78

form via a dehydration process as water is lost.

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fats

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represent the body's most highly concentrated source of energy, but are 10 to 12%less efficient as body fuels than are carbohydrates.

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saturated fat

Back 80

contains no double bonds between any of its carbon atoms, and all the carbon atoms are bonded to the maximum number of hydrogen atoms; thus this fat is saturated with hydrogen atoms. most of these are animal fatswhich remain solid at room temperature.

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unsaturated fat

Back 81

contains one or more double covalent bonds between its carbon atoms and is not completely saturated with hydrogen atoms. examples are olive and peanut oil which remain liquid at room temperature.

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polyunsaturated fats

Back 82

contain two or more double covalent bonds between their carbon atoms. corn, safflower, and sunflower oils are examples of polyunsaturated fats.

Front 83

prostaglandins

Back 83

a large group of membrane-associated fats composed of 20 carbon fatty acids containing five carbon atoms joined to form a ring. they are called local hormones because they are produced by cells in certain localized areas of the body (such as the uterine musculature) and influence the functioning of their neighbor cells. although synthesized in minute amounts, they simulate hormones and are involved in the regulation of many hormonal responses.

Front 84

proteins

Back 84

complex structures responsible fore many bodily activities. proteins in the form of enzymes speed up many essential biochemical reactions. antibodies are proteins that provide defenses against disease conditions. chemically, proteins always contain carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. many also contain sulfur and phosphorus.

Front 85

amino acids

Back 85

the building blocks of proteins. the bonds between amino acids are called peptide bonds. amino acids combine to form more complex molecules, called polypeptides, while water molecules are lost through dehydration synthesis. at least 20 different amino acids are found in proteins. specific combinations of some of these amino acids produce different types of proteins.

Front 86

nucleic acid

Back 86

large organic molecules containing carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus

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nucleotides

Back 87

the basic units of nucleic acids

Front 88

three parts of a nucleotide:

Back 88

1. a nitrogen base; these are ring-shaped structures containing carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen. they can be one of five possible nitrogen bases: the double-ringed structures of cytosine, guanine, and uracil (called pyrimidines.
2. a pentose sugar (either deoxyribose or ribose.
3. a phosphate group.
   

Front 89

doxyribonucleic acid (DNA)

Back 89

a molecule consisting of two strands of chemicals with crossbars (a ladder), which twist about each other to form a spiral staircase shape. the uprights of the ladder consist of alternating phosphate groups and deoxyribose portions of the nucleotides. the rungs of the ladder have two halves which consist of paired nitrogen bases.

Front 90

adenine pairs with

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thymine

Front 91

cytosine pairs with

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guanine

Front 92

genes

Back 92

segments of DNA molecules. they determine our inherited traits and control bodily activities throughout our lifetime. when a cell divides, its hereditary information is passed on to the next generation of cells via the genes.

Front 93

ribonucleic acid (RNA)

Back 93

single stranded and its sugar is ribose. it does not contain thymine, but does contain the nitrogen base uracil. has a specific role to perform with DNA in protein synthesis reactions.

Front 94

adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

Back 94

essential to the life of the cell because it stores energy for various cellular activities. it consists of the phosphate groups adenine and the ribose sugar. when its energy is released, another type of molecule, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), is formed. ADP can be converted back to ATP using the energy supplied by various breakdown reactions, especially that of glucose.

Front 95

cyclic adenosine-3'5'-monophosphate

(cyclic AMP)

Back 95

a molecule of adenosine monophosphate with the phosphate attached to the ribose sugar at two places. it functions in certain hormonal reactions