Other
BTEC Applied Science: Biological molecules and biochemical processes Unit 10 Assignment 1
- Course
- Institution
- Book
This assignment got me a Distinction and my overall grade for the year was a distinction*
[Show more]
Connected book
Book Title:
Author(s):
- Edition:
- ISBN:
- Edition:
More summaries for
-
BTEC Applied Science Unit 2, Assignment D (FULL ASSIGNMENT)
-
BTEC Applied Science Unit 2, Assignment C (FULL ASSIGNMENT)
-
BTEC Applied Science Unit 2, Assignment B (FULL ASSIGNMENT)
8 reviews
By: eileenbaker • 1 year ago
By: ayaanmalik • 3 year ago
By: vsk14072004 • 3 year ago
By: hassaanhussain • 3 year ago
By: aimeenew • 3 year ago
By: riazwilkins44 • 3 year ago
By: deborahfernando • 3 year ago
Seller
Follow
Sydnee
Reviews received
Content preview
Biological molecules and biochemicalprocesses
A: Understand the structure and function of biological molecules and their
importance in maintaining biochemical processes
Water structure and bonding and importance
Water is a small molecule with the molecular formula: H2O consisting of
two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom which are covalently bonded
together – This means they share electrons to create a strong electrostatic
attraction.
The electrons are not shared evenly; as shown in the diagram, the oxygen
atom pulls negatively charged electrons to it and away from the hydrogen
atoms. In each covalent bond the electrons are not shared evenly due to the
fact that oxygen is more electronegative than hydrogen, creating an uneven
distribution across the molecule.
Water is also described as a polar molecule; this is because the water
molecule has regions of partial negative charge near to the oxygen and
partial positive charges near to the hydrogens. Water is structured through
hydrogen bonds, where the delta + (The hydrogen molecule) bonds with
the delta – (The oxygen molecule). Hydrogen bonds are essential for some
of the unique properties of water, for example, the hydrogen bonds in
water cause the molecule to have a high heat of vaporisation-meaning that
a large amount of heat Is required for water to become a vapour. The
hydrogen bonds also allow water to remain as a liquid for a wider range of
temperatures.
https://alevelbiology.co.uk/notes/water-structure-properties/ https://www.quora.com/Why-do-lipids-not-dissolve-
in-water
, Importance of water
Water is very important and has many functions. These functions include:
- As a transport of molecules – Water is a good transport medium in
living organisms because it stays in liquid state over a large
temperature range.
- Acting as a medium for chemical reactions – All metabolic processes
in organisms rely on chemicals to be able to react together in a
solution. Water is a good solvent for chemical reactions, this is
because the polar molecules dissolve in water because it is a solvent
and has an uneven charge distribution across the molecule.
- Regulating pH – At a PH level of 7, water contains equal
concentrations of H+ (Positively charged hydrogen ion) and OH- ions
(oxygen and hydrogen atom held together by a covalent bond,
holding a negative electric charge). Living organisms are very
sensitive to pH and function best when internal conditions are closest
to the optimum pH, therefore, water plays an important role in
regulating the pH in living organisms. Buffer solution is a solution
that resists changes in pH when small quantities of an acid or alkali
are added to it, buffer solutions can be found in blood. They stop to
pH changing when hydrogen or hydroxide ions are added. Water also
has the ability to accept and donate H+ where necessary, meaning
that it plays an important role in keeping pH steady and so without
water, solutions would be unable to keep the pH required
- Temperature regulator – Water has the ability to withstand
temperature changes as it requires a lot of energy to change the
temperature. This is due to the hydrogen bonds between water
molecules – when the temperature rises, water molecules gain more
kinetic energy and vibrate more to break the hydrogen bonds
between the water molecules. Many organisms are mainly composed
of water, the fact that water does not change temperature rapidly
enables these organisms to regulate their internal body temperature.
For example, our body temperature does not drastically change or
drop to the same temperature as the outside temperature when we
go out in the snow. It is very important for your body temperature to
remain stable to ensure that the temperature is optimum for enzyme
activity inside the body.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Sydnee. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $10.41. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
73216 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now