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Biochem Unit 1 Lesson 1 Introduction to Biochemistry - for

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Nursing (University of St. La Salle)

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Unit 1: The Science of Biochemistry

Science as we all know is such a huge body of knowledge. It is divided into the living
and non-living aspects of nature, such as physical and biological sciences. While the physical
component of science generally deals with the inanimate objects and tries to elucidate the
occurrences of natural phenomena, the biological component offers theoretical explanations
and pieces of evidence of the existence of life. Biochemistry is one of the important
branches of science. It is defined as the chemistry of the living cell. Biochemistry uses basic
laws of chemistry, biology and physics to explain processes of living cells. Its ultimate goal is
to explain all life processes in molecular detail. Because life processes are performed by
organic molecules the discipline of biochemistry relies heavily on fundamental principles of
organic chemistry and other basic sciences. It is of no surprise that the first "biochemists"
actually were organic chemists who specialized in the chemistry of compounds derived from
living organisms.

The science of biochemistry leads us to fundamental understanding of life and

comprehension of important issues in medicine, health, and nutrition. It has led to greater
molecular understanding of diseases such as diabetes, sickle cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis
among others. Likewise, advances biotechnology industries that focuses on the application of
biological cells, cell components, and biological properties to technically and industrially
useful operations. Many literatures provided a substantial historical overview of some of the
key contributions of the early chemists, and of modern 20th century biochemists who have
lead the discipline to where it is today.

The science of biochemistry deals with three major areas of study, namely: (1)
Structural and Functional Biochemistry which discusses the chemical structures and 3D
arrangements of molecules, (2) Informational Biochemistry which deals with the language for
storing biological data and for transmitting the data in cells and organisms, and (3)
Bioenergetics which explains the flow of energy in living organisms and how it is transferred
from one process to another.

As nursing students, it is expected that you must have equipped yourselves with the
tools needed in the study of biochemistry. Among these are the knowledge of chemical
structures and reactivity of molecules that participate in cellular reactions ; knowledge of
biological function of cellular molecules and the knowledge on how all of the pieces and
different pathways fit together. In general, the science of biochemistry requires you to use
the knowledge and understanding you have gained from general chemistry, organic
chemistry, and biology and apply it to biological systems.

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Lesson 1 Introduction to Biochemistry

Desired Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the unit, the students must have
1. identified the scope and importance of biochemistry;
2. described the different attributes of life;
3. appreciated the importance of the roles of chemicals of life;
4. discussed the importance of water as a nutrient;
5. differentiated prokaryotes from eukaryotes;
6. identified some distinguishing features between plant and animal cells;
7. described the different methods of material transfer;
8. explained why carbon is an important element;
9. enumerated the unique characteristics of carbon atom;
10. identified some bonding patterns among hydrocarbons;
11. differentiated organic from inorganic compounds;
12. classified organic compounds based on their functional groups;
13. drawn structural formulas of organic compounds;
14. described the basic characteristics of biomolecules;
15. determined the properties of water that make it suitable medium for sustaining
life in biological systems.

Pretest:

Direction: Read each statement carefully. Choose the letter of the preceding word or
expression that best completes the statement.
1. Single-celled organisms are also called-C
a. multicellular c. unicellular
b. bacteria d. viruses

2. Organisms that are made up of more than one cell are called-D
a. viruses c. unicellular
b. bacteria d. multicellular

3. Plants obtain energy from-B

a. soil c. anabolism
b. sunlight d. fertilizer

4. An organism’s ability to maintain constant conditions necessary for life is known as-D
a. stimulus c. catabolism
b. photosynthesis d. homeostasis

5. Which of the following structures serves as the cell’s boundary from its environment? -B
a. mitochondrion c. chloroplast
b. cell membrane d. channel protein

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6. Which property of water can be used to explain why it is able to dissolve many substances?
-B
a. High heat of vaporization c. High heat capacity
b. Polar structure d. Strong cohesion

7. On a hot summer day, a fish in a shallow pond does not experience a spike in temperature
and does not lose its habitat to evaporation. What properties of water are at work to provide
these protections? - D
a. High heat capacity and high surface tension
b. Strong cohesive properties and high heat of vaporization
c. Strong adhesive properties and high heat capacity
d. High heat capacity and high heat of vaporization

8. Which of the following statements concerning organic compounds is correct?-C

a. Organic compounds are always soluble in water.
b. Organic compounds are found only in non-living systems.
c. Organic compounds always contain the element carbon.
d. Organic compounds cannot be found in nature; they must be synthesized in a
laboratory.

9. The strongest intermolecular interactions between ethyl alcohol (CH 3CH2OH) molecules arise
From- D
a. dipole-dipole forces. c. ion-dipole interactions.
b. London dispersion forces. d. hydrogen bonding.

10. The strongest intermolecular interactions between hydrogen sulfide (H 2S) molecules arise
From- B
a. dipole-dipole forces. c. ion-dipole interactions.
b. London dispersion forces. d. disulfide linkages.

11. Comparing the energies of the following intermolecular forces on a kJ/mol basis, which
would normally have the highest energy (strongest force)? D
a. ion-induced dipole c. dipole-dipole
b. dipole-induced dipole d. ion-dipole

12. Which of the following is a function of the cell membrane? D

a. breaks down lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins from foods
b. stores water, salt, proteins, and carbohydrates
c. keeps the cell wall in place
d. regulates the movement of materials into and out of the cell

13. Which of the following activities is NOT a way that unicellular organisms maintain
homeostasis? B
a. reproduction c. cell specialization
b. growth d. response to the environment

14. During diffusion, when the concentration of molecules on both sides of a membrane is the
same, the molecules will C
a. move across the membrane to the outside of the cell.
b. stop moving across the membrane.

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c. continue to move across the membrane in both directions.

d. move across the membrane to the inside of the cell.

15. The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane is called B

a. dialysis c. diffusion
b. osmosis d. active transport

16. An animal cell that is surrounded by fresh water will burst because the osmotic pressure
Causes A
a. water to move into the cell c. solutes to move into the cell
b. water to move out of the cell d. solutes to move out of the cell

17. Which means of particle transport requires input of energy from the cell? D
a. diffusion c. facilitated diffusion
b. osmosis d. active transport

18. One of the functional group classifications is characterized by the presence of an sp 2

hybridized carbon atom. This functional group could be: D
a. alkyl halide c. alcohol
b. alkyne d. aldehyde

19. Which of the following functional group classifications does not contain oxygen? B
a. ether c. aldehyde
b. thiol d. ester

20. The correct IUPAC name for is C

a. 1-methyl-2-cyclohexene c. 1-methylcyclohexene
b. 1-methylbenzene d. 2-methylbenzene

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Activate Prior Knowledge

Activity 1: What’s in a pic?

A. Look at the different pictures below

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10 11 12
B. List the characteristics of the different species of organism that you find in those
pictures. What makes those characteristics unique from each specie?

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C. If there is one common characteristic among those species, what would it be?

Activity 2: Review of General Chemistry on the topic: Chemical Bonding and Organic
Compounds
A. What are chemical bonds? What are the different kinds of chemical bonds?
B. What are organic compounds?
C. Why is carbon atom unique?
D. What are the different functional groups? Give at least 3 examples for
each functional group and their biological importance.

Acquire New Knowledge

1.1. Biochemistry, Scope and Importance

Read the article: Biochemistry, Scope and Importance by Sezanur.Rahman

Source: http://biogeny.net/view/Biochemistry,_Scope_and_Importance

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Students Assessment Questions

1. What is biochemistry?

2. What are the different scopes of biochemistry?

3. Why is biochemistry an important branch of science?

4. As a nursing student, how is biochemistry relevant to your course?

1.2. The Attributes of Life

Based on Activity No. 1, as a group discuss among yourselves the common

characteristics that you have identified among those species in the pictures. Read pages
1-8 of the supplementary reference material: (Biochemistry for Nursing Students by
Zenaida T. Nucum, C & E Publishing, Inc. 2005).

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Students Assessment Questions

5. What are the different attributes of life? Describe each.

6. Give specific examples of living organisms that particularly exhibit each of

those attributes.

7. What are the materials needed by living organisms in order to survive?

8. Why is water an important substance?

9. What are the different classifications of biomolecules? Describe each.

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1.3. The Cellular Basis of Life

A. Look at the two illustrations of plant and animal cells, can you identify some
similarities and differences between them? What are these?

B. Watch the video on plant and animal cells by clicking the link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URUJD5NEXC8

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Students Assessment Questions

10. What are the similarities and differences between prokaryotes and
eukaryotes?

11. Complete the table on cell structures by providing the descriptions and
functions of each organelle.

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Cell Structures and their Functions

Structure Description Function

Cell Wall/
Cell Membrane
Structural Cytoskeleton
Elements
Flagella and Cilia

Plasma Membrane

Endoplasmic Reticulum

Nucleus
Plasma Membrane and
Endomembrane System
Golgi Complex

Lysosomes

Peroxisomes

Mitochondria
Energy-
Chloroplast
Producing

Chromosomes

Gene Nucleolus
Expression
Ribosome

1.4. Water and Its Properties and Methods of Material Transfer

Perform Laboratory Experiment No. 1: Water and its properties

Unit 1 Lesson 1 Students Assessment Questions

13. What are some properties of water that make it a suitable medium for
sustaining life in biological systems?

14. What are the different methods of material transfer? Describe each.

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Application:
1. Complete the table below by comparing the attributes of life between plants and
animals. Give specific example for each attribute of life.

Basis for Comparison Plants Animals

1. Adaptation
2. Sensitivity
3. Metabolism
4. Complexity
5. Regulation
6. Locomotion
7. Organization
8. Reproduction
9. Size and Shape
10. Stereospecificity
11. Growth and Repair
12. Variation and Change

2. Identify the different functional groups that you can see in the given structures below.
Provide the names of each structure and give their biological importance.

3. Why are waxes insoluble in water but soluble in gasoline? Explain in terms of their chemical
properties.

4. Water spreads out in one large puddle on a sheet of glass. Water beads up as numerous
small spheres on a second sheet of glass that has been treated with a mineral solution.
Explain this phenomenon.

5. Identify what property of water is demonstrated in each picture below.

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A B C

D E

Assessment:
Note: The posttest shall be given on an agreed date or schedule after the lesson.

Answers to Pretest:

1. C. Unicellular 11. D. Ion-dipole

2. D. Multicellular 12. D. Regulates the movement of
materials into and out of the cell
3. B. Sunlight 13. B. Growth
4. D. Homeostasis 14. C. Continue to move across the
membrane in both directions
5. B. Cell membrane 15. B. Osmosis
6. B. Polar structure 16. A. Water to move into the cell
7. D. High heat capacity and high 17. D. Active transport
heat of vaporization
8. C. Organic compounds always 18. D. Aldehyde
contain the element carbon
9. D. Hydrogen bonding 19. B. Thiol
10. A. Dipole-dipole forces 20. C. 1-methylcyclohexene

References:

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Karp, Gerald (2009). Cell and Molecular Biology: Concepts and Experiments. John Wiley & Sons.
ISBN 9780470483374

Nucum, Zenaida (2005). Biochemistry for Nursing Students. C & E Publishing, Inc. ISBN 971-
584-397-2

Singh P1, Batra HS, Naithani M. (2004) History of biochemistry. Bull Indian Inst Hist
Med Hyderabad. Jan-Jun; 34 (1):75-86. PMID: 17152615

Stoker, H. Stephen (2015). Organic and Biological Chemistry. Cengage Learning. ISBN
9781305686458.

Other Online References:

http://www.acs.org/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biochemistry

http://biochemistryden.blogspot.com/2010/02/introduction-scope-of biochemistry.html

http://www.rajaha.com/importance-biochemistry/

https://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/lists/all

https://meromicrobiology.blogspot.com/2016/10/introduction-of-biochemistry-and-its.html
(Kaushal Mishra, June 28, 2020)

https://www.chem.purdue.edu/courses/chm333/Spring%202013/Lectures/Spring
%202013%20Lecture%202%20-%204.pdf

https://sites.google.com/a/wpsk12.org/msbarron/apbiology/biochemistry/biochemistry-
worksheets

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URUJD5NEXC8

Prepared by; Ricky M. Magno, LPT., Ph.D.

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Prepared by; Ricky M. Magno, LPT., Ph.D.

Downloaded by Kaye Roldan ([email protected])