Study Guide 1-3

Lecture 1.3 Chemistry of Life Competencies and Study Guide

Vocabulary

  • Element (Elementary substance)
  • Atom
  • Molecule
  • Valence
  • Covalent Bond
  • Ionic Bond
  • Hydrogen Bond

Competencies

Mastery of this lecture will allow you to do the following. These competencies will form the basis of the quiz for this lecture, and some questions on the first and final exams.

  1. State NASA’s working description of life (as stated in NASA’s publication, The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems).
  2. State the first 3 characteristics of life identified by NASA in The Limits of Organic Life in Planetary Systems as listed in the lecture slides. (NOTE: These do not necessarily coincide with the text or general websites focused on high school AP Biology.)
  3. Describe the basic structure of an atom, including the following aspects of its subatomic particles:
    1. Their names;
    2. Locations in the atom;
    3. Charges; and
    4. Relative masses.
  4. List the 6 most common elements and 5 most common ions in living things.
  5. State the approximate proportions of living matter made up of oxygen and carbon, by mass.
  6. Explain the electron orbital shapes and energies in the most specific (not simplified) way you can.
  7. State the basic bonding rules between 2 nonmetals and a metal with a nonmetal.
  8. Explain why biologists are concerned mainly with covalent, instead of ionic, bonds.
  9. Explain how covalent bonds form.
  10. Compare and contrast single, double and triple covalent bonds.
  11. Compare and contrast polar and nonpolar covalent bonds.
  12. Describe the relative bond strengths of covalent, ionic and hydrogen bonds.
  13. Describe Andrew Pohorille’s explanation of why living systems on Earth are based on water.
  14. Describe the evidence from MEP’s landers that Mars had water, and at one time it flowed on the planet’s surface.
  15. Describe the evidence from orbiters and Mars Phoenix showing that Mars currently has water at the poles.