Important Chemicals

Acids (H donors) and Basses (H receivers).

Crystals.

• Salt
• Sugar
• Diamond (Carbon)

Catalyst: A chemical that speeds or aids a reaction without being used in the reaction.
An enzyme is a protein which catalyses reactions (especially in living organisms).

Polomers: Molecules connected together in long "strings"; the basic units of which are called Monomers.
e.g. Nylon, Cellulose, Starch.

Amino Acid: A compound having the basic structure of a carboxyl group ( -COOH) and an amino group ( H-N-H ). These chemicals bond easily together to form polomer chains called Proteins. There are 23 different amino acids that are used by living organisms to build proteins.

Proteins: Polomers of amino acids. These are the "building blocks of life". Essentially, the number of possible proteins is infinite.

Nucleic acid: a polomer formed of sugars connected to bases with Phosphate bridges connecting sugars.

• DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). Has the bases: Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine, and Guanine. This chemical stores the genetic information of living organisms.
  It is composed of a double helix (the shape of a spring) with Guanine attaching to Cytosine and Adenine attaching to Thymine.
• RNA (ribonucleic acid). Has the bases: Adenine, Uracil, Cytosine, and Guanine. This chemical bridges the steps between the DNA information and Protein synthesis.
  Here, Guanine and Cytosine still have an affinity for each other but Uracil replaces Thymine.

Lipids: Long non-polar hydrocarbon chains connected to a single short section.
Such as: fats, steroids,...

DNA replication and Protein synthesis:

• m-RNA
• t-RNA
• ribosomes

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