GENERAL CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY (UNIT C)
cod. 1002990

Academic year 2009/10
1° year of course - First semester
Professor
Academic discipline
Biochimica (BIO/10)
Field
Biomedico
Type of training activity
Basic
16 hours
of face-to-face activities
2 credits
hub: -
course unit
in - - -

Integrated course unit module: BIOCHEMISTRY AND PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY

Learning objectives

On the basis of the electronic structure of the atom, to rationalize the properties of pure substance, either the inorganic/organic compounds and the biological macromolecules.

Prerequisites

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Course unit content

General chemistry <br />
Physical and chemical transformations, elements and compounds. Atom components; ions. Atomic and molecular mass; mole. Electronic configuration of elements. Periodic Table of Elements. <br />
Chemical bonding: ionic, covalent bonding. Shape and polarity of water, methane and ammonia molecules. Hydrogen bonding and other intermolecular forces. <br />
Water as a solvent. Properties of solutions. Expressing solute concentration in percent fractions w/w, w/v, molarity. Significance of osmotic pressure. <br />
Chemical kinetics: molecular collisions theory and activation energy. Factors affecting the chemical reaction rate: presence of catalysts. Free energy (G) and spontaneity of reactions. Enzymes, coenzymes and biological oxidation-reduction reactions. <br />
Chemical equilibrium. The equilibrium constant and Le Chatelier’s principle. <br />
Ionic dissociation of water, definition of pH. Acidic and basic compounds, acid-base equilibria. Strength of acids and bases.  The effect of a buffer solution; physiological buffer systems. <br />
Organic chemistry and propedeutic biochemistry. <br />
Hydrocarbons: aliphatic and aromatic compounds, nomenclature. <br />
Functional groups: classification and features. Alcohols, ethers, aldehydes and ketones, carboxylic acids, esters, amines. <br />
Principal carbohydrates: monosaccharides (glucose, fructose), disaccharides, polysaccharides. Lipids: fatty acids, glycerides. Amminoacids and proteins, the peptide bond. Notions of protein structure. Composition and structure of nucleic acids. <br />
Thermodynamics of biological reactions. ATP and cellular metabolism. Oxidation and degradation reactions, biosynthetic reactions. <br />

Full programme

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Bibliography

 La chimica in moduli (A-H), Ed. Zanichelli <br />
Authors:  Valitutti, Tifi, Gentile <br />

Teaching methods

Frontal lessons aided by presentations and animations files. Oral exam.

Assessment methods and criteria

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Other information

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