Question

List the four most abundant elements in the human body. What do we call an atom or molecule with an electrical charge? Give TWO (2) reasons why water is essential for life. Identify the four major classes of organic compounds in the body, giving one example of each. Provide THREE (3) examples of how proteins are used in the body. What is ATP and why is it important?

Answer 1

ANSWER :

1. The four most abundant elements in the body :-

a. Carbon

b. Hydrogen

c. Oxygen

d. Nitrogen

2. When an atom or molecule releases one or more electrons from its outermost shell, then it's known as cation and achieve positive electrical charge upon it, while if gains one or more electrons then called as anion, and attains a negative charge.  

3. The two specific reasons for that, water is essential for life :-

A. The water acts as universal solvent, because most of the chemical compounds dissolve in it.

B. Due to having high specify heat capacity, it assists to maintain thermoregulation in the body over a wide range of temperatures.

3. The four major classes of organic compound in the body :-

A. Carbohydrate (glucose)

B. Protein (myosin)

C. Nucleic acid (DNA)

E. Lipid (cholesterol)

4. There several types of proteins found in the body, and used in different physiological processes such as hemostasis (blood clot formation), development of muscles, producing many biocatalysts or enzymes for specific biochemical reactions in the body etc.

5. The ATP (adenosine triphosphate) is an essential chemical compound, that produce during the cellular respiration and primarily function to provide energy for doing different biological activities. Hence known as major energy currency in the body of living organisms.