CH12001: Introduction to biological chemistry
[Page last updated: 23 October 2023]
| Academic Year: | 2023/24 |
| Owning Department/School: | Department of Chemistry |
| Credits: | 10 [equivalent to 20 CATS credits] |
| Notional Study Hours: | 200 |
| Level: | Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
| Period: |
- Academic Year
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| Assessment Summary: | EXCB 65%, EXIC 35% |
| Assessment Detail: |
- Written examination (EXCB 65%)
- MCQ Test (EXIC 35%)
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| Supplementary Assessment: |
- Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
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| Requisites: |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* Understand how the principles of organic chemistry can be applied to biology.
* Understand how the principles of inorganic chemistry can be applied to biology.
* Understand how the principles of thermodynamics can be applied to biology.
* Describe the determination of chemical reaction rates.
* Analyse experimental kinetic data and classify reactions.
* Solve straightforward problems involving the material covered.
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| Synopsis: | This unit provides an introduction to the chemical mechanisms that govern biological systems. Through lectures and workshops you will develop an understanding of the fundamental organic, inorganic and physical processes underpinning biochemistry.
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| Content: | PART 1 (ORGANIC)
- Drawing biological structures
- Curly arrows
- Resonance
- Tautomerism
- Conjugation
- Acids and bases
- Conformation
- Configuration
- Substitution reactions
- The carbonyl group in biology (examples)
- General properties of C=O compounds
- Four main types of reaction:
1) Nucleophilic addition
2) Nucleophilic substitution
3) Nucleophilic substitution with loss of the C=O oxygen
4) a-Substitution
PART 2 (INORGANIC)
Coordination chemistry
Complexes: Lewis acids and bases; ligands; denticity; hard and soft metals and ligands; coordination sphere; chelate effect; coordination number; coordination geometries; macrocycles; crown ethers; cryptands; crystal field theory; metal clusters
Metal ions in biology
Structure; transport of ions; transport of gases; enzymes; detoxification; electron transfer
PART 3 (THERMODYNAMICS) Free Energy
- ATP, Conservation of Energy, and Coupled Reactions
- Redox reactions in biology
- Entropy
PART 4 (KINETICS)
Rate Law
How to express and predict progress in chemical reactions
Determining Kinetic Laws & Constants
Experimental and methodological approaches
Temperature Effects
How to speed up chemical reactions
More Complex Mechanisms: Enzyme Catalysis
The rate determining step and expressing coupled rate laws. Lineweaver-Burk analysis.
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| Course availability: |
CH12001 is Compulsory on the following courses:
Department of Chemistry
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
- USSC-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
- USSC-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
- USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biochemistry and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
- USSC-AFM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) (Year 1)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with Study year abroad (Year 1)
- USSC-AKM10 : MSci(Hons) Natural Sciences (Biology and Pharmacology) with professional placement (Year 1)
Department of Life Sciences
- USSL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry (Year 1)
- USSL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Biochemistry with professional placement (Year 1)
- USSL-AFM10 : MBiochem(Hons) Biochemistry (Year 1)
- USSL-AKM10 : MBiochem(Hons) Biochemistry with professional placement (Year 1)
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Notes: - This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2023/24 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2024/25 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2023/24.
- Courses and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
- Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
- Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.
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