Molecules of Life

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Inorganic ions ➢ Inorganic ions are important for the structures and metabolism of all living organism ➢ An ion is an atom or a group of atom which has overall electric charge. ➢ Inorganic ion are water soluble
|Ions |Roles/Functions |
|Calcium (Ca2+) |Make teeth and bones |
| |Make calcium pectate to hold the cell walls of neighbouring |
| |plant cells together |
|Magnesium (Mg2+) |Make teeth and bones |
| |Make chlorophyll |
|Nitrate (NO3-) |Make amino acids and nucleotides |
|Iron(II) (Fe2+) |Part of haemoglobin which transport oxygen |

Water
Water provides an environment that • Has a fairly stable temperatures • Is transparent so that light can penetrate for plant

Polar substances which can dissolves in water are called hydrophilic while non-polar substances which do not interact with water are called hydrophobic

Water as an universal solvent
Ions and polar molecules are charged. They are attracted to water molecules because of the weak positive and negative poles and are therefore dispersed easily in water forming solution

Water is an universal solvent (due to its high polarity) for numerous of biochemical molecules, giving solution and enabling • Transport of nutrients • Secretion of substances

Water in metabolic reactions