Chemistry 104: Beginnings in Biochemistry

Instructor:

Dr. Kelly Drew

Office/office hrs:

184 NSCI / Tues. and Thurs. 1:00-2:00

Telephone:

474- 5501

e-mail:

ffkld@uaf.edu

fax:

474-5640

Lecture:

Tues. and Thurs. 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
 

NSCI 202

Lab:

T 3:00 - 6:00 pm; W 2:15 - 5:15 pm
 

NSF 241

Homework:

Due at the end of class. Late HW is not accepted.
   
   

Course Description:

This is an introductory course in organic and biochemistry for liberal arts and health science majors. Structure is Function is a recurrent theme in the course. Molecular shape determines function. Current events in society are discussed in terms of underlying principles in organic and biochemistry.

Prerequisite: High school chemistry, chem 103 or chem 105
   

Text:

Hill et al., Chemistry and Life, 5th Edition. The course will cover selected topics in the second half of the text.

Other required reading:

Choose one of the following as required reading: (You may take a test on just one book. The purpose of the test is to verify that you read the book in the past few months. You may hand in a book report on the day of the test to supplement your book test grade.)

Cantor's Dilemma by Carl Djerassi: This is an easy to read fictional story that highlights many practical, personal and ethical aspects biochemists face on a daily basis.

The Teachings of Don Juan by Carlos Castenada: This book portrays a cross cultural perspective of organic and biochemistry. It is longer and more difficult to read than Cantor's Dilemma.

Apprentice to Genius by Robert Kanigel: This is a true story that describes the drama associated with nobel prize winning discoveries in the field of biomedical research. "Robert Kanigel takes us into the heady world of a remarkable group of scientists…He captures the drama of fine minds and explosive personalities at work. As we watch ideas debated, experiments working and failing, careers and relationships tested, and professional honors lost and won, we see close up all that is so deeply human in the practice of science. Reading difficulty is between Cantor's dilemma and The Teachings of Don Juan.

The Case of the Frozen Addicts by J. William Langston and Jon Palfreman: This is a true story about designer drugs and Parkinson's disease. As described by a former student, "It seems to me to be about as difficult a read as Apprentice to Genius, but more interesting".

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton: Read this book about cloning dinosaurs with a skeptical eye.

Molecular Models

A set of molecular models available at the UAF bookstore is HIGHLY recommended. Try sharing a set between 2 or 3 people.

Homework, Exams and Grading:

Homework is due at the end of class. Late homework will not be accepted unless arrangements are made before the homework is late. Students may drop their 3 lowest homework grades. If you forget to hand in your homework at the end of class count it as one of 3 dropped grades; it will not be accepted for credit. Calculations must be included with answers (show your work) on HW, quizzes and tests or no credit will be given for the problem. There will be no make-up exams or quizzes except under extreme circumstances. If such circumstances arise notify the instructor or chemistry secretary before the scheduled time of the exam. If a make-up exam is approved it must be completed within 1 week of the original exam. Any student suspected by the instructor of cheating on a quiz or exam may be assigned a course grade of F; course drop forms will not be signed in these cases. The letter grades assigned will be based on the overall performance of the class but will usually be in the range 93-100=A, 80-92=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, and below 60 is failing.
   

Lab:

Unless prior arrangements are made with the TA, a student will not be able to participate in lab (and will receive a 0 for the lab) if she/he is more than 20 min late. Bring lab books and calculators to lab and read the lab in advance. If you read the lab in advance you will know what questions to ask before you make a mistake and you will get out of lab sooner. Hands-on activities are in addition to the regular laboratory exercises. Pre-labs are due at the beginning of lab. If a lab has a pre-lab assignment you will see (prelab) on the syllabus. Activities and Post-lab questions are due at the beginning of the following lab unless otherwise noted.

 

Assignments for Chemistry 104, Fall 1997
 

2 hour exams (100 pts ea.)

200 pts
 

3 Quizzes (25 pts ea.)

75 pts
 

Book Test

50 pts
 

Poster I: Organic Chemistry

100 pts
 

Poster II: Biochemistry

100 pts
 

DNA model

50 pts
 

Comprehensive final exam

100 pts
 

Lab

260 pts (14 labs, lowest lab grade will be dropped)
 

Hands-on lab activities

Approx. 50 pts.
 

Homework (5 pts ea.)

Approx. 105 pts (3 lowest will be dropped)
 

Approximate Total Possible:

1050
     
 

Date

lecture #

Title

Lab and Activity

Jan 13

1 R

Chilled Brains: An intro to biochemistry

  

Jan 18

2 T

Alkanes

Lab Safety Review and Carbon compounds (FC10, pg. 1-2)

Jan 20

3 R

Alkenes

Friday, Jan 21: Pearl Creek Science Night - Optional HW

  

Jan 25

4 T

Alkynes & Aromatics

Distillation of Petroleum, Covalent Bonds and Molecular Shape Activity (FC10 pg 2-3)

Jan 27

5 R

Quiz I (Lectures 1-4)

Functional Group (overview)

  

Feb 1

6 T

Scientific method and models

Poster Assignment

Functional Groups: Relating Structure to Properties (FC 10 pg 4-8) and Building Organic Models (prelab)

Feb 3

7 R

Alcohols

  

Feb 8

8 T

Review alkenes and polymerization and

Alcohols, aldehydes and ketones

Polymers: Birth, Death and Resurrection and Plastics and Recycling Codes

Feb 10

R

Exam I (Lectures # 1-8)

  

Feb 15

9 T

Acids, Esters and Amides

Synthetic Organic Chemistry: Synthesis of Aspirin (prelab)

Feb 17

10 R

Amines

 

Feb 22

11 T

Drugs & the Brain: Structure and Function

(Special Topic F)

Quantitative Determination of Acid Content in Fruit Juice and Dissolving organic acids and bases activity (prelab)

Feb 24

12 R

Poster Session: Organic Chemistry in the World Around You

  

Feb 29

13 T

Stereoisomerism

Isomers and Stereoisomers and Demonstration of stereospecific odor of (+) and (-) carvone activity

Mar 2

14 R

Carbohydrates

  

Mar 7

T

Quiz 2 (Lectures #9-14)

Carbohydrates: Classification and Physiological Actions ( NF 6 pg 1-4, 8-10) and Carbohydrates: Optical Activity (NF 7 pg. 1-3) and Optical Activity and Molecular Structure (NF 7 pg. 6-7)

Mar 9

15 R

Carbohydrates and Carbohydrate metabolism

 

Mar 14-20

  

Spring Break

 

Mar 21

16 T

Book Test (over chosen novel)

Proteins & The Chemistry of Starvation

Dipeptide and Amino Acid Identification (prelab) and Proteins and Amino Acids activity (NF 8, pg. 1-6)

Mar 23

17 R

Lipids, Lipid Metabolism: Ketosis, Obesity, Exercise & Diets

 

Mar 28

18 T

Enzymes

Estimating the Optimum pH & Temperature for Digestive Enzyme Activity (prelab), Triglyceride Activity and Degree of Unsaturation: Iodine Numbers activity

Mar 30

R

Exam II (Lectures # 9-17)

**Special session will be scheduled Monday evening (April 3) when projection screen is available to demonstrate applications for computer lab.

Apr 4

19 T

Nucleic Acids: Building blocks and DNA replication

Computer Lab (OCLC, Powerpoint, Hyperchem and Rasmol)

Apr 6

20 R

Protein Synthesis: RNA and transcription

 

Apr 11

21 T

Protein Synthesis: Translation and the genetic code.

Build a model to illustrate DNA, RNA and protein synthesis. TA must approve design before you begin building your model. Bring building or drawing materials to lab.

Computer model using Hyperchem is an option.

Apr 13

22 R

Apoptosis and DNA fingerprinting (RFLP)

  

Apr 18

23 T

Viruses, Cloning and Genetic Engineering

DNA fingerprinting

Apr 20

R

Quiz 3 (Lectures #19-23)

  

Apr 25

24 T

Could Jurassic Park Really Happen?

pGlo Transformation (genetic engineering)

Apr 27

25 R

Poster Session: Biochemistry in the News

  

May 4

10:15-12:15

Comprehensive Final Exam (Lectures #1-25)