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Carbon
Carbon
- 90% of the Earths Carbon is in the Mantle of the Earth
- In the mantle the pressure is so intense that any Carbon Dioxide is not a gas but solid crystals
- In the Crust the Carbon forms Stones - such as Graphite and Diamonds
- When Volcanoes erupt, the main gas is water, the second is Carbon Dioxide.
Next are Sulfur compounds, then Methane and Nitrogen compounds.
Next are Sulfur compounds, then Methane and Nitrogen compounds.
- This pumps Carbon Dioxide into the Atmosphere and into the oceans
Why is Carbon Important
Why is Carbon Important
- Carbon can form 4 strong bonds !!!!
- Shown above are Carbon containing molecules
- Carbon can form 4 separate bonds, as with CH4 (Methane)
- Carbon can have 2 double bonds, as with CO2 (Carbon Dioxide
- Carbon can form 1 very strong bond, as with CO (Carbon Monoxide)
- Carbon using the ability to form 4 strong bonds, Carbon can bind with other carbons to form pure carbon based compounds such as Diamonds and Graphite
- Methane is a Hydrocarbon, in that it contains both Hydrogen and Carbon
- At the deep sea vents, the water is hot to warm, this temperature and liquid environment allows chemical reactions to occur.
- These include the formation of longer chain hydrocarbons
- Petrol and oil are examples of long chain hydrocarbons - that have formed underground
- Interestingly, if you add oxygen to these chains, they become Fatty Acids - possibly the first biological molecules
Biochemistry = Life
Biochemistry = Life
ALL of the molecules of Life contain:
ALL of the molecules of Life contain:
Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
Carbon, Hydrogen and Oxygen
The molecules of life can be classified into 5 groups
Water
Lipids (Fats and Oils)
Carbohydrates (sugar, starch, fiber)
Proteins - these are the machines of life (amino acids)
Nucleotides (RNA and DNA)
Have a look at the structure of example molecules in each category - do they all contain Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen??
Lipids (Fats and Oils)
Lipids (Fats and Oils)
Carbohydrates (Sugar, starch, fiber)
Carbohydrates (Sugar, starch, fiber)
Glucose
Glucose
Cellulose
Cellulose
Proteins (Amino Acids = C, H, O + N)
Proteins (Amino Acids = C, H, O + N)
Nucleotides (DNA, RNA)
Nucleotides (DNA, RNA)
Prebiotic Chemistry - Before Life
Prebiotic Chemistry - Before Life
It is most likely that molecules similar to biological molecules were created in the warm sea water next to the Geothermal Vents
Here formed long chain hydrocarbons
Here also formed short CHO compounds Acetic Acid and Pyruvic Acid
Pyruvic Acid has the chemical Formula: C3H4O3
Its formula can also be written as: CH3COCOOH
Its base is Pyruvate and has the formula: CH3COCOO−
This formula ties together Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen.
Pyruvate can be broken down further into Water and Carbon dioxide
Pyruvate can also be added to, and used as a base molecule to build more complex structures such as carbohydrates, lipids and amino acids
Acetic Acid has the chemical formula: C2H4O2
Acetic Acid is also known as Ethanoic Acid or .... Vinegar
Acetic Acid's formula can also be written as: CH3COOH
These formula tie together Carbon, Oxygen and Hydrogen
Acetic Acid is another molecule from which more complex molecules can be made from
Prebiotic Chemistry - Almost Life
Prebiotic Chemistry - Almost Life
At some unknown stage these biological molecules became trapped inside a bubble of Fat
At some unknown stage these biological molecules became trapped inside a bubble of Fat
This bubble is full of water, the membrane of the bubble is lipid or fatty acids
This bubble is full of water, the membrane of the bubble is lipid or fatty acids
Inside the bubble is amino acids some of which have joined together to make the first proteins
Inside the bubble is amino acids some of which have joined together to make the first proteins
Inside this bubble, energy was released, allowing for chemical reactions to occur within the bubble
Inside this bubble, energy was released, allowing for chemical reactions to occur within the bubble
These chemical reactions eventually allowed amino acids to join up into proteins
These chemical reactions eventually allowed amino acids to join up into proteins
This bubble took in more Hydrocarbons from its environment, it grew larger, then split into two new bubbles
This bubble took in more Hydrocarbons from its environment, it grew larger, then split into two new bubbles
Over time these bubbles gained nucleotides - nucleotides assembled into a RNA/DNA hybrid from
Over time these bubbles gained nucleotides - nucleotides assembled into a RNA/DNA hybrid from
This influenced the order of joining of amino acids
This influenced the order of joining of amino acids
More energy was released inside the bubble - the beginning of cellular respiration?
More energy was released inside the bubble - the beginning of cellular respiration?
Then the bubble split again
Then the bubble split again
it replicated
it replicated
and life began
and life began
This is an extremely good video, I've placed it twice to emphasis that if you only watch one video on this page - it should be this one :-)
This is an extremely good video, I've placed it twice to emphasis that if you only watch one video on this page - it should be this one :-)
Chemical Evolution
Chemical Evolution
The Evolution of Chemicals that Became Life
The Evolution of Chemicals that Became Life
What follows are a couple of YouTube clips introducing organic chemistry and biological molecules. Watch them if you like. They are a really good introduction to the fundamentals of Biochemistry. But definitely watch the one above on Chemical Evolution
Also below is an academic journal article on the origins of life. Its just a good overview for the theories for how life started. It is a hard read, so I'd only suggest reading the abstract - the first paragraph :-)
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