I.4                       The Life Force
Life is chemistry, and chemistry is the interaction of atoms energized by the
electromagnetic force; hence, the electromagnetic force is the life force.
 
Connections
1. Life is chemistry.
2. Chemistry is the interaction of atoms and molecules. Molecules are two or more atoms.
3. All biological structures are made of atoms and molecules. And this includes DNA, the
    hereditary instructions for life that are embodied in a chemical code.
4. The interaction of atoms is energized or powered by electromagnetism.
5. Electromagnetism is a single force that has two aspects, electricity and magnetism. This
    force is transmitted by photons which are massless packets (quanta) of energy. Also,
    electromagnetism has simultaneously particle as well as wave characteristics. Neither
    one of these characteristics by itself can describe this phenomenon, but between the
    two we have an adequate explanation.
 
The electromagnetic force is the life force because it powers the interaction of atoms. There are two kinds of charges--positive and negative. Like charges repel one another, opposite charges attract.
Moreover, all biological functions are due to the number and arrangements of atoms and electrons. Hence, it is important to be familiar with the structure of atoms. This is part of the study of physical chemistry which is the key to understanding life's fundamental force. And it begins with the nature and structure of a single atom.
 
 Diagram: The Universe in a Single Helium Atom

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Text Box: The Strong Nuclear Force

Text Box: Nucleus

 

Text Box: 2 Protons (+)

Text Box: 2 Electrons (-)

 

 

 

 

 

The Helium Atom

A) Contains the Four Basic Forces of the Universe:
1. The Strong Nuclear Force holds the protons and neutrons together in the nucleus.
    This force is carried by Gluons.
2. The Weak Nuclear Force accounts for the interaction between some subatomic
    particles. This force is carried by Intermediate Vector Bosons.
3. Gravity Force. Protons, neutrons, and electrons have mass, thus, gravity.
    This force is thought to be carried by not yet discovered Gravitons.
4. The Electromagnetic Force gives rise to electric and magnetic forces between
    charged particles. This force is carried by Photons.
 
B) Contains All the Constituents an Atom, or ordinary matter is Made of:
1. Protons also have trapped inside Up and Down Quarks.
2. Neutrons
3. Electrons (Leptons*)
4. Photons
*Another Lepton is the Electron Neutrino which can also travel on its own. It is is a
  particle with no electric charge that rarely interacts with other matter. Billions fly
  through our body every second.

 
Physical Chemistry
Although ultimately living organisms consist of the same atoms as inanimate matter, the kinds of molecules responsible for the development and function of living organisms--nuclei acids, peptides, enzymes, hormones, the components of membranes--are macromolecules not found in inanimate nature. Organic chemistry and biochemistry have shown that all substances found in living organisms can be broken down into simpler organic molecules and can, at least in principle, be synthesized in the laboratory.
                                                         Ernst Mayr (1905-2005)
 
Physical chemistry forms the foundation of all chemistry. It is fundamental to understanding all matter, materials, plant and animal life as well as our environment. Broadly speaking, it is the study of the composition, structure, and properties of material substances, of the interactions between them, and of the effects on them when energy in its various forms is added or removed.
 
Atoms
  • Atoms consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. The electrons form a shell at a considerable distance from the nucleus. Thus, an atom, and therefore matter, is largely empty space. Planet Earth would be about 2/3 of an inch (17 mm) in diameter if it would be compressed into a black hole, which is a super dense body. Atoms are so small that a single drop of water contains more than a million billion atoms, or it would take almost 20 million hydrogen atoms to make a line as long as this dash -.
  • Atoms are constantly in motion. They continuously vibrate, move, and rotate. This shows that there is no such thing as dead or motionless matter. On the contrary, matter is very active.
  • The nucleus consists of protons, neutrons, and the strong nuclear force. It is a tiny fraction of the volume of an atom.
  • Protons have 1836 times the mass of an electron and carry a positive charge equal to the negative charge of the electron. Protons repel each other on account of their like charges. It is the strong nuclear force that keeps the protons and neutrons bound in the nucleus.
  • As the atom gets larger, the number of protons increases, and so does the number of electrons (in the neutral state of the atom). The quantity of protons in a nucleus determine the atomic number, e.g., hydrogen 1, helium 2, carbon 6, oxygen 8, copper 29, gold 79, uranium 92. And, of course, they all have an equal number of electrons.
  • Neutrons have a mass that is nearly identical to that of protons, but neutrons have no electrical charge. However, they do affect the stability of the nucleus.
  • Electrons have a mass 1/1836 that of a proton. Its negative charge is the basic unit of electricity and is identical in magnitude to the positive charge of the positron. It follows that atoms are neutral since they have equal numbers of positrons and electrons. They "orbit" the nucleus so fast that they are almost everywhere all the time. Hence, we speak of electrons forming an outer shell (cloud) and inner electrons forming sub-shells (clouds).
  • Electron shells are characterized by distinct energy levels. Outer shells have higher energy levels but lower stability. Electrons in lower energy shells can move to higher energy shells by the addition of energy to the atom. If provided sufficient energy, electrons can even be freed from the attraction of the nucleus and leave the atom completely. Moreover, electrons in higher energy shells can move down to lower energy shells while releasing energy such as photons (light energy) in the case of the filament of a light bulb.
  • Electron configurations that surround the atom, particularly the outermost electrons, determines how the atom can interact with other atoms. Atoms have a preference as to how many electrons they like in their outermost shell. Hence, some atoms share electrons with others to make each more complete, while others give electrons up to other atoms that accept them. In each case, however, the outermost shell is subsequently more complete. See in the Appendix Distribution of Electrons for some elements.
  • Different configurations of atoms and molecules require different energy levels. Hence, the change of configurations requires either an input or release of energy.
Chemical Elements
  • Elements are composed of a single type of atom. They cannot be decomposed or broken down into more elementary substances by ordinary chemical means. They can only be transformed into other elements by changing their nucleus thru radioactive decay or nuclear reactions, fission or fusion. There are more than 100 different elements known to exist in the universe.
  • The Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements (Source: Wikimedia Commons) is a chart first created in 1869 by the Russian chemist Dmitri Mendeleev to demonstrate the periodic (recurring) chemical and physical properties of the elements. The elements are arranged in rows and columns so that elements with similar properties are grouped together. Also, each element was assigned an atomic number which indicates the numbers of protons in the nucleus.
  • Isotopes are the atoms of various elements that have closely related chemical properties and the same atomic number (protons in the nucleus) but different atomic weights or mass number (the total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus). Most elements have isotopes. For example, hydrogen exists in three variations. Most commonly as protium (no neutron), deuterium (one neutron), or tritium (two neutrons). Thus, if heavier hydrogen atoms like deuterium bond with oxygen, one gets heavy water. U-235, U-238, and U-239 are three isotopes of uranium.
Molecules
  • Molecules are simply accumulations of two or more atoms held together by the electromagnetic force. This bonding occurs due to transferring (ionic bond) or sharing (covalent bond) of electrons. Moreover, a molecule is the smallest indivisible part of a pure compound or element that retains a set of unique chemical properties.
  • Ions are electrically charged atoms or molecules (groups of atoms). If, during a chemical reaction, one or more electrons (negative charge) transfer from one neutral to another neutral atom (they are neutral because the positive proton and negative electron charges cancel each other out), then the electron-gaining atom (anion) will have a negative charge since the electrons outnumber the protons. Likewise, the electron-losing atom (cation) will have a positive charge because the protons outnumber the electrons.
  • Water, for instance, by far the most important chemical compound on Earth, forms when two different gases react with each other. Two hydrogen atoms react with one oxygen atom, hence, H2O. The electron distribution is such that the end, where the hydrogen atoms attach to the much larger oxygen atom, behaves as if positively charged and the opposite end behaves as if negatively charged. Thus, the water molecule is polarized.
  • Water may be decomposed into its constituent gaseous elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Two electrodes submerged into water, with a direct current at the minimum decomposition voltage (1.2 volts) connected, will break the hydrogen-oxygen bond and liberate these elements by removing the extra electrons from the oxygen (anion) and adding the missing electrons back to the hydrogen (cation). Both gases will separately bubble to the surface.
Chemical change
  • In living and nonliving materials involves only electrons.
  • An atom that interacts with light will transfer energy from one atom to another atom. This is the basis of chemical reactions (and electricity flowing thru a wire). Without it, basic food production such as photosynthesis, for example, would not be possible.
  • Chemical behavior is a matter of the electromagnetic behavior of atoms. And this depends on how the electrons arrange themselves in the atoms.
  • The nuclei of atoms are in no way altered during chemical change.