Chemistry for Biologists 2

Description*: This second general chemistry course aims to consolidate and deepen the study of reactions in aqueous solution, particularly those involving the formation of metal complexes. The principles of thermodynamics will be presented and applied to the study of chemical equilibria of biological interest. Rather than giving a presentation using mathematical formalism, which would require a much greater number of hours, students will be asked to understand the physical meaning of these principles and the main thermodynamic functions and their applications to chemical systems, often of biological interest. In particular, resting membrane potentials and the use of pH potential diagrams in biology will be presented.

Students will work on course materials (written and audio) ahead of certain lectures and tutorials, enabling them to fully participate in face-to-face teaching in lectures and tutorials, understand the concepts presented, and acquire the necessary skills.

Provide biology students with the fundamentals of chemistry in aqueous solution and thermodynamics so that they can apply these concepts to explain chemical phenomena of biological interest. The knowledge and skills to be acquired are as follows:

Applications of the law of mass action to the study of chemical equilibria in aqueous solution. The concepts presented in L1 will be further explored and supplemented by the study of complexation reactions.

Metal complexes, application in biology

The principles of thermodynamics and the functions of thermodynamics in understanding chemical equilibria that can be coupled, resting membrane potential, and applications of pH potential diagrams in biology.

The objective of this course is to provide biology students with the basic knowledge and skills they need to understand biological processes.

All concepts presented in the general chemistry course for biologists in L1

For students who have not fully acquired these concepts in L1, course materials, accompanied by videos and practical exercises, will be provided. All of these concepts will be assumed to have been acquired and will be assessed.