Chemistry is important as its own subject and also as part of the study of anatomy and physiology

Chemistry is important as its own subject and also as part of the study of anatomy and physiology. To truly understand anatomy and physiology, including the processes that take place in the human body, you also need some knowledge of chemistry and chemical processes.

• Describe two of the chemicals and chemical processes that are most important to human life.

Water (H₂O) and oxygen (O₂) gas, in my opinion, are the most important chemicals in the body. The human body is mostly made up of water, with roughly 60% of it being water. It aids in the development of lubricants in the joints of the body. Saliva, bile, and amniotic fluids are all made up of it. We inhale oxygen from the air we breathe in. In metabolic activities, this gas serves as an electron acceptor. The most important chemical processes in the human body are respiration and metabolism. Respiration is the process through which the body takes in oxygen and gives out carbon iv oxide. On the other hand, metabolism is the process through which food is transformed into energy (kidshealth, 2021). The two processes are, however, interdependent because metabolism needs oxygen.

• Describe a chemical process you have seen in action. When and where did it happen? What took place when you observed this process?

I once witnessed the burning of a candle taking place. It was one of the lab experiments during one of my Chemistry classes. The candle was lit using a matchbox and the gas released was collected in a test tube. On lowering a burning splint into the test tube with the gas, the split was extinguished. It was then concluded that the gas was carbon iv oxide. So, the candle used oxygen to burn and, in exchange, released carbon iv oxide

• How does that process relate to one or more of the chemical processes that happen in the human body?

Similarly, as the candle uses oxygen to produce light and heat energy, the human body uses oxygen to break down different compounds to produce energy. One such process is catabolic reactions that break down glucose to release energy for daily activities. Another example is an anabolic reaction that joins amino acids to make protein which is essential for tissue repair and general growth in the human body (Wakim & Grewal, 2021).

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Refer to the textbook and the Internet as needed to help find this information and support your responses to these questions.