Physiological Chemistry I

This course provides a foundation in basic chemistry for students majoring in the Health Professions. Basic concepts covered include: properties of matter, energy, atomic and molecular structure, isotopes and radioactivity, chemical bonding, chemical formulae and reactions. Quantitative aspects of chemical processes, chemical equilibrium and the behavior of gases, including blood gases and their transport are discussed. Properties of water and solutions are studied and include units of concentration, osmosis, osmolality, and physiological fluid and electrolyte balance. The chemistry of acids, bases and buffers is reviewed with emphasis on physiological buffer systems. Quantitative aspects, acid/base balance, compensatory mechanisms and elementary diagnosis are discussed. The chemistry of inorganic trace elements and their physiological roles are investigated. Concepts of organic chemistry are introduced, including the structure and function of carbon, isomerism and the properties and selected reactions of the major functional groups important in human biochemistry.