Vitalism is an outdated concept, which states that living things are characterized by a “vital force” and that only living things are able to make organic substances. Organic substances can be synthetically created, however.
In this video we will look at the terms atoms, compound and molecule.
Different elements are able to form a different number of bonds. We will now have a look at the number of bonds that carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen are able to form.
Cells are able to make and break down organic substances. Metabolism is the sum of all chemical reactions that take place in a cell. Metabolic pathways can either be chains or cycles.
Larger molecules can be made by joining together smaller units. Here we will explore the relationship between molecules of different size.
Anabolism is the synthesis of larger molecules from building blocks. Catabolism is the breakdown of substances to smaller molecules.