BIOMOLECULES  -  hierarchy paradigm that leads structural complexity
 elements - C, H, O, N   - ecb/5e-fig 2.5
            All elements commonly found in living organisms have outermost shells that are not completely filled with
             electrons (red) & can thus participate in chemical reactions with other atoms.
             Inert gases (yellow), in contrast, have completely filled outermost shells and are thus chemically unreactive.
   stable monomers sugars, amino acids, nucleotides  - ecb5e/Panels 2  -4, -6, & -7  [pg72-79]   
     polymers - carbohydrates, proteins, & nucleic acids - ecb/5e-fig 2.17*
       metabolism - complex enzymatic pathways - ecb5e- fig 3.1*
         supramolecular complexes - proteosomes, spliceosomes, molecular motors*
           organelles - a subcell entity* with specific metabolic function (2b)  
             cells - basic unit of living systems
  
                 organs - brain, heart, muscle, liver, kidney, lungs, skeleton, etc...
     

                 organisms - complex living entities exhibiting EMERGENT PROPERTIES

      back