BIOCHEMIST
by Balqis binti Mohd Zulkifle
What is biochemistry?
What chemistry concept is used in biochemistry?
First of all, basic chemistry is a very important concept. This is because in order to understand the chemical reaction in chemistry, you have to know the basis. In SCH4U, concept of structure and properties of matter is basic chemistry. In this chapter, you will learn about atoms, its history and its properties. There are a few chemist develop the theory of atoms and its properties such as J.J. Thomson, Ernest Rutherford and also Neils Bohr. Other than that, you will learn about quantum mechanics, which describes the various properties of an atom. In the same unit, you also will learn chemical bonding. In this chapter, you will learn types of chemical bonds. You also will learn to identify the structure or shape of molecules using VSEPR theory. As you identify the shape of molecules, you may know the properties of molecules. In this chapter too, you will learn intermolecular forces exist between molecules and how it affect some physical properties of molecules.
Energy changes and rates of reaction also a concept included to be a biochemist. This concept explains about thermochemistry and also rate of reactions. You will learn how to differentiate between exothermic reaction or endothermic reaction and calculate molar enthalpy, which indicates the energy absorbed or released. You will also learn about rate of reaction and the factor that affecting rate of reaction. Since organism undergoes cell respiration, biochemist uses this concept to calculate how much energy is produced when variety type of food are consumed. Using this concept too, biochemist can determine the metabolism of an organism.
Other than thermochemistry, a biochemist also need knowledge of chemical systems and equilibrium. It is a concept where chemical reactions can be established by equilibrium. There is also a principle called Le Chatelier's Principle and there are some factors affecting it. In the same concept, acids and alkalis are also learnt through two different principles which are Arrhenius and Bronsted-Lowry. In this concept, you are also going to learn about buffers and how they work as human body also has buffers.
Niels Bohr
Ernest Rutherford
J.J. Thomson
Working environment of a biochemist
- 4 credits in English (1 credit per grade)
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3 credits in Mathematics (at least one credit from grade 11 or 12)
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2 credits in Science
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1 credit in Canadian Geography
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1 credit in Canadian History
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1 credit in the Arts
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1 credit in Health and Physical Education
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1 credit in French as a second language
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0.5 credit in Civics
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0.5 credit in Career Studies
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1 additional credit in English, or a third language, or social sciences
and the humanities or Canadian and world studies, or guidance and
career education, or cooperative education.
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1 additional credit in health and physical education, or the arts, or
business studies, or cooperative education.
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1 additional credit in science (grade 11 or 12), or technological
education (grades 9 - 12), or cooperative education.
Then, you can pursue your degree in Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and it is optional to pursue in Masters and PhD. You can either be a biochemist right after you finish degree in biochemistry or pursue in Masters and PhD.
Well-known Biochemist: Charles Best
What's interesting about this career?
Biochemist does not specifically work on research on living organisms. They also work for food research, industries, agriculture, pharmacy and more. What interest me about biochemist is they keep improve products based on their research. With biochemist, things can be improvise. For example, a skin care product is improvise using different ingredients from time to time.
Industry
Agriculture
Why is this career path important to our society?
Other than that, biochemist also can improve quantity and quality of crops in agriculture sector. This can be done by biochemist by analyzing the chemical reaction occur inside the crops when different nutrients given and different environment experienced by the crops. This can increase the production of crops and helps in agricultural sector.
Biochemist also matters a lot in pharmaceutical and food and beverage industries. They keep the qualities of products in good condition. Other than that, biochemist can come up with new products especially in pharmaceutical. In curing some diseases, natural ingredients can be used as cure. That is the responsibility of biochemist, which is have research on these natural ingredients that the benefits are not yet discovered. When there are more biochemist in a society, they can come up with a new local product. This gives job opportunity to fresh graduates too.
References
What is biochemistry? (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from http://www.biochemistry.org/Education/Schoolsandcolleges/Whatisbiochemistry.aspx
What organic chemistry concepts should I learn that are important in biochemistry? (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://www.quora.com/What-organic-chemistry-concepts-should-I-learn-that-are-important-in-biochemistry
Elementary Kinetics. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from http://www.wiley.com/college/pratt/0471393878/student/review/kinetics/5_catalysts.html
(n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from http://www.canada-education.org/images/edu_system.jpg
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://dbms.queensu.ca/undergraduate/biochemistry
Public Schools. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://www.justlanded.com/english/Canada/Canada-Guide/Education/Public-Schools
Biochemist. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://www.sokanu.com/careers/biochemist/
Biochemist job information. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2015, from https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/biochemist.aspx
The Nature of Energy. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.mikeblaber.org/oldwine/chm1045/notes/Energy/Nature/Energy01.htm
Charles Best Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved November 13, 2015, from http://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/charles-best-417.php