Posted: November 4th, 2020

Major organic components of bone, collagen fibers

This week, we will discuss the following examples (listed below) of chemistry put to work, chemistry, and life. You may use these discussion prompts, or feel free to bring up your topic for discussion that is related to this week’s reading material. Post a question that you feel needs more clarification or to be elaborated upon.

Our bones are a highly structured matrix of inorganic and inorganic material. About 70% of bone dry weight comprises the inorganic compound hydroxyapatite, Ca5(PO4)3OH. The major organic components of bone, collagen fibers (protein), provide extra strength and allow bone to flex under stress.

The blood vessels weave through the hydroxyapatite-collagen framework, supplying nutrients. When a severe bone fracture occurs, the orthopedic surgeon uses a bone graft, an implant of synthetic bone material, or a mixture of several compounds within a sodium phosphate solution to form a paste injected into the bony area to be repaired.

Please elaborate and/or describe another example of using ionic/polyatomic compounds and covalent molecules in medicine and industry. I have included the “Ionic compounds in medicine” file into D2L  as the discussion prompt; however, feel free to select different examples.

Look around you and give an example of compounds with ionic and covalent bonding; what characteristic properties make them useful for that particular application? Give an example of how breaking or forming chemical bonds can be used in industry, in everyday life, and for the health profession.

Explain the principle behind it. (Tip: enthalpy change)

Name a  binary covalent compound(s) that does not obey the octet rule, describe its chemical characteristics, write the Lewis structure, etc. For example, NO, biological messengers, and air pollutants.