Chemistry for Physiology

The number of protons (the atomic number) is written as a subscript. The sum of the number of protons and neutrons (the mass number) is written as a superscript.

“An electrolyte is a substance that when dissolved in water, will produce ions in solution.” Glucose is a molecular compound so does not ionise.

A millimole is one thousandth of a mole, so 1 mmol = 10−³ × 6 × 10²³ = 6 × 10²⁰ particles.

The solution with higher hydrogen ion (=hydronium ion) concentration has the lower pH.

Water will move through a membrane into a solution of higher osmotic pressure (the blood) from a solution of lower osmotic pressure.

The elements are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. The subscript number immediately after the symbol states how many of each atom there are. Hence there are four atoms of hydrogen.

Fructose is a simple sugar or monosaccharide – it cannot be converted to a simpler sugar by hydrolysis.

Such a solution is a buffer.

HCl is a strong acid. Hence a high concentration of hydronium ions would be produced.

Strong acid produces a high concentration of hydronium ions in aqueous solution, so the pH would be low.