Molecules are small particles that make up all living and non-living things. They are made up of even tinier particles called atoms. Molecules in living things are made from only about 25 of more than 100 known atoms in the universe. Molecules are made from as few as two atoms to hundreds of millions of atoms.
Molecules are so small that there are more molecules in your body than there are stars in the universe!
What's so special about molecules in your body and in other living things? Each molecule has a unique shape that allows it to interact with other molecules. The interactions between molecules let us as well as bacteria, elephants, broccoli and other living things move, sense, reproduce and do the things that keep all living creatures alive.
Show Me The Molecules!
Here are just a few samples of molecules :
Acetaminophen
Sold as TylenolTM, this has a similar shape to another pain-killer, aspirin. They both act in a similar way to reduce pain and fever. It is comprised of:
C8H9O2N
8 black carbon atoms
9 white hydrogen atoms
2 red oxygen atoms
1 blue nitrogen atom
Aspirin
Chemists learned to make aspirin by studying a similar pain-killing molecule discovered in willow trees.
C9H8O4
9 black carbon atoms
8 white hydrogen atoms
4 red oxygen atoms
Aspartame
Sold as Nutrasweet,TM aspartame is an artificial sweetener used in sodas. It tastes a hundred times sweeter than sucrose and contains no calories.
C14H18O5N2
14 black carbon atoms
18 white hydrogen atoms
5 red oxygen atoms
2 blue nitrogen atoms
Carbon Dioxide
Less than 1% of the air is carbon dioxide, but it is essential for life. Plants use carbon dioxide to build energy-rich molecules.
CO2
1 black carbon atom
2 red oxygen atoms
Nicotine
Nicotine is in cigarette tobacco. It interacts with receptors in our brain and activates nerve cells. It is addictive and a poison.
C10H14N2
10 black carbon atoms
14 white hydrogen atoms
2 blue nitrogen atoms
Serotonin
Serotonin is one of many molecules our brain cells use to pass information to each other. It regulates our moods and sleep patterns.
C10H12ON2
10 black carbon atoms
12 white hydrogen atoms
1 red oxygen atom
2 blue nitrogen atoms
Silk
Spiders and silkmoths make silk for their webs and cocoons. Silk threads are stored in a silk gland, and dry and harden as they are spun.
C10H18O5N4
10 black carbon atoms
18 white hydrogen atoms
5 red oxygen atoms
4 blue nitrogen atoms
Trimethylamine
Trimethylamine makes some things stink. Rotten fish, and sometimes dogs, smell bad because of this molecule.
C3H9N
3 black carbon atoms
9 white hydrogen atoms
1 blue nitrogen atom
