MOLECULES OF LIFE
90% of the human body is composed of just four elements. They are carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. These elements combine to larger units called molecules. There are two types of molecules in our bodies; organic and inorganic.

INORGANIC MOLECULES are not made of carbon atoms.

1. SALTS are found in body fluids. They are needed for muscle contraction and nerve conduction.
2. WATER
The body is about 70% water. All of our body’s chemical reactions require it.
It keeps the body from overheating
It also prevents drastic changes in temperature.
Last spring, a baby finch collapsed with exhaustion on my patio. Since it was exhausted, it probably wasn’t good at finding food and water yet. That means it was dehydrated and hungry. I knew to get an eyedropper and give it water with sugar in it because those are the two main things it needs right away. We discussed water, now lets get to sugars.

ORGANIC MOLECULES are made of carbon, which is what our body is mostly made of. The three main types of organic molecules in our body are carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins.

1. CARBOHYDRATES are molecules that store energy a short time. a) SIMPLE CARBOHYDRATES known as sugars, such as those found in candy. They are used for a quick source of energy, and they are burned off fast. The main sugar form is glucose.

b) STARCH is a storage form of glucose in plants, especially flour and potatoes. When we eat breads, potatoes, and cakes, we convert it to glucose. These don’t break down to glucose as easily, so they tend to get stored and are only broken down when there is not enough glucose available.

c) CELLULOSE is only found in plant cell walls, and gives plant stems and leaves their firmness. Our body is unable to break down this substance, so it just passes through our digestive tract. That is what is referred to as eating fiber. It helps a person who