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General Science · Class 9 · Chapter 3: Biochemistry and Biotechnology

8 min

Key points

Biochemistry is the branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical processes within and related to living organisms
Biotechnology is the use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products for human welfare
Carbohydrates are organic compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen in the ratio 1:2:1
Proteins are complex organic compounds made up of amino acids joined by peptide bonds
Lipids are organic compounds that are insoluble in water but soluble in organic solvents
Enzymes are biological catalysts that speed up biochemical reactions without being consumed
DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) carries genetic information in all living organisms
Fermentation is the anaerobic breakdown of organic compounds by microorganisms
Genetic engineering involves the direct manipulation of genes to produce desired characteristics
Pakistan uses biotechnology in agriculture, medicine and food production industries

Definitions

Biochemistry: The branch of chemistry that deals with the chemical processes within and related to living organisms
Biotechnology: The use of living systems and organisms to develop or make products for human welfare
Enzyme: A biological catalyst that speeds up biochemical reactions without being consumed in the process
Fermentation: The anaerobic breakdown of organic compounds by microorganisms to produce energy and various products
Genetic Engineering: The direct manipulation of genes using biotechnology to alter the genetic makeup of organisms

Worked example

Define biotechnology and explain any two applications of biotechnology in medicine. (5 marks)

Biotechnology is the use of living organisms or their products to make useful substances or to carry out useful processes for human benefit. Two applications in medicine are: (1) Production of insulin: Genetically modified bacteria are used to produce human insulin for diabetic patients. (2) Vaccine production: Biotechnology is used to develop vaccines against diseases like hepatitis B by using genetic engineering techniques.

Common mistakes

Students confuse biochemistry with biotechnology - remember biochemistry studies chemical processes, biotechnology uses organisms for products
Writing wrong C:H:O ratio for carbohydrates - it's always 1:2:1
Confusing amino acids with nucleotides - amino acids make proteins, nucleotides make DNA/RNA
Not mentioning 'anaerobic' when defining fermentation
Forgetting Pakistani examples in biotechnology applications

Quick recap

Biochemistry studies chemical processes in living organisms, focusing on enzymes as biological catalysts. Biotechnology uses living organisms for human benefit through processes like fermentation. Key applications include medicine (insulin, vaccines), agriculture (improved crops), and industry (antibiotics production). Remember exact textbook definitions for enzymes, fermentation, and biotechnology.

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