Honors Biology Blog: October 2016

Friday, October 21, 2016

Enzymes

By: Alex Pettis

Main Ideas

Enzymes are a protein
Speed up chemical reactions
Not used up in a chemical reaction; Can be used again
Enzymes end in -ase
Temperature and PH effect enzymes

You may ask yourself, what is an enzyme? An enzyme is a protein that speeds up a chemical reaction which occurs in the body. Enzymes contain two parts. They are called an active site and a substrate. The active site is a spot on the enzyme where the substrate attaches. The substrate has to match the active site or else it will not attach. What that means is that, if the shape of the active site is a triangle and a square substrate tries to attach to the active site, it will not work. Only a triangle shaped substrate will work. You can think of it like a lock and key model where it shows the enzyme fitting into the active site perfectly. The shape of the enzyme determines its function. After the enzyme/substrate complex is complete the substrate breaks apart. The enzyme will then be waiting for a new substrate with the same shape since it is reusable. Also, enzymes are effected by temperature and PH. One final thing to note about enzymes are that they end in -ase.

I learned, from research, that the shape of the enzyme determines its function. Something that surprised me was that enzymes are highly selective which means that a certain substrate will work for a certain enzyme. Enzymes were something I already knew about from class. I liked this objective a lot because it is very interesting to know that there is a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in the body. This can be applied outside of biology because their are many real-life applications that enzymes are used for such as industrial applications.

Citations

Upload.wikimedia.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

"Real-Life Applications - Enzymes - The Body, Food, And Digestion, Fermentation". Scienceclarified.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 19 Oct. 2016.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Genetic Variation, Crossing Over - Elizabeth Maguire

Genetic Variation - Crossing Over

What is genetic variation? Well, it is when genes differentiate between individuals. It can also refer to the amount of a certain gene that is part of or shown in a person. Genetic variation is extremely important to our society because it allows for diversity and it helps in natural selection.
Now crossing over genetic variation is when a chromosome duplicates itself and makes a sister chromatid. The chromosomes pair up and the non-sister chromosomes swap genes. All four of the chromosomes then have different genes from each other. They then separate into the gametes sperm and egg. Each of them will be genetically different from the other because of this process.

When I started this I had no idea what crossing over even meant. Now I know that it means the non-sister chromosomes exchange genes, which then leads to genetic variation. I was surprised because I didn't know that genetic variation can be something so complex but simple at the same time. I think that this subject can seem confusing when you first read it, but will make more sense when you see a visual of it. Genetic variation - crossing over can be applied outside of biology by the way organisms look. Crossing over is just one type of how genetic variation occurs, so it will determine your genes, which determine how you look.

Citations:

"What Is Genetic Variation?". Reference. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
D2gne97vdumgn3.cloudfront.net. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
"Pearson - The Biology Place". Phschool.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

Genetic Variation: Random Assortment- Gracie Goodman

The behavior of chromosomes during meiosis and fertilization is responsible for most of the variations that arise each generation. Three mechanisms contribute to genetic variation; independent assortment, crossing over, and random fertilization. Independent assortment of chromosomes contribute to genetic variability due to the random orientation of tetrads at the metaphase plate. Each homologous pair of chromosomes is positioned independently of the other pairs at metaphase 1. However, crossing over produces recombinant chromosomes which combine genes inherited from each parent. Crossing over begins very early in prophase 1 as homologous chromosomes pair up gene by gene. The random nature of fertilization adds to the genetic variation arising from meiosis.

I was quite surprised that there are so many things that go into genetic variation like how there is a fifty-fifty chance that a particular daughter cell of meiosis 1 will get the maternal chromosome of a certain homologous pair and a fifty-fifty chance that it will receive the paternal chromosome. It's interesting that all three mechanisms reshuffle the various genes carried by individual members of a population.

References

N.p., 2016. Web. 14 Oct. 2016.
Help, Homework. "How Does Segregation Help Increase Genetic Diversity? | Enotes". eNotes. N.p., 2015. Web.
14 Oct. 2016.

Green House

Biology Essay topic

#1 Global Warming

Hello My name is Connor McElroy and I am asking the question what is global warming also known as climate change and I will be discussing the usual carbon emissions from nature, the history, the problem, what to know, and how to solve it.

Natural Carbon Emissions

When I mean Natural I mean from nature you have probably heard me say this before, nature produces and consumes 70 trillion gigaton of carbon dioxide per year. when we mean climate change its self explanatory the climate is changing sometimes it can benefit life and sometimes it can lead to the down fall of many organisms that can be caused by manny different things for example for one of the benefits was when the climate changed during the ice age the plants and animals were growing back from going to long terms of cold to long terms of warming and many new organisms were showing up and thriving I will have to talk about the example of climate change not benefiting organisms in the next paragraphs. Studies have shown that the climate has been changing all over the place in time. So what can change the climate you might ask well temperature, asteroids, meteoroids, comets, and volcanoes. Okay so there are many things that can change the climate now lets talk about what is too much for example we know that carbon dioxide can change acidity so when greenhouses block it in and when there is to much carbon dioxide it will have no where to go and it will go into our oceans which can change the acidity of the water and kill aquatic life which includes plants and thats horrible because we get half of the oxygen we breath today from plants under water in this case bigger is not better . climate change can take little damage from outside events, etc. to extremely detrimental damage the organisms on this planet.

History

Last Paragraph I discussed the causes and major causes of climate change now I will be talking about the history of climate change. The history of climate change has been surprisingly well considering that it has been able to stay dormant for such long periods of time for millions of years which is insane, with only one giant event really have that happened after the heavy bombardment and the cooling after that . The one giant event that took place was the asteroid that hit Chixableu Mexico which was known for killing the dinosaurs and it left a massive crater. The asteroid caused worldwide climate change killing three/fourths of the species living at the time and caused the world to be covered with snow the remains made the Arctic, Artica and Antartica. It was the biggest event effect life since the heavy bombardment.So that was the history the climate was devastating for a short period and nice afterward.

The Problem

So as we have seen in the past the climate has been devastating before nothing is stoping that from happening except for us the human race the problem and possibly the solution … To explain this simply I will use an analogy just kidding I am actually going to explain (partly because I can not think of analogy for this scenario), I have said this many times nature produces and consumes 70 trillion gigaton of carbon dioxide per year which is balanced its great because there just enough trees and just enough animals adaption is bliss. When the carbon amounts rises it is becoming unbalanced, that is exactly what we are doing we are taking carbon deposits

and burning which is releasing carbon dioxide in to the atmosphere and the greenhouse gases are holding in the carbon dioxide. That is not the real problem thought the real problem is that we know what we are doing and doing nothing to stop it. It is sad to ignore this but there are many solutions.

The Solution

Okay so lets discuss the many ways we can solve the problem of of extreme climate change. One way is alternative energy my favorite and most efficient solar, at Oil because more rare and expensive. Governments are lowering the prices on solar panels so its no longer as expensive as it once was and there are solar panel blankets which you can lay on your roof if will fit to the right shape so It seems much easier than oil. Another way is new innovations on electrical use, Elon Musk is creating cars called Tesla’s which are electrical cars they can run for about 5 to 6 hours and are very eco-friendly. Another solution is stoping the problem by informing people through media with evidence and helping the people see attacking the people who are pushing for oil usage with persuasion and reasoning and stop it at its core. The problem is slowly diving away and is easily being eliminated little by little.

Conclusion

The problem is being solved but I can’t help wonder how long will it take but its go to know we are working on it I am Connor McElroy and thanks for observing my article.

Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Scientific Method

Molly Heckle

Scientific method is used to by every single scientist. It is they way you test everything you do. The steps are-

-Observe

-Ask a question

-Make a hypothesis

-Experiment

-Analyze data

-Retest

-Conclusion

The main idea about scientific method is that you write down every single step you do during the experiment because you want other scientist to be able to test it the same way you tested it so they come out with the same results. That way you know if you did it right or if you possibly hit a bump in the road. Sometimes scientist mess up the first time so they have to retest their results multiple times before they can draw a conclusion because you want to make sure the results are as perfect as they can be.

In conclusion everyone should know what the scientific method is about because it is something you have learned about since like fourth grade. Sometimes you may learn something new but in reality the only thing you can really improve on with the scientific method is how detailed you are. So nothing really ever surprises me about the scientific method because it doesn't change that much over the years besides little tiny details. I do like though how every scientist uses this method to test things. It's pretty interesting.

Citations-

"Science-Lab - Scientific Method". Science-lab.wikispaces.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

Green House Effect

The Greenhouse effect is the trapping of the sun's warmth in the planet's lower atmosphere due to the thinesss of the atmosphere to visible radiation from the sun. It is very dangerous because if the atmosphere is not letting sun light out or heat out that means it will stay hot when it is supposed to be cold outside or global warming. What I found out that was surprising in this is that it is because the ozone is being destroyed and the reason that it is destroying it but let me make this clear this is not the only one but in a lot of hair spray cans it contains the chemical that destroys it so be careful when you use hair spray. I liked this topic because it brought light to something that doesn't get talked about enough and they need to stop all the things that destroy the ozone.This can be applied outside of biology by people to stop using common things like hairspray that are very dangerous maybe not right now but definitely in the future

GreenHouse Effect

Greenhouse Effect, by Sam Poulin

(Very good at noting that it can be a positive. Without this the Earth would get too cold and not support life, but the most important part that you should add is that it is bad! This is what is contributing to global warming and is excessively holding heat in.)
The Greenhouse Effect is responsible for keeping the Earth warm, without it Life would be almost impossible. The term, "Greenhouse Effect" comes from how a greenhouse gets hot inside by trapping the heat from the sun. How the Greenhouse Effect works is that the sun send energy to Earth and hits the surface and greenhouse gases which absorbs some of that energy, all the other energy is reflected back into space or is absorbed by greenhouse gases. Greenhouse gases are gases that also absorb heat, which make the air warmer. Carbon dioxide is the most important greenhouse gas emitted by humans, followed by methane, nitrous gas, fluorinated gas, and other gases (not in that order). We generate gases through daily activities like driving your car, turning on the heat or AC, cook something on a grill or gas stove, etc... However, since the industrial revolution the amount of greenhouse gases have been steadily rising ever since. One thing I didn't know about the Greenhouse Effect was that carbon dioxide makes up 64.3% of greenhouse gases. This could could help you in real life because you could know how the cut down on your emissions.

Picture: "Greenhouse And Root Cellar Ideas". Pinterest. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

Info: "Greenhouse Gases | A Student's Guide To Global Climate Change | US EPA".Www3.epa.gov. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

Diabetes

Diabetes

By: Rachel Duff

Main Info:

-There are three main types of diabetes

-Type 1 diabetes

-A chronic condition in which the pancreas no longer produces insulin.

-Can not be cured.

-Can be acquired genetically or just randomly by no longer being able to produce insulin.

-Type 2 diabetes

-A chronic condition in which the pancreas either doesn't produce insulin or resists the insulin.

-Can be acquired by being overweight and unhealthy.

-Gestational diabetes

-A form of high blood sugar affecting pregnant women.

-Can be acquired when you get pregnant and your body just is not able to make and use the insulin it needs for the pregnancy.

-Your pancreas produces insulin. Insulin keeps your blood sugar level maintained.

Visuals:

-Diabetics usually test their blood sugar level with a blood glucose meter.

-Diabetics get the insulin that they need through injections.

Reflection:

-Diabetes in a very interesting topic. It is so complex and has so many factors that go into it that people could talk for hours about it. I am very familiar with this disease because people in my family have type 2, I am the first person in my family to ever get type 1. A cool thing that I learned is that type 2 is very common because there are over 3 million cases in the US per year. Type 1 is very rare because there are less than 200,000 cases in the US per year.

References:

"Diabetes Archives - Infertility | Pregnancy Wellness | Post Pregnancy Weight Loss". Infertility | Pregnancy Wellness | Post Pregnancy Weight Loss. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

"Insulin Pen • Images Video Information". Images Video Information. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

Carbon Cycle - Baylee Turner

Visual :

Information:

The carbon can be in forms of sugar or a carbon dioxide gas
On earth we only have a certain amount of carbon available
All living things are made of carbon
The carbon cycle has affected the earth contributing to major climate changes and the evolution of life
It is the fastest recycling processes
Carbon is extracted from the atmosphere by plants through photosynthesis
Animals eat the plants and the carbon is transferred, when that plant or animal dies the carbon is returned to the atmosphere
Some animals or plants while decomposing get trapped and the carbon doesn't go back into the atmosphere instead it is locked up deep within the earth.

Reflection:

Even though we have not talked about the carbon cycle in class I believe on my own I learned a lot of good, basic information. Before actually researching the carbon cycle I knew it existed just never learned exactly what it was or its purpose. After doing some research I learned that the carbon cycle related a lot to photosynthesis and respiration, they all seem to work together. Of course we need air to breathe but it surprised me how much carbon in the atmosphere was actually used and needed. I think the carbon cycle is very interesting and that if I got deep into I would see how much more complex and important it is.

Citations :

"Carbon Cycle". Dilu.bol.ucla.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

Studios, Andrew. "Geography4kids.Com: BGC Cycles: Carbon Cycle". Geography4kids.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

"The Carbon Cycle - Geography For Kids - By Kidsgeo.Com". Kidsgeo.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Oct. 2016.

Genetic Variation, Crossing Over - Elizabeth Maguire

Genetic Variation - Crossing Over

Citations:

Passive vs Active Immunity - Bernie M.

Passive immunity and active immunity are each types of immunities. A immunity is when your body is not harmed by a certain type of virus or bacteria that is trying to infect you. A passive immunity is when your body has a short term immunity to a virus or bacteria because of antibodies that are from another human or animal that have been put into you. A active immunity is when your body is always immune to something because it has the ability to create its own antibodies to fight off a antigen. (Partially correct. Passive immunity can also be long term. Think about mother to child. The mother has built an immunity to a specific pathogen. She passes this immunity on to the child. The child passively has an immunity that will last his/her entire life.)

When I researched these topics I learned a lot of information. I didn't know anything about active or passive immunities and once I started to research them I learned that your body needs these immunities or else you could get the same cold over and over again. They are very important for you which is something I also learned. These are things that I learned while researching.

I liked this objective because I felt it was very interesting to learn about because of just how important these immunities are to your daily life and how they protect you from so much stuff. That is why I enjoyed researching these.

These are used outside of biology in many ways. Passive immunities are used by doctors to help cured people if they are sick and active immunities are inside of people to prevent them from getting sick over and over. These are some ways that passive and active immunities are used outside of the biology world.

(Active Vs Passive Immunity) citation

Ribosomes- Emily Hutchby

Ribosomes

By: Emily Hutchby
Main Ideas
- responsible for the synthesizing of proteins in cells
- they transfer RNA
- found in both plant and animal
- found in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes
- mostly found floating around cytosol
- makes proteins from amino acids

Since we already went over ribosomes in class, I already knew a bit about ribosomes. Ribosomes are the cell organelle responsible for synthesizing proteins in all cells. They make those proteins from amino acids. Unlike many cell organelles, ribosomes can be found in all cells, plant, animal, prokaryotes, and even eukaryotes. I chose this topic simply because I knew quite a lot about it already, and I found this topic quite intresting, although through this project I've learned how important ribosomes really are.

Citations:
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/biology/ribosome.html
http://www.biology4kids.com/files/cell_ribos.html

Mitochondria-Kevin Barteau

Mitochondria

By: Kevin Barteau

Main ideas

-power generators of the cell

-preforms cellular respiration

-have two membranes and the inner one has folds called cristae for more surface area to make more reactions

Reflection:

Even though we went over this in class I learned a lot about mitochondria during my research on the subject that we never talked about. First I learned that the inside of the inner membrane is called the matrix and the area between the inner membrane and outer membrane is called the inter-membrane space. The next thing I learned was that when mitochondria where discovered in the 1800s, the scientists of the time believed that they transmitted hereditary information and this belief went on for many years. It wasn't until the 1950s that the modern understanding of mitochondrial function was worked out. The most surprising thing I found was that a mitochondrion has its own circular DNA and can reproduce independently of the cell its in. This is said to be a case of endosymbiosis and has lead scientists to hypothesize that millions of years ago small free-living prokaryotes were engulfed, but not consumed, by larger prokaryotes. The two organisms developed a symbiotic relationship over time, the larger organism providing the smaller with ample nutrients and the smaller organism providing ATP molecules to the larger one. These two would eventually become a eukaryotic cell and a mitochondrion.

citations:

-"Molecular Expressions Cell Biology: Mitochondria." Molecular Expressions Cell Biology: Mitochondria. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

-"Mitochondria." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Color Blindess

Color Blindness
Emma Ragland

There are estimated to be over 250 million colorblind people worldwide. Color blindness is usually a genetic condition. The gene mainly responsible for the condition is carried on the X chromosome, which is the reason why many more men are affected by it than women. Some people acquire this condition as a result of long-term diseases, such as diabetes.

The eye has two types of light-sensitive cells called rods and cones. Both of which are found in the retina which is the layer at the back of your eye that processes images. Rods work in low-lighting or nighttime conditions, while cones work in daylight. There are about eight different types of color blindness, some including protanopia, deuteranopia, tritanopia, cone monochromacy, and rod monochromacy. Each type is depending on the color defect and how it affects the cones/rods of the eye.

There are three different types of cone cells. Each type has a different sensitivity to light wavelengths. One type of cone perceives blue light, another perceives green, and the last one perceives red. When you look at an object, light enters your eye and stimulates the cone cells. Your brain then interprets the signals from the cone cells so you are able to see and identify the color of an object.

The precise physical causes of color blindness are still being researched but is believed to be caused by faulty cone cells and/or a fault in the path from the cone to the brain. The effects of this condition can be mild, moderate, or severe depending on the defect. If the defect is inherited, it will stay the same throughout your lifetime - never getting better nor worse.

Color blindness can make daily life extremely difficult. It can limit job opportunities (unable to be a pilot, police officer, firefighter, etc.), make reading maps or buying clothes a challenge, cooking meat can become extremely hard to do, etc. Overall, color blindness can seriously affect someone's life.

I thought this topic was very interesting, though I knew the main idea of it, I didn't understand how many people it affected. I also didn't understand there were so many incredible jobs that people are unable to do, due to their defect.

Citations:

"Normal Vision VS. Red/Green Color-Blind | Rebrn.Com". Rerbn. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
"Causes Of Colour Blindness". Colour Blind Awareness. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
"Causes Of Colour Blindness". Colour Blind Awareness. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Blood Types- Vanessa Torres

Human Blood is divided into four different types. There's A, B, AB, and O. Each letter refers to a type of protein. Each type is also grouped by its Rh Factor (Rhesus Factor). The blood is either Rh positive (Rh+) or Rh negative (Rh-). Most americans have about 85% Rh+ blood. Rhesus refers to another type of protein, on the surface of red blood cells. The name Rhesus comes from Rhesus monkeys, in which the protein was discovered. Blood types become very important when a blood transfusion is necessary. In a blood transfusion, a person must receive a blood type that is compatible with his or hers own blood type. The donated blood must be accepted by the patients own blood. If the blood types are not compatible then red blood cells will clump together, making clots that can block blood vessels and cause death. Type O blood is considered the "universal donor" because it can be donated to people regardless the blood type. Type AB+ blood is considered the "universal recipient" because people with this with this type can receive any blood type.
I didn't know a lot about Blood types, I only knew a few things like the basics. What I didn't know was that blood types are inherited just like eye color. Certain blood types are more common in certain countries. In China, over 99% of the population has Rh+ blood. There are a lot of different things I didn't know. Knowing about the different blood types are interesting.

"What Does A B+ Blood Type Mean? | Socratic". Socratic.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.
"Blood Types". Infoplease.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Natural Selection - James Voos

Natural Selection By James Arthur Voos

What Natural Selection Entails

The idea of natural selection was first brought upon this earth by Charles Darwin and was figured to be one of the main causes of evolution. Charles Darwin had spotted this in finches that lived in the Galapagos Islands because their beaks determined what they ate because they were best suited for eating that certain food. Natural selection occurs when genetic differentiation causes animals of the same species to look different. These differences will usually help provide advantages for that animal in the wild. The original species will die out because they didn't have the advantages taken on by the new one. These genetic traits will be passed down until better traits come along and more natural selection will occur.

This is an example of Natural Selection through the finches on the Galapagos Islands. Their beaks have adapted to the certain kinds of food they eat making it easier to get the food or to eat the food. It also shows that they all evolved from finches that eat seeds.

Reflection

I found natural selection to be a very interesting topic consider most things on this plant evolved to suit a certain need which can be almost anything from camouflage to a new and more useful beak. I learned about Charles Darwin and the fact that he founded the idea of natural selection and that he discovered it through finches. This can be applied outside of biology because you can use it to tell why the rabbits in your backyard are brown not white or why a fox gets a white coat when it starts to get cold out.

Citations

Theoryofevolution.net. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

"Natural Selection At Work". Evolution.berkeley.edu. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Carbohydrates - Nicholas Cram

Carbohydrates are one of the main 4 major organic molecules. Carbohydrates function is to provide short term energy. Carbohydrates are made of simple building blocks called monosaccharides. Carbohydrates are commonly found in things like bread and any type of yeast. There are 4 types of carbohydrates, glucose, glycogen, starch, and cellulose.

Theleanbody.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Periodni.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

In conclusion, Carbohydrates purpose is to provide short term energy for the body. It is also used to help give energy to produce ATP for the body.

Plant vs Animal Cells - Jacob Wallace

One of the main differences between plant and animal cells is that plant cells have cell wall, chloroplasts, and larger vacuoles, while animal cells don't. Animal cells usually have cilia, while plant cells don't. Plant cells are normally larger than animal cells. Another main difference is that animal cells use the mitochondria to produce energy, and plant cells use sunlight, aka photosynthesis. (which organelle is responsible for creating energy via cellular respiration? Don't animal and plant cells both contain this organelle?)

There are also similarities between plant and animal cells. First, they have basically the same structure, except for the organelles I mentioned earlier. They both need energy to function, and they both have unique ways of getting it. I learned most of this in middle school, and some in high school, but I didn't know that plant cells were usually larger, and that plant cells don't usually have cilia.

Yourselfseries.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

"Sparknotes: Cell Differences: Plant Cells". Sparknotes.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Lab Safety

By: Ryan Perdock

Main Ideas

Keep everyone and all tools safe during the lab.

Make sure the lab is completed without complications.

All Labs should be completed in a safe environment with eye wash stations and showers in a reasonably close proximity.

Lab Coats, Goggles, Tongs and Hot hands are all important things to have during any lab, If it the lab is with chemicals, Heat, ETC.

Lab safety contracts are a great way to ensure student safety while doing labs in class.

Reflection

I chose lab safety for one of my 3 topics because I feel it is a very under looked subject, That should always be kept in the back of someones head while doing labs. Lab safety is a learned safety that is always reviewed for good reasons. The topic of lab safety covers anything from what to do with chemical spills, To getting something in your eyes, To fires during the lab. I feel lab safety should be reviewed more often then once a semester because you never know when an accident will happen and someone will forget a basic but important rule.

By Education - https://www.pinterest.com/explore/science-lab-safety/

Garrett Balog - Cell Organelle Nucleus

Cell Organelle: Nucleus
The nucleus is a circle in the middle of the cell.
It's membrane is called the nuclear membrane.
The purpose of the nucleus is to be the "control center" of the cell.
It contains DNA in it.
It also has the nucleolus inside it which synthesizes ribosomes which in turn synthesize proteins.
After the ribosomes are synthesized they leave the nucleolus most attach to the rough ER and some just float around in the cytoplasm.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_nucleus

Reflection: The nucleus might be the most important organelle in the cell as it controls all the cells functions. It holds DNA which is the basis for all living things so it is the reason the cell can even function.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016

Enzymes

by London Fleming

Main Ideas

Large protein that acts as a catalyst
Function is based on shape
Controls rates of chemical reaction living things
Specific for Substrate
Works best in perfect conditions( pH and temperature)
Can become denatured if not in neutral pH or neutral temperature(body temperature at 98.6°F)

Ends is -ase
Reusable

Reflection Summary:

I already knew about this objective from classroom activities but it was good to refresh my memory. I liked this objective because enzymes are used to speed up chemical reactions in all living things. Enzymes are used in the respiratory system, digestive system, immune system, breathing, thinking, and fermentation just to name a few. I found it interesting that in order to be able to consume lactose you have to have the lactase enzyme. If a person is lactose intolerant its because they don’t have the lactase enzyme. This is just one example of a specific enzyme controlling a specific body function in digestion. While researching I learned that the enzyme breaks the bond of the substrate so that two different molecules are produced. This is shown in the diagram below:

Citations:

"Enzymes". KY OCP. N.p., 2012. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Enzymes - The Body, Food, And Digestion, Fermentation". Scienceclarified.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

"Enzyme Animation Related Keywords & Suggestions - Enzyme Animation Long Tail Keywords". Keyword-suggestions.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 12 Oct. 2016.

Antibiotics- Aly Noble

6 Quick Main Topics

Drug used to treat bacterial infections and certain parasites not viral infections.
1926 Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin which is a substance produced by fungi which is able to stop bacterial growth.
Antibiotics can be given to host of bacteria or parasite by injection, tablet, liquid, cream/ ointment.
Typically grouped together based on how they work.
Antibiotics work by killing bacteria or parasite and is done by interfering with the cell wall to destroy the bacterium or parasite.
Antibiotics have to be prescribed by a doctor, and the doctor will determine which antibiotic fits best for you based on your diagnosis along with other medicines you are currently taking, side- effects, how severe the infection is, etc.

Picture:

Reflection:

The reason I chose antibiotics as one of my three topics is because I have had personal experiences with high dose antibiotics since I was eight. Something many people don’t know is that antibiotics can cause an infection while getting rid of bacteria or parasite in your body. This can be prevented by taking a probiotic at the same time. The prefix anti means against while the prefix pro means before… you can infer the rest. Antibiotics are also not an over the counter drug, it needs to be prescribed by your doctor to pick up at your local pharmacy. From my research I learned that antibiotics are produced from microorganisms which synthesizes them as defensive compounds. I also learned that moldy bread have been used to treat wounds to prevent infection. Sounds crazy, but makes since. You can find these experiments that place all over the world with positive outcomes from using this method on the web. All in all I really enjoyed researching and expanding my knowledge on antibiotics.

Citations:

"Antibiotics. Side Effects & Types Of Antibiotics | Patient". Patient. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

Masley, Dr. "Are Antibiotics Making You Fat? - Steven Masley MD, LLC". Steven Masley MD, LLC. N.p., 2015. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

Purrington, Colin. "10 Fun Facts About Antibiotics". Microbeworld.org. N.p., 2013. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

Symbiotic Relationship: Mutalism -Colby Dennis

Symbiotic Relationship: Mutualism

The symbiotic relationship mutualism is when two organisms benefit off each other. The way they can help is that one provides shelter and the other keeps it clean. An example of this is between the sea anemone and the clownfish. The sea anemone provides protection from predators that wish to harm the clownfish as the clownfish is immune to the stinging of the anemone. The clownfish then repay the favor by swimming quickly and providing move water to the sea anemone at night and during the day, where the current may not be as strong.

In short, the symbiotic relationship of mutualism is when two organisms work together to benefit each other, both getting something out of it. I learned most of this last year and the knowledge has been retained inside me, but what I didn't know is that clownfish have a mucus that secrete onto their scales to protect them from the stinging anemones.

Fish, Clown. "Clown Fish And Sea Anemone". Upload.wikimedia.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

RNA

What I learned about RNA:

Visual:

Main Information:
*RNA stands for Ribonucleic Acid
While I was learning about RNA, I learned about a lot of different things that I didn't know. First off I learned that DNA consists of one strand of DNA ad one strand of RNA, which creates all of the different genes and traits that we have. It is a long chain with molecules on it that consist of nucleotides. A nucleotide contains a nitrogenous base, a phosphate, and a ribose sugar. RNA is very vital when it comes to human beings. If you don't have RNA or you have a little amount then you might have weird traits and genes which make you unable to do things or even maybe have a disease. Also that RNA comes in different shapes and sizes, as long as it is connects to DNA and nucleotides it will be fine for making different traits and genes. The sugar phosphate is the base of the RNA and nucleotides are connected to the base and all of the makes up the RNA molecule. RNA is different from DNA because, DNA can't come in different shapes and sized, but RNA as you know can. Ribose sugar which is on the RNA molecule is more reactive because of the bonds that are on it. Lastly the main function of RNA is to transfer the genetic code for the process of proteins to be created.

References:

Cashin-Garbutt, April. "What Is RNA?". News-Medical.net. N.p., 2010. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

"RNA Picture". 0.tqn.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Homeostasis - Nicholas Smith

Homeostasis
Main Ideas:
- The ability to maintain a stable internal environment
- Body Regulations: Temperature, Heart Rate, pH, Lung flow, Sugar, Insulin, Glucose, Water Balance
- pH control uses a buffer: a solution that resists the change in pH, usually a weak acid/base
- Glucose Levels Control - release of insulin when glucose levels are high, body signals liver to break down glycogen when glucose level are low.

- metabolism: must consume food, blood vessel dilation and constriction, hair and fat, shivering, lay out in the sun or sit by a fire, sweat

I've known a little bit about Homeostasis from the past but what really surprises me is that it can control multiple things in your body and not miss a beat, for example it can regulate your body's internal temperature and maintain a normal heart rate. Homeostasis occurs within all organisms and the body needs structure like this in order for survival, if something were to change in one area then everything changes. I really liked researching Homeostasis and reading how it can control body regulations and adapt to a certain environment or lifestyle that you train your body to perform at, say as an athlete or if you live in a cold environment. I think Homeostasis can be used to make a baseline on where the human body needs to be in order to be healthy or in order to prepare or train the body to adapt to new conditions.

"IHMC Public Cmaps (3)". Cmapspublic3.ihmc.us. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

Sciences), #158 et al. "Biology Notes For IGCSE 2014". Igbiologyy.blogspot.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

ATP AND ITS USES

ATP AND ITS USES

Visual Aspects:

Main Idea/Information:
• ATP is an adenine ~~nucleotide~~ (not a nucleotide) bound to three phosphates
• It is the major energy currency of the cell
• ATP ~~is a nucleotide that~~ performs many essential roles in the cell

What I learned While Researching:
While I was researching about ATP I learned that ATP occurs in both plant and animals cells. Also I learned that ATP is used for many cell functions such as transporting substances across the cell membrane and it also is used for mechanical work such as supplying the energy needed for muscle contraction. I already knew a little about ATP because we talked about it in class but I thought it was cool to look more into it and see how it affects you and the body. I enjoyed researching and learning about ATP because it helped me understand where my body gets some of its energy and it's pretty cool how we can produce it ourselves. There are many ways you use ATP while out of biology cause you need energy to wake up everyday and to overall move and basically live. ATP is a huge role in life.

References:
"ATP Its Uses And Functions". Bright Hub. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
"ATP Synthase". Astirinch.com. N.p., 2014. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.
"ATP: The Perfect Energy Currency For The Cell". Trueorigin.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 10 Oct. 2016.

Lactic Acid

Main Ideas:

-Found in people and animals

-Produced in the muscle cells during extreme fatigue

-Builds up in muscle cells causing temporary muscle fatigue

While researching about lactic acid i learned it is not just found in people but also animals. Also i learned that this is an anaerobic process which means it has no oxygen. I already knew about lactic acid because i run and my coach would talk about, i didn't fully understand it until i did research and learned about it. I liked learning about this objective because it was something i could really relate to and i thought it was interesting. I think lactic acid can be applied outside of biology when you play sports. For the most part any sport you play you will do conditioning or hard exercises. You would learn how lactic acids affects your body and how to continue what your doing while having lactic acid.

References

"Gadgets Blog". Cqmsjt.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 8 Oct. 2016.

"Hallmark Ecards GIF - Find & Share On GIPHY". GIPHY. N.p., 2016. Web. 8 Oct. 2016.