Unit 2 Reflection

            In this unit, we learned about the important chemistry that biologists need to know and the 4 macro molecules.
            Bonds between atoms can happen in 3 different ways. There are ionic bonds, which happen when an atom gains or loses an electron, covalent bonds, when electrons are shared between atoms, and Hydrogen bonds, where positive charges attract to the negative charges. Water is a unique substance because it is polar (charged), cohesive and adhesive, and the solvent for many solutions. Acids and bases are measure on the pH scale from 0-14.

The 4 macro molecules are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates are made of rings of C, H, and O. They can be mono, di, or poly saccharides. Lipids are fatty molecules that make up membranes and store energy. They are chains of fatty acids (C&H). Phospholipids have heads that are hydrophilic, and hydrophobic tails. Proteins are made of amino acids, and there are two main types: structural proteins and enzymes. Enzymes speed up the reactions that occur inside a body, reducing the activation energy, by taking in a substrate into the active site, and returning a product. Changes in pH and temperature can cause an enzyme to denature, or deteriorate. Nucleic acids such as DNA (2 stranded) and RNA (single stranded) are made of nucleotides, which consist of a nitrogen base, a sugar, and a phosphate group. Overall, we learned the main molecules that help our bodies function, why they are important, and what they are used for.

            Through the cheese lab, I learned how to adjust conditions in a substance to see how well the enzyme works. This helped me realize how a good experiment is planned and designed, and how enzymes can be denatured by pH and temperature. In the sweetness lab, I learned how depending on the amount of rings a sugar has, it can taste really sweet or really bland.

            I want to learn more about denaturation. What really happens to the enzyme and where does it go? Is it just a dead enzyme that remains in your body? I also didn't fully understand polarity and how polar and non polar substances interact with each other.

Not All Sugar is Sweet! Sweetness Lab

In this lab we asked the question: how does the structure of a carbohydrate affect its taste (sweetness)? We found that the monosaccharides (1 ring) were the sweetest, the disaccharides (2 rings) were a little less sweet, and the polysaccharides (3+ rings) were the most bland tasting. On a sweetness scale of 0-200, 200 being the sweetest, we found that glucose and fructose, which are both monosaccharides, got the highest rankings of 120 and 170. The disaccharides were a bit less sweet, and the polysaccharides got a rating of 10. According to the lecture notes, the less rings that a sugar has, the sweeter it is. This data supports our claim because the sugars with one ring were the sweetest, and the more rings the sugar had, the more bland the taste.

While our hypothesis was supported by our data, there could have been errors due to contamination between samples. As the petri dishes were shared between classes, there easily could've been minor spills or mishaps. The spoon may have also collected other sugar and contaminated certain samples, affecting the sweetness of the sample. Another error could've been not waiting enough time to 'reset' our taste before trying the next sample. Due to these errors, in future experiments I would recommend wiping away the spoon each time between samples, and waiting and significant amount of time between tasting each sample, or drinking water.

This lab was done to demonstrate the varying tastes between different carbohydrates of different structures, and how these sugars are used by humans. From this lab, I learned how we use many of these sugars commercially and in our bodies for different purposes. I also learned that the taste of different carbs can vary immensely based on the number of rings it is made up of. This helps me understand the concept of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides, as well as their uses, and what they're made of. Based on my experience from this lab, when I taste food, based on the sweetness, I can infer what kind of sugar is in it. I also will now look out for labels of fructose being in foods, and try to avoid it as much as possible.

The more rings a carbohydrate has might be used more for energy storage rather than immediate use in a cell. All testers did not give the same ratings. We might have gotten slightly different samples unintentionally. We might also have a different perception of what is sweet and what isn't. We also might not have waited long enough between samples and tried them in a different order. People may also have a different amount of taste buds in their tongues that perceive sweetness and therefore rank it differently.

What Is Biology Collage

Jean Lab

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          In this lab, we asked the question: What concentration of bleach is best to fade the color out of new denim material in 10 minutes without visible damage to the fabric? We found that no matter what concentration of bleach we used, there was no significant visible damage to the fabric, however the color did change. The rankings of color removal were significantly higher for the larger concentration of bleach than those with a lower concentration. But, unlike what we expected, there was no visible damage to any of the fabric. Bleach is already known to break down substances and make them a lighter color. This data supports our claim because the jeans with a larger concentration of bleach got lighter.
         Our data was unexpected because of some errors we made. We accidentally kept the wrong time by a few seconds for the soaking time and drying time. We also didn't label correctly all the time and got confused as to which jeans were with which concentration of bleach. We also accidentally soaked one batch in bleach instead of water for a few seconds until we realized. This all probably affected the outcome of the lab. In future experiments, we will read the directions carefully and be organized with our labeling.
        This lab was done to demonstrate the scientific method, how it works, and how to use it effectively. From this lab I learned to make a hypothesis based on known information, which helps me understand the concept of the scientific method. Based on my experience from this lab, I now know how to solve problems   using the scientific method and can apply this to even more problems.