Season's Greetings

 Wishing you a fun and relaxing holiday.  With most of the drama behind us let's make 2021 a great year.  .

Hope I will get to meet you in the New Year.

Cheers to you and your family

The Working Cell

 The Plasma Membrane

A Tour of the Cell

 Check Google classroom for work due on Thursday, December 10th.

The class took notes on the functions of the organelles.

 "Seeing is believing." The invention of the microscope made it possible to see cells and millions of tiny living organisms that are everywhere.

In 1665 Robert Hook used an early microscope to look at a thin slice of cork, the dead cells of oak bark. What he saw looked like rooms, which he called cells.  The microscope was developed from eyeglass markers ideas in the late 1500 who realized that using several glass lenses magnified things.

The Light Microscope allows light to pass through a specimen and uses two lenses to form an image.  Light waves are scattered as they pass through material.  Therefore light microscopes can magnify up to about 1000 times.

Click to read about the electron microscope

Nutrient Testing Lab

 Please upload the lab reports to the appropriate folder. You now have access to them in Google Classroom.

Welcome Back

 I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.  

Period 1: I might be late to the Zoom meeting.  Please log into Google Classroom for instructions.  

The Molecules of Cells.

 Read through the notes and memorize the new vocabulary words.  Doing so will help with the understanding of the chapter.  The fill in the blank pages that correspond to the notes have been posted in Google classroom.  Please attempt the questions before class tomorrow.

Writing a Lab Report

 The first fifteen minutes of class will be spent explaining how to write a lab report.  

We will continue to discuss the versatility of the hydrocarbon leading into the introduction of the macromolecules.

The 4 Macromolecules"

1) Carbohydrates

2) Protein

3) Lipids

4) Nucleic Acid

Chapter 3: The Molecules of Cells

Hydrocarbons 

 

Unlike compounds formed from other elements, carbon compound are far more numerous and varied.  There are several million carbon compounds known and several hundred thousands are synthesized each year. 

Straight chain hydrocarbons: 

Branched Hydrocarbons

Ring structure

The most common elements found with carbon are hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and the halogens.

Water Properties Lab

 You will fill out the answers based on the demonstration of the lab.  No formal lab write up is required for this lab.  

The class will end with the PowerPoint presentation.

Irregularity of the density of water. The highest density of water occurs when the molecules are packed tightly together.  The crystal arrangement of ice has a lot of space incorporated in it. There are fewer molecules of water per volume in ice, than there are in water. 

Cohesion vs Adhesion.

Happy Veterans Day

Have a godd break. We will continue on Thursday. The vocabulary link is still broken. The 4 words from Tuesday's class are: ionic bond, covalent bond, Polar molecule, non-polar molecule

No Zoom Meeting on Monday, November 9, 2020

Log into Google Classroom to view the assignment.

Chapter 2: The Chemical Basis of Life.

The class will take notes from the PowerPoint. The vocabulary link on the blog is not working. Therefore, just review the vocabulary mentioned, and write the definition for the following: 1) atomic number, 2) mass number, isotopes.

Second Quarter 2020 - 2021 School Year- Welcome!

The new links for first Zoom meeting is posted on the high school's page and under the announcement section in Canvas. After which a new link will be posted in Google Classroom and in Canvas.

Some of the Vitamins Needed for Cellular Respiration

You will list the vitamins, state the source, the functions and the deficiency symptoms. The vitamins and minerals to be examined are those that are directly related to the cellular respiration: Vitamin B1 - Thiamine Vitamin B 2 - Riboflavin Vitamin B3 - Niacin Vitamin B6 Pantothenic acid Chromium Iron

Chapter 6: How Cells Harvest Chemical Energy

 Cellular Respiration

The Mitochondrion:

Final Exam Information

 The information is posted in Google classroom.  The folder to upload your work is also available.

Molecular Movements

 Video link for Cell transport

Water Poisoning: Analogy based on the true story of Hold you wee for a Wii

The Plasma Membrane

 Pages 48 and 49 of the packet have been uploaded to Google Classroom.

Enzyme Activity Lab.

 Lab will be demonstrated over Zoom. Report is due at the end of the class.

Cofactors and Coenzymes

 Many enzymes require non-protein substances to function. Without them the enzymes would not work efficiently.  There are two types of these enzyme helpers:

 1) Cofactor: inorganic molecules, minerals, usually metal ions. For instance magnesium is important in reactions where a phosphate group is transferred. One example of this is reversible reaction of ATP.
These cofactors can turn enzymes on and off or modify the rate at which enzymes work. Iron is another example.  Iron is an integral part of hemoglobin's ability to transport oxygen,

2) Coenzymes: organic compounds like vitamins. Coenzymes bind to specific site on a protein molecule and provides chemical functions that a protein alone cannot provide.  You body can make the necessary enzymes, but not the necessary minerals and vitamins which must be included in the diet.

Enzymes: The Biological Catalyst

 Remember that enzymes usually end in ase; catalase, sucrase. 

The enormous of biochemical reactions occurring within cells is regulated by enzymes.  Enzymes speed up chemical reactions, as well as control the rate at which reactions occur.  They are globular protein molecules manufactured by each cell.  More than 2000 enzymes have been recognized based on the chemical reactions they catalyze.  All of them are structurally different

An enzyme recognizes a specific molecule called a substrate and binds to it.  Some enzymes are so specific they only act on one substrate, while others can act on a class of substrate.

Enzymes can bring about changes to molecule to which it binds. The change usually involves the forming or breaking of a covalent chemical bond.  Enzymes may split the substrate into two pieces, may add a chemical side group to the molecule, or may simply rearrange the bonds in the substrate.

 

 Enzymes lower the activation energy by 1) providing a medium that is more favorable than the surrounding one. 2) By bringing the reactant into close contact. 3) They might add or remove a proton from the substrate , strain the substrate molecule's bond, or even form temporary covalent bond between the substrate and some part of the enzyme itself.

Exergonic and Endergonic Reactions:

 In an exergonic reaction energy is released so the reactants have more energy than the products.  For example: Cellular Respiration.  See equation below.

   

In an endergonic reaction the product has more energy than the reactant. For example; Photosynthesis. See the equation below.

The Working Cell

First Law of Thermodynamic: 

The law of Conservation of Energy.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be changed from one form to another.

Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Law of Entropy: the measure of the amount of disorder or randomness in a system
When energy is transformed from one form to another, there is a loss of usable energy as heat.

 

 

Reviewed How to Write a Lab Report

The  review was necessary to prevent having a repeat of the errors encountered in the Nutrient Lab.  You can again review the Lab Write-up Format posted in a separate tab on this blog.

The folder for Chapter 4 uploads is available on Google classroom.

The test will be on Monday, October 12, 2020

PowerPoint Uploaded to Google Classroom

 Chapter 4 Packet is due on Friday.  

The Study Guide for the chapter 4 multiple choice test is listed in Google Classroom and the school home work page.

 

 

 

 

 

A Tour of the Cell

Video links: An Overview of the Cell Structure

Amoeba Sisters: Introduction to the Cell

Here is the link to the video clip shown in 3rd period.

Inside a Human Cell

Today's class we continued with the functions of the organelles.  

The Animal Cell

 

 

 "Seeing is believing." The invention of the microscope made it possible to see cells and millions of tiny living organisms that are everywhere.

In 1665 Robert Hook used an early microscope to look at a thin slice of cork, the dead cells of oak bark. What he saw looked like rooms, which he called cells.  The microscope was developed from eyeglass markers ideas in the late 1500 who realized that using several glass lenses magnified things.

The Light Microscope allows light to pass through a specimen and uses two lenses to form an image.  Light waves are scattered as they pass through material.  Therefore light microscopes can magnify up to about 1000 times.

Electron Microscopes use beams of electrons focused my magnetic fields. These offer higher resolutions than light microscope.  These are used to only examine non-living cells and tissues.  The samples are chemically preserved so that they can be examined in a vacuum. The electrons are placed in a vacuum to prevent them from being scattered. 

 

Click on the link below to see how electron microscopes work:

How Electron Microscopes Work

Chapter 3 Multiple Choice Test

Nutrient Testing Lab

Please go to Google Classroom to retrieve documents.

Test on Tuesday, September 29th.

 The study guide is posted on Google classroom and on the home work page.

All the pages of chapter 3 are due on Monday, September 28th.   See you tomorrow for the Nutrient Testing Lab.

Worksheets Posted and additional information on the Macromolecules.

The additional pages for the chapter 3 packet have been posted in Google Classroom. Also check the vocabulary link for new words.

Details of the Macromolecules

Starch, glycogen and cellulose are also examples of polysaccharides.  Excess glucose is stored in plants as starch, and in animal tissue as glycogen.  The cell wall of plants called cellulose are made of glucose.

Proteins are made of the monomers amino acids.  Proteins account for more than 50 % of the dry weight of most cells and are instrumental in almost everything.  All proteins are made of 20 kinds of amino acids

Nucleic Acids: The monomers of nucleic acids are nucleotides.  DNA and RNA are examples of nucleic acids.  They are the blueprint of life.  

The DNA Molecule

Lipids:  The monomers of lipids are fatty acids and glycerol. They are not considered true polymers because they are made of two different monomers.  Fats, oils, and steroids belong to this group of macromolecules.

Example of Steroid

The Chapter 2 Test

Uploads folder is available in Google Classroom.  Please read the information and upload only what was requested.  Upload by Monday, September 21, 2020.

The results for the test will be discussed on Monday.  Three students got 14 out of the 15 questions; one from period 2 and two from period 3.  

Read through the notes taken and follow along by reading the corresponding sections from the textbook. In addition, memorize the vocabulary words listed under the vocab section.  

Hydrocarbons

We will spend the first half of the class discussing the lab write up format.  You will learn how to write a lab report.  Click on the tab to see the lab tab to view.  Additional details specific to the class not listed on the form will be explained.

The hydrocarbons will be introduced in preparation for the chapter 3.

 Unlike compounds formed

from other elements, carbon compounds

are far more numerous and varied.  There are several million carbon compounds known and several hundred thousands are synthesized each year.

Branched Hydrocarbon                                       Ring Structure

The most common elements found with carbon are hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and the halogens. 

Study Guide Posted in Google Classroom.

 The test for chapter 2 is on Friday, September 18, 2020.

The Properties of Water.

We will discuss the properties of water and discuss the pH scale.

Sign into Google classroom to work on  the worksheets to help you remember the material. 

Water: The Uncommon Solvent

Irregularity of the density of water. The highest density of water occurs when the molecules are packed tightly together.  The crystal arrangement of ice has a lot of space incorporated in it. There are fewer molecules of water per volume in ice, than there are in water.