Claire Smerdon's Science Blog

In this unit, we learned in-depth about DNA and its role in how we are today. Our DNA explains why I have blue eyes or why you might have curly hair. I now understand how DNA is replicated, and the mutations that may occur. We looked at real life examples of mutations, like cystic fibrosis. We also learned how proteins are made and had a lab to compliment it. I found this unit easier to understand and more interesting. As a result, I didn't have any major struggles. A small setback was transcription, but I easily overcame it. I really want to learn more about mutations and diseases caused by them. I'm a better student than before because I applied what I learned from the VARK questionaire into my studying. I found that I understood the topics better and learned them faster. Photos from DNA extraction lab

1. Proteins are produced through transcription and translation. Transcription is the process where genes are copied by enzymes, resulting in mRNA or messenger RNA . After leaving the nucleus, it travels to the cytoplasm for translation. The ribosomes reads off the RNA in sets of three bases, or codons. The codons correlate with an amino acid . The amino acids bond together, and the translated version is folded up into a protein. 2. A substitution is a type of mutation that changes one base for another. These are the least damaging because it only effects that one base and the codon. Frameshift mutations are deletion or insertions of a base in a sequence . For example, an insertion to ACG would be AC C G. A deletion to ACG would be AC. They cause the greatest damage because they alter the entire sequence after it. Furthermore, frameshift mutations in the beginning of the sequence are the most fatal because they alter more of the sequence than later mutations. 3. I chose t

          In the DNA extraction lab, we asked if DNA can be extracted from cheek cells in order to study it. If DNA is in every cell, then we should be able to extract it from our cheek cells. At the end, we discovered that in fact, we were able to by taking the qualitative data approach. We saw the whitish material floating between the alcohol and gatorade, showing the clear sign of it being DNA. We may have conducted the experiment wrong, and impacted our outcome. We might have gotten too many airbubbles or poured too little alcohol. Another possible error is I only drank part of the gatorade and spat it into more gatorade. As a result, I might not have gotten enough skin cells to get measurable results. One recommendation is to give more background information to help decipher how to conduct the experiment. Another is to explain more clearly in the beginning what you're looking for and signals you got DNA.           This lab's purpose was not only to help us think more in d

      In the coin sex lab, we flipped the coin to see how many times we recieved the traits out of ten. The coins' sides served as possible phenotypes. In the end, we found that our results correlate with what was expected. In the dihybrid cross, we expected to get the 9:3:3:1 pattern ( 9 brunettes with brown eyes: 3 brunettes with blue eyes: 3 blondes with brown eyes: 1 blonde with blue eyes). Our results were 10:3:2:1, with one less brunette with blue eyes and one more brunette with brown eyes. Overall, our results mirrored our expectations. Probability can only help with traits that have clear phenotypes. In addition, probabilty doesn't factor in the environment. This helps account for traits we see everyday and how siblings share some traits but not others. Probability is translated through the situation of three siblings having a widow's peak and one that doesn't.       This unit revolved around genetics and how offspring are affected by their parents. We learned

            Before reading Dr. Tatiana's Sex Advice to all Creatures , I knew vaguely about the concepts of asexual and sexual reproduction. I could recount that asexual was with one partner while sexual was with two. Questions flowed through my mind: But why would an organism conduct asexual reproduction? How does that even begin to happen?             After reading, I discovered asexual reproduction has quite the list of advantages: it's easy, it's fast, no mate or date, and it enables organisms to make a lot of offsping. There's the added bonus of having thousands upon millions of you. Yet there is one costly disadvantage that defeats most asexual species, species are more prone to extinction. Because everyone is like you, your species can not adapt to its enviornment; there are no mutated organisms that will survive.               On the flip side, sexual reproduction helps counter his threat. In addition, mutations may become positive and in the long run, positi

       In this unit, we learned about the structure, function, processes, etc. of cells. We delved into photosynthesis and cellular respiration. We learned how cells came to be and the discovery of cells. We even observed and identified cells! We understood how essential each organelle is and how they help the cell.        Some setbacks I faced was understanding how some of the molecules factor in. I overcame the setback by asking questions, watching the vodcast, reading the textbook and watching Khan Academy to accumulate different perspectives. A strength for me was understanding photosynthesis and being able to explain it well. In the micro organism lab, Nakul and I found a system that helped us become more efficient with our time.        I'm a better student today because to tart off, I'm more intelligent. A week ago, I would've explained as photosynthesis making food for themselves which is sugar with the ingredients of carbon dioxide, sunlight, water, and nutrients

In this lab, I asked the question of what light intensity on a scale of 0-50 will be most effective in producing oxygen. My hypothesis is that if plants need substantial sunlight, then 40 (80%) will be the most effective. My constants were the type of light (white), amount of carbon dioxide, temperature (10 degrees fahrenheit) and time (20 seconds). My dependent variable is the intensity of light. My independent variable is the amount of oxygen bubbles. My control is the intensity of 0. Light Intensity of 0 (0%) Light Intensity of 10 (20%) Light Intensity of 20 (40%) Light Intensity of 30 (60%) Light Intensity of 40 (80%) Light Intensity of 50 (100%) Amount of bubbles per 20 seconds 0 2 3 4 4 4 I found that my hypothesis was supported, however, the light intensity of 40 and 50 scored the same. They all produced 4 bubbles of oxygen in 20 seconds. Light is well-known as a necessary part in the process of photosynthesis, as stated in our vodcasts and t

Ligustrum Power: 400x This cell is unique because of its immense amount of intercellular space. This slide of ligustrum has its vein in the middle, while other examples tend to have its vein against the lower epidermis cell. It's eukaryotic and an autotroph. Amoeba Power: 400x This cell is unique because it doesn't have a clear boundary line at 400x while the other cells we looked at do. Different amoebas come in different colors, however, it could be the dyes. If so, the next question is why does one dye turn different amoebas different colors. Amoeba is eukaryotic and a heterotroph.  Spirogyra Power: 400x This cell is unique because its shape is long and skinny. In addition, most of its central vacuole takes up its space. It's chloroplasts are very visable on this side, as they are the black dots. It's eukaryotic and an autotroph.  Muscle tissue Power: 400x The muscle tissue is unique as it's polynucleui, meaning it has mor

In our egg diffusion, we diffused the shell of the eggs and observed how osmosis effected the eggs. We put one egg in sugar water and the other egg in deionized water. In the sugar water, the egg was hypertonic. It shrunk with a -42.17% change in mass, going from high concentration to low concentration, and had a -19.67% change in circumference. There is more solute outside the cell and more solvent inside the cell. The solvent tries to balance it by putting more solvent outside the cell, shrinking it. The egg wants to maintain equilibrium, and in doing so, it has to have equal solute inside and outside. When the egg was placed in the vinegar, not only did the shell dissolve, leaving the membrane, but it shrunk with the increase of salt. When it was put into water, the water diffused, a type of passive diffusion, into the egg, enlarging it. After being put into salt, it shrunk. This lab demontrates diffusion, highlighting hypertonic, hypotonic and isotonic. the egg clearly show

In this lab we asked the question of what can macromolecules be identified in an egg cell. In the egg yolk, we hypothesized that if the yolk is the cell of the egg, then all macromolecules will be found in it. We hypothesized if lipids are in all membranes, then they will be in the egg membrane. Our hypothesis for the egg white was if egg whites are food for baby chicks, then protein will be in the egg white. We found that the egg yolk had monosaccharides, polysaccharides, protein and lipids. It had a score of eight for monosaccharides with an orangey-yellow hue. For polysaccharides it scored five. Its color was a dark brown. We discovered that proteins have a smaller presence with a score of three. This time it was dark blue to black. The lipid test revealed a score of six with an orange tint. In the egg membrane, we found every macromolecule, but only a small amount of monosaccharides and protein. For monosaccharides, it scored a mere two with a blue tint. In the polysaccharide t

          In unit two, we dipped into the necessary chemistry biologists needed to know, helping us understand our main focus: macromolecules. Beginning with chemistry, we studied matter, more specifically atoms. An atom is the basic unit of matter with subatomic particles. Those are the protons, neutrons, and electrons.            The four macromolecules we learned about were carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acid, and proteins. Made of sugar and saccharides, carbohydrates are a source of energy. They're ring shaped and divided into monosaccharides (one ring), disaccharides (two rings) and polysaccharides (three or more rings). Lipids are made up of large molecules, containing oils, fats, phospholipids, waxes, and cholesterol. Known as fatty acids, lipids' structures are long chains of carbon and hydrogen.            Lipids are made up of large molecules, containing oils, fats, phospholipids, waxes, and cholesterol. Lipids make up cell membranes, make hormones, and is used as e

In our lab regarding the sweetness of different types of sugars, we set out on finding the type of carbohydrate (monosaccharide, disaccharide and polysaccharide) that is the sweetest. We found monosaccharides, the sugars glucose and fructose, are the sweetest. Fructose was the sweetest, then sucrose, and then glucose.  Because fructose is so sweet, it's produced commerically and added into many foods. Glucose is a disaccharide, meaning it has two rings or two monosaccharides. It's made up of two monosaccarides, frutose and glucose, which both scored high on the sweetness scale. Monosaccharides have one ring, a hexagon or pentagon shape consisting of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Polysaccharides have three or more rings. monosaccaride The amount of rings a carbohydrate may affect how organisms/ cells use them. Both are used as an energy source for h umans. However, monosaccarides and dissacharides may be short-term, while polysaccharides are used long-term.

In the jean lab, we set out to answer what concentration of bleach is best to fade the color out of new denim material in 10 minutes without visible damage to the fabric. Our hypothesis was if bleach breaks down pigments, then the denim will lose its color. We found that the 'best' concentration is dependent on what you're looking for and value. The 100% bleach had the most drastic results with an average of 9 in color removal. In the end, the pigment was more yellow than white. The fabric square was stiffer and the ends were frayed. (The ends were frayed because we cut it. Normally, when bleaching jeans, the hem wouldn't get frayed). This led it to have a fabric damage of 1 1/3. I would consider this one the 'best' because though the fabric turned yellow and is most likely not favorable, it took the color out of the denim. From reliable online sources, you can find data that supports our findings. This also proved our hypothesis because the bleach broke down th