Claire Smerdon's Science Blog

       In this unit, we delved into the biotech field, meaning the ethics assoiciated with it, the fields it applys to, how it works, and some examples of it. The biotech field deals a lot with the ethics of altering natural things, and scientists' morals may influence their work in it. The biotechnology field is massive and its disciplines includes chemistry, engineering, molecular biology, nanotech, genetics and more! One example of it is PCR or Polymerase Chain Reaction, an essential in biotech. It's used to make millions of copies of a sequence.       This was the most interesting unit to me thus far, resulting in more strengths than ususal. I found the ethics of it very interesting, and I would consider that a strength. Understanding the technologies of it was a little more difficult, a setback if I had one. The applications of biotech were strengths for me, too.       We did a lab on fluorescent bacteria, discovering how it is cr...

1. When you analyzed the results of your gel, did any of your experimental samples contain dyes that did not match the four reference dyes? All of the sample dyes corresponded to a reference dye, however, we found that yellow 5 was not found in any of the sample dyes.  2. Look at the structures of the dyes pictured here. Which of these dyes would migrate similarly to the dyes you examined in this lab? Why? I think blue 1, beetroot red, and carminic acid would travel at similar rates because they are similar sizes. Citrus red 2 and fast green FCF would go at similar paces to the rest of the dyes. 3. Many popular dry dog foods and dog treats have FD&C dyes among their ingredients. For example, Beneful dry food contains Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 2, and Snausages Breakfast Bites contain Red 40 lake, Yellow 6 lake, and Yellow 5 lake. (Lake dyes are the insoluble forms of the FD&C dyes.) Why do dog food manufacturers put artificial food colors in dog food? ...

           I will put more effort into studying/doing textbook notes throughout the unit rather then at the end. To achieve this, for each unit I would like to do the notes on the weekend that co-inside with what we learned the previous week. I'll make a study guide about two weeks prior to the test. Lastly, I'll use the study guide to study up until the test for 15-20 minutes a day..             I will be more organized with my schoolwork. In order to achieve this, I will use my planner and mark off what I do. I'll make sure to keep my notebook as orderly as before. Instead of shoving in papers into the binders' pockets, I will put them into the rings.  In addition, I'll keep my desk, supplies, and binders organized.  

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 purpos...

      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...