Basic Understanding of Chemistry

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
11 November 2014

Why is a basic understanding of chemistry necessary to understand photosynthesis and cellular respiration? (Explain three chemistry concepts required)

A basic understanding of chemistry is necessary to understand photosynthesis and cellular respiration. For example one must understand the definition of ions, which is an atom or molecule with a net electric charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons, to understand how it plays a role in photosynthesis. In addition, one must the definition of isomers, which is each of two or more compounds with the same formula but a different arrangement of atoms in the molecule and different properties, to understand how many the  steps of photosynthesis.  In addition, one understand what a chemical reaction is, which is a process that involves rearrangement of the molecular or ionic structure of a substance, as opposed to a change in physical form or a nuclear reaction, to understand why photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur in the first place. For photosynthesis to even occur in the first place, one must understand the concept of activation energy,which is the energy from the sun needed to start the process of photosynthesis. Overall, a  basic understanding of chemistry is necessary to understand photosynthesis and cellular respiration to understand how it works.


Reference: http://biology.clc.uc.edu/courses/bio104/photosyn.htm

Planaria Quick Write

Leslie Gutierrez
31 October 2014


1.  What type of symmetry does the dugesia have?
radial bilateral asymmetry

2. What term is used to describe how a planarian can regrow its body parts?
regeneration fission cephalization

3. Which of the following is associated with the planarian's nervous system?
flame cells diffusion ganglia

4. Asexual reproduction can occur through a process called:
transverse fission binary fission cocoooning

5. A hermaphrodite is an animal that:
can asexually reproduce can regenerate has both male and female parts

6. The dugesia belongs to the phylum:
platyhelminthes planaria turbellaria

7. How could a a person catch a dugesia?
using a net to siphon them from the surface of the water
using a hook and raw liver to attract them

8. An animal that has no internal body cavity to hold organs is called a(n):
turbellarian hermaphrodite acoelomate

9. How does the dugesia obtain oxygen?
diffusion through gills with its flame cells

10. The dugesia will tend to stay in what areas?
dark light warm


 
Reference : http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/classroom-activities-planaria-regeneration-activity

Glycolysis

Leslie Gutierrez
Mrs. Malonek
Biology 1/2
26 October 2014

Glycolysis

Glycolysis is the most fundamental stage of cellular respiration because it is the first step in cellular respiration, regardless of the type it is all cells are able to do cellular respiration and carry out Glycolysis. Note that Glycolysis itself is anaerobic, in that oxygen is not required, because it is billions of years old and evolved in ancient days. This was before O2 accumulated in the seas. The overall main  point of cellular respiration is to harvest electrons from organic compounds such as glucose and use that energy to make a molecule called ATP. Glycolysis is the only step in cellular respiration that requires ATP to make ATP. This process happens in the cytoplasm because it doesn't need organelles. In Glycolysis of two ATPS to the glucose that we started with the product is cleaved into two G3Ps. From this the cells than harvests NADH and ATPs. The anaerobic pathway is respiration’s first phase according to Glycolysis video music rap by science music videos.

Reference: 

http://staff.jccc.net/pdecell/cellresp/respintro.html

Should GMO's be allowed?

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology
8 September 2014

Should GMO's be allowed?

GMO's should not be allowed. According  to the Documentary 2013 Genetically Modified Foods by Anna Kopecky, 88% of the corn in the United States is genetically modified. According to Jeffery in the video, this has causes massive damage and unpredicted side effects. In addition, since GMO does not exist anywhere in nature, instead of helping us, it is destroying us and causing more problems. GMO also causes a numerous amount of digestive orders such as problems with the heart, kidney, and produces many diseases. In addition to this, it causes many problems in the liver and spine according to Nick Basso, one of the professors in the video. Plus, the BT used to GMO causes many problems, although the FDA has claimed it to be "harmless." Although it kills insects, it causes corn to have a toxic problem. BT kills human kidney cells and stay in our intestine. For example, Canada has a similar case, where mother were giving birth to babies with disorders due to drinking milk with BT. In addition, it also creates allergies in ones body. In the video, there was this one case where this mother was feeding her child raw corn with had BT and causes her son to become allergic to corn.  She change her son diet to vegetables that were not GMO, and he showed process of improvement. Although Roundup makes it easier for farmers to kill insects, it is does not cause an benefit what so ever. If animals eat GMO, it kills their nucleus and causes them to become weak and sick, since Roundup causes nutrients in a living organism body to hug together and not function properly. 

GMO also created the birth of a mystery organism that scientists have not still not identified . GMO has also created problems in cats and dogs. "The longer we feed them, the more will die."

GMOs are especially dangerous to children, since they cannot process it. This was found in a Documentary 2013 Genetically Modified Foods. 

Source: http://www.nongmoproject.org/learn-more/

 

How has DNA fingerprinting Changed Forensics?

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms. Malonek
Biology 1/2
2 October 2014

How has DNA fingerprinting Changed Forensics?

To begin with, DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic acid,  a molecule that encodes the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms and many viruses.  It is the carrier of genetic information and present in nearly all living organisms as the main 
constituent of chromosomes. Before DNA fingerprint was discovered, the crime department all around the world had little forensics, or scientific methods that really helped investigators solve crime scenes. Before, the person who was guilty of a crime left no evidence, making it hard for police to find that person and put him in jail. However when DNA fingering was discovered by James Watson and Francis Crick in in the 1950s, the criminology industry and forensics was changed forever. By extracting  a DNA fingerprint found in a crime scene, investigator were able to find the person who committed a crime. In addition to this, if investigators found one or more suspects in a crime, they were able to find the person who was guilty of the crime by using DNA fingerprinting. With DNA fingerprinting, crime investigators could find valuable information easier and  that was more resourceful. No one could prove a DNA fingerprinting not there. 

Reference: 

http://blog.wellcome.ac.uk/2011/09/06/before-dna-20th-century-forensics/

What are the three advantages of PCR?

Leslie Gutierrez
Ms.Malonek
Biology 1/2
2 October 2014

What are the three advantages of PCR?

PCR is a method of cloning alleles, making millions of replicas from trace quantizes or fragment DNA.

1. PCR can amplify STR in any amount needed to successful profiled, so very small samples or degraded samples are less of a problem.

2. STR profiling can be completed in a fraction of the time required for the VNTR.

3. It is not necessary to work with any radioactive labeled probes or X-ray film.

Reference: 

Crime Scene by  Larry Ragle