My Thoughts about Biology Honors on 12-9-2016

This very day, December 9, we took our Chapter 5 Biology Honors Exam.  This test regarded cell respiration and its three stages: glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and the electron transport chain.  I will admit that I had trouble answering some of the questions, so I took my best guess at these questions. I knew the names of the substrates of the Krebs Cycle, but I was struggling to remember the number of carbons in each substrate as well as the products coming out of each reaction.  Otherwise, I feel okay with this test.

My Thoughts about Biology Honors on 12-8-2016

Today, December 8, is the day before our Biology Honors Chapter 5 Test.  I am feeling quite nervous about this exam, and I sometimes wish that there was no test to worry about.  However,  I need to study for this test as it exists.  I know that I will be ready for this test by tomorrow though.  Today, we reviewed some of the major concepts in cell respiration, mainly glycolysis.  We were also given some time to study for the test, which I found to be very helpful as it allowed me to have more time for studying.

My Thoughts about Biology Honors on 12-6-2016

      Today, on December 6, my Biology Honors Class discussed an interesting topic: alcohol.  We learned how to make beer, but we also learned about the serious side effects that drinking beer would bring about.  We also learned that it was one of the main reasons of health problems in teenagers.  Personally, I do not plan on drinking alcohol at any given point in my life and I will not allow myself to be tempted by drugs and cigarettes.  We also began talking about cell respiration, but our class was interrupted when someone defaced an image by scribbling all over it.  Truly, I don't think that was the right thing for someone to do.  I do not know who scribbled over the picture, but I knew that I would not have done that.

My Thoughts about Biology Honors on 12-5-2016

     On December 5, 2016, our Biology Honors class played a game of Kahoot.  After an intense 10 questions, we ended in second place, placing us one spot away from the winning team who got extra credit.  Afterwards, we had a nice long talk about food that people eat followed by a talk about the Krebs Cycle, also known as the Citric Acid cycle where we went into depth about the different reactions that occur.   I feel like I have learned a great deal about Krebs cycle and it feels satisfying knowing that this process isn't as hard as it sounds.  Tomorrow was supposed to be the big day, the chapter 5 exam, but it was moved until Friday.  To be honest, I feel relieved to have more time to study.

My Thoughts about Biology Honors on 12-2-2016

My Biology Honors class took an interesting turn when someone answered "Fried Dog" when we were talking about the food that a Japanese family ate.  A speech about racism followed.  In my opinion, racism is an important issue to address.  Discriminating a group of people because of their skin color is absolutely wrong.  Stereotyping is not right because everyone is unique from one another, and no one person is exactly the same as someone else.  It may seem to be a joke to some, but there are plenty of people who feel offended at such a statement.  For this reason, racism must be avoided at all costs for the sake of humanity.

Me And Wong Leaf

This is a picture of me and a leaf.

#MEANDWONGLEAF

Enzyme Activity

Enzyme Activity

       When an enzyme, liquid liver, and a substrate, hydrogen peroxide, are mixed together, they produce oxygen.  This was something that we tested in an experiment we conducted.  We were to find the rate at which oxygen is produced in this reaction.  First, we poured hydrogen peroxide into a reaction chamber.  We dipped 4 dots of paper into enzymes and placed it in the chamber.  We had a basin filled with water, and we also filled a test tube with water.  We put the reaction chamber in the basin along with the test tube, so that any oxygen coming from the chamber floated up into the filled tube.  When 30 seconds pass, we would check the tube to see how much water is left in the it.  We continued this for 10 minutes, and by the end, we would be able to tell the rate of reaction based off the amount of water remaining.  We started our tube with 10 milliliters.  At the end of our experiment, there were 2 milliliters of water left.  

       However, our data isn't enough.  We need to know what results other lab groups got.  That way, we can we get an average of the reaction rate.  The action of the catalase remains the same during the reaction, but it is not necessarily a constant rate.

Calibration of a pH Spectrum

          This colorful rainbow of liquids was created through putting drops of HCl and NaOH into cabbage juice.  HCl is an acidic substance, and the pH is lower than neutral 7 and becomes redder as opposed to the neutral purple.  NaOH is a basic substance, and the pH becomes higher and bluer.  Cabbage juice changes color depending on the hydrogen ions added, which determines its acidity or baseness. 

#microimage2

#microimage2

You are looking at a magnified spider web.  This is what a spider web looks like up close.  Interestingly enough, it does not have as many holes as we normally see it.

We Are Our Bacteria

Pressing Issues in Biology

Pressing Issues in Biology

          I believe that two of the most pressing issues in biology are the Zika virus and endangered animals.  Zika virus causes a new born baby to be born with a flat head, often causing the death of the baby at a very early age.  This virus can be transmitted through an infected mosquito or through sex. Unfortunately, there is no known cure to this disease and can only be prevented.  I strongly urge scientists and doctors to work quickly and efficiently to find a cure to this virus.  Another pressing issue in biology, as I mentioned before, is endangered animals.  There are many reasons for the dwindling in numbers of animals, but most involve humans.  People are cutting down trees, ruining their environment.  People hunt these animals for their skin and for money.  I believe that strict laws should be enforced to prevent the extinction of these beautiful animals.