Unit 4 Reflection

Unit 4 Reflection

In Unit 4, we talked about why is sex so great, the reproduction and importance of chromosomes, the world of Genetics, and how they are passed on generation to generation, which also includes Punnett squares predicting that possibility. The theme of Unit 4 was Genetics and the essential understanding was eventually knowing why sex is great? This unit was very simple in the beginning when we were learning the Cell Cycle, Asexual and Sexual Reproductions, and MItosis and Meiosis. However, towards the end when we started learning the Genetic Complications which included Punnett Squares, and the different Genetic Crosses, it started to be hard to directly understand these concepts, making me having to spend more time on them. My strengths and successes in this Unit was being able to be familiar and understand all the concepts up to  learning the Genetic Crosses and Punnett squares, and being able to do well on my Genetic Infographic because I planned which info. are related together so they eventually answer why sex is so great? However, my weaknesses and my setbacks is understanding the Genetic Crosses and Punnett squares, including the Dihybrid cross which includes crosses with double homozygous or heterozygous alleles, and doing the last few experiments of the Coin Sex Lab which include doing a dihybrid cross. This shows I need to focus a little more on dihybrid cross which I did with several problems involving a dihybrid crosses and the other genetic crosses as well, my weakness. I learned if I had a weakness, then I would just do more problems on that weakness to make it into a strength, but also keep on working strengths. In the Infographic, I learned to organize the details and concepts to form the big picture: Why is Sex is so great? I am a better student to today by doing more problems on genetic crosses and I wonder the difficulty of the units after this leading up to the Semester final, and whether if I will do well on the final?

I am a mild auditory learner with a 7, read- write learner of 5, Kinesthetic and Visual learner of 2. This made me very surprised of myself because I actually focus more and have a better efficiency without any sound. I am more of a read-write learner where I look the text when reading and notes I take in studying for quizzes and test. In order to use auditory as my strength, I will listen to videos teaching the concepts needed for the test and then use the textbook to give me more details as well.

Coin Sex Lab Relate and Review

Coin Sex Lab

In the Coin Sex Lab, we identified the Genotypes and Phenotypes used to determine the different types of genetic cross in a Punnett Square, and then determine their Phenotypic and Genotypic ratio, using coins. The coins served as the different alleles as X and Y chromosomes used in the experiment in order to determine the possible genotypes for each trial to determine the genotypic ratio for the whole experiment. For example, if we were to determine whether the person was color blind, we put XB on one side of the coin and the Xb was on the other side of coin, and the other coin with XB and Y in both sides. The coins also helped us learn the law of gene segregation, by different gene pairs  (coins) having their own traits but when gametes or disorders form, then they seperate during meiosis or the genetic cross between the coins genotypes, forming new recombinations in the Punnett Square because the crosses.

For the dihybrid cross experiment, when I flipped the coins to see who was double homozogous child from two heterozygotes. I found out that 11 of the 16 children were but actually  when doing the cross it gives 12 children that are double homozogous. This shows that the predictability is actually 11 children out of 16 children but the probability is 12 out of 16 children. Since predictability doesn't give the accurate answer but probability does, it is for sure 12 children are double homozogous.

The limit of using probability offspring's traits is sometimes not knowing the genotypes of one of the parents have. When genotypic information is given for both parents,  Monohybrid and dihybrid crosses are used. For example, if it is a cross between the father that is color blind, because of X-linked inheritance and a mother that is not color blind, then we can use the Monohybrid Cross to predict whether the child is color-blind or not. However if it is a cross between a dad that has brown eyes and color blind, and a mom that has blue eyes and not color blind. then we would have to use a dihybrid cross to find out what color eyes the child has and whether he or she is color blind or not. So now that only one parent has genotypes, we need to use test cross to find the possibility of the offspring. For instance, the dad has hemophilia (XhY) but mom is unknown. Then, we do the test cross and get unknown mom also has hemophilia (XhXh). Then we can find possibility of whether the child will get hemophilia.

Understanding the importance and usage of the monohybrid and dihybrid crosses in different scenarios relate to my life when my genes are passed from generation to generation because of the chromosomes in the human body, which composes of 2 sex chromosomes X and Y, and the autosomes(44 Chromosomes). Some of these chromosomes can contain dominant or recessive alleles that have autosomal or Sex-linked inheritance. For example, disorder for Autosomal Dominance is Bipolar's disease,an Autosomal Recessive disorder like Albinism; Sex-linked dominant disorder like Coffin Lowry Syndrome and Sex-linked recessive disorder like Color blindness. These disorders, by doing any type of genetic cross, can predict the probability of having the disorders. With this knowledge, you can be more mentally prepared by already knowing which doctor the baby would go to for that disorder that the child genetically had from his or her parents. Or if it is not a syndrome on illness, it can be a bad syndrome on eyesight such as color-blindness. If you did not inherit it but your grandparents did, it is possible the child could have it, which will prepare you to give objects with the same color, so the baby does not get confused because the confusion could led to danger like not noticing difference between a real gun and black pen, and then killing his or her life. That eventually will not be good.

Genetic Inforgraphic: Why is Sex so great?

http://www.easel.ly/create/?id=https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/1253350/1446219688&key=pri

Unit 3 Reflection

Unit 3 Reflection

Unit 3 was on the basic parts of a cells, and how photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration is occurred in the cell. The essential question of the Unit was what are cells, and what does photosynthesis and cellular respiration do to help the cell. I thought the beginning of the Unit was all review because the many parts of the Cell were review back in elementary school except the Rough and Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum. However, now I know that Rough ER is close to the Nucleus while the Smooth ER is outside of the Nucleus next to Mitochondria. But in the end, when learning the processes of Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration, it was hard to understand it because there were many details explained in each of the processes as we had never learned them before. In fact, I still have not really completely understand and memorized what happens in the processes involving Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. So it takes more time to understand Photosynthesis and cellular respiration than identifying the basic cell.

We learned in this Unit of how “the Cell” is very important among living things including us, humans, by being able to let them function well. In Photosynthesis, Light Independent and Light-Dependent Reactions( Calvin Cycle) occur which in Light Independent reaction, high-energy electrons are being absorbed and transferred to the Electron transport chain, which then produces NADPH and ATP, electron carriers. Then, oxygen is released and Hydrogen Ions are transferred in the Thylakoid Membrane, and by using ATP synthases, for Hydrogen Ions to diffuse, producing ATP; in the Calvin Cycle, sugar is produced from Carbon Dioxide by using ATP and NADPH (light reactions), and is produced 1 glucose molecule every 6 turns in the Cycle. For Cellular Respiration Glycolysis produces Pyruvic Acid, 3-carbon atom, and uses 2 ATP and produces 4 ATP to the Krebs Cycle. Then in the Krebs Cycle, Pyruvic Acid and Acetyl- Coenzyme A produces Citric Acid, which is broken down to a 4-carbon molecule letting CO2 release, but gains more ATP that goes to the Electron Transport Chain. Then, in the ETC, high electrons are transferred in the Inner Membrane in order for ADP to produce ATP. Then in the end, ATP Synthases diffuses all molecules that transfer to the Inner Membrane to produce ATP. Altogether, Cellular Respiration produces 36 ATP in which Glycolysis produces 6 ATP and Krebs cycle and mainly Electron Transport Chain produces 30 ATP.  In the Cell, the many parts of it help it for living things to function, mainly in the Nucleus where DNA is made and the NUclear Envelope where ribosomes are produced

Overall, I learned how to study efficiently with so much detail mainly in Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis. I find which details are more important and study them more and unimportant subjects studying them less. I do not have any questions and I wonder if there is an easier way to study the many details in Cellular Respiration and Photosynthesis. In order to get a great score on the test, I will continue studying each day on what I am weak on and then draw diagrams for Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration while quizzing what happens in each process in both Photosynthesis and Cellular Respiration. Got to study more each day to get a better result.

Photsynthesis Virtual Lab conclusion

In this Photosynthesis Virtual Lab, the question is how does the temperature of the beaker , affect the rate of bubbling oxygen. If the temperature increases, then the rate of bubbling oxygen is faster since hot temperatures help speed up reactions. We found out actually that in the table as we reached 40 degrees Celsius, the rate of oxygen was 2 seconds/bubble, and when we decreased temperature to 25 degrees Celsius, the rate of oxygen was 4 seconds/bubble, and 10 degrees Celsius causes rate of oxygen was 6 seconds/bubble.

The independent variable of the lab was the temperature and dependent variable was the oxygen bubbles, since the temperature helps cause the rates of oxygen bubbling. The control of the experiment was the Light Intensity, because it was constant the whole time and helping the oxygen bubble because until it the stopwatch was at 7 minutes, no bubbles came out, along with carbon dioxide, by the same reason, too.

Overall, what I learned in this lab was how to create an own experiment by testing the variables, to find which  variable caused the change of rate of bubbling and Photosynthesis. By the rate of oxygen bubbling changing, it shows why Photosynthesis is changing since Photosynthesis produces oxygen. I found out that temperature with help of light intensity, were all needed to change the rate of bubbling. This help me relate to the concept of how photosynthesis can be a varying process like the oxygen bubbling in the experiment changing in its’ speed. It will help me apply to next time how to create a better own experiment since this is the 1st time in biology setting own variables to create an experiment.

Temperature (Celsius degrees)	Rate of Oxygen bubbles sec/bubble
40	2
25	4
10	6

Egg Diffusion Lab

Egg Diffusion Lab

1.As the sugar concentration increased the change in mass, and the circumference greatly improved. In the Deionized Water, the %change of Mass was greater than the % of Change in circumference with 3.06% greater than 0.05%, which would be the Solvent greater than the Solute greater, making it Hypertonic. This is because the water is diffusing from the outside of the cell(high concentration) to interior of the cell(low concentration). Same as the Sugar Water where the change in mass which was -52.9% is greater than -21.3 %, the water inside the container is having diffusion where it is moving from the high concentration(cup) to low concentration (outside of the cup).

2.A cell’s internal environment changes along with the external environment because the solute is greater on the outside of the cell membrane than in the membrane. In the Lab, as we put the Egg inside the water, the egg expanded bigger and bigger because of Osmosis ;when we put the Egg inside the vinegar, the egg’s shell came out and when the egg was in sugar it does not change because the sugar is the solute of the egg, that contains water. So with water, vinegar, and sugar as external conditions for the Egg cell, it does have significant changes of it.

3. This lab demonstrates about Hypotonic and Hypertonic changes in the cell along with passive diffusion among the cell.  Even though the Egg cell had mostly Hypertonic changes, it can be possible that it has Hypotonic changes. For example, if the lab eliminated sugar, then the Egg cell would be mostly water interior, which is greater inside the Egg cell than outside of the cell. Then, the Hypertonic changes would be the Egg cell right now where outside of the cell is greater than inside the cell. Also, since water can pass through the Egg Membrane by diffusing and that the Membrane is semipermeable, this leads to passive diffusion for water among the egg cell.

4. This lab can be applied in the real-life where now there is a reason that they put salt on roads during the winter seasons because to help decrease the temperature of the freezing, causing the water to diffuse from high concentration to low concentration. By the water mainly transferring out of the egg cell, the Egg diffusion lab taught how eggs and their shapes are made, which is by losing water by diffusion. So by learning this, we can apply to it of how fruits like apple and grapes are made at normal size, because of diffusion.

5. Based on the Egg Diffusion Lab, I would test whether if scrambled eggs or fried eggs can be diffused to be a normal egg again. If a boiled egg can be diffused as a normal egg, can the scrambled egg or fried egg be also diffused to a normal egg as a boiled egg could?

Egg Cell Membrane Lab and Conclusion

Egg Cell Macromolecule Lab Conclusion

In this lab we asked the question of can Macromolecules be identified in an egg cell? Our group found out that on in the Monosaccharide test only the Egg yolk had macromolecules with a quantitative amount of 7 out of 10. This supports our data, because monosaccharides gives excess energy for the Egg Yolk to function and develop.  In the Polysaccharide test all Negative Control, Egg Membrane , Egg Yolk, and Egg white had macromolecules inside, with macromolecule amounts of 10 out of 10, 8 out of 10, 7 out of 10, and 8 out of 10. The Egg Membrane contained the Polysaccharides,  because it helps the membrane function and is part of a membrane; Egg yolk and Egg white contains polysaccharides since, they both have food inside of them and polysaccharides help develop energy inside them. Next, the protein test had only Egg Yolk and Egg White, with macromolecule amounts of 8 out of 10, and 2 out of 10. This supports the data by the  Egg  Yolk and Egg White have food inside of them and so they are both proteins to help give us ATP to our bodies. Finally, the Lipid test has Egg Membrane, Egg Yolk, and Egg White, with 4 out of 10, 7 out of 10, and 10 out of 10. This supports our data, because Lipids are part of the Membrane, which makes it being able to develop the Egg Membrane; Lipids are in Egg Yolk and Egg white because since both of them contain foods,  the Lipid helps them give ATP that humans can break down to gain energy. So, the Egg Yolk contains, Monosaccharides, Polysaccharides, Protein, and LIpids, while the Egg Membrane contains Polysaccharides, and Lipids. Finally the Egg White contains Polysaccharides, Protein, and LIpids. This supports our claim, which is that Macromolecules can be found in the Egg Cell, since as shown that the Egg Membrane, Egg Yolk, and Egg White, contains several macromolecules, however with the Egg Yolk containing all the Macromolecules.

While our hypothesis was supported by data, there were possible errors due to that I might have measured the Negative control in the Polysaccharide test was wrong. The negative control is not suppose to have any amount of Macromolecule, but I measured that Negative Control had a 10 out of 10 macromolecule amount in the Polysaccharide test. Also, we had errors due to Monosaccharides having 0 out of 10 amount of Macromolecules for Egg Membrane and Egg White during the Monosaccharide test. It should have some amount of macromolecules since Egg Membrane and Egg White have food in them and Monosaccharides help along with Polysaccharides to store extra energy to give off as ATP to humans. Due to these problems, I recommend in the future that we should for each test take more time to see if results are accurate to the concepts we learned about it. Also, we should look over the data and repeat experimenting until we get accurate results.

In conclusion, this Lab was to demonstrate that parts of the Egg Membrane still contains Macromolecules like a regular Membrane. The parts of an Egg Membrane still contain, either Monosaccharides, Polysaccharides, Protein, or LIpids, especially the EGg Yolk which contains all of the Macromolecules according to our data. This help me relate the concept of what is inside the Membrane, and how does each part inside of the Membrane, help it function normally.  Based on the experience from the lab, I would apply this to looking parts of the Egg Cell Membrane is like any Cell Membrane, which in the lab data, contains all the Macromolecules that help our life easier. So now that I realize the importance of the Egg, it is important for myself and every other human to eat the egg because they give us the Macromolecules that are needed to survive everyday life.