Friday, September 25, 2009
Fri-Day 2
Interesting article on "synthetic biology" i.e. chemically synthesizing DNA with specific genes to make new life forms: http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/09/28/090928fa_fact_specter?printable=true
excerpt: "...working with hair samples from two woolly mammoths—one of them sixty thousand years old and the other eighteen thousand—has tentatively figured out how to modify that DNA and place it inside an elephant’s egg. The mammoth could then be brought to term in an elephant mother. “There is little doubt that it would be fun to see a living, breathing woolly mammoth—a shaggy, elephantine creature with long curved tusks who reminds us more of a very large, cuddly stuffed animal than of a T. Rex.,” the Times editorialized soon after the discovery was announced. “We’re just not sure that it would be all that much fun for the mammoth.”
Bio 3/6 - we discussed the various functions of proteins: enzymes speed up the rate of reactions by positioning substrate molecules properly for bond breakage (hydrolysis) or formation (synthesis),
transport proteins carry needed molecules or even wastes to other parts of the body, hormones help signal "target cells" to regulate the various other life functions in the body, antibodies are the main proteins of the immune/defense response of the body; antibodies bind to foreign organisms' surface proteins and immobilize/mark for death the pathogen, motor proteins are capable of sliding over each other causing muscle contraction and other motions.
We then focused on enzymes, showing that they work to hydrolyze or synthesize particular substrates based on the specific complementary shape of the substrate and enzyme.
I posted a video showing an enzyme catalyzing (speeding up) the hydrolysis of a substrate molecule. I also posted a biochem practice quiz to which I'll post the answer key later.
AP Chem- we learned the "half-reaction" method for balancing redox reactions in either acidic or basic solution; the base solution process requires two more steps than the acid solution process.
I posted a few relevant worksheets on Blackboard.
We began our percent composition/empirical formula of a hydrate lab by showing the proper technique for manipulating a crucible. We will perform the rest of the procedure next week.
We will also apply solution stoichiometry to our half-reaction method balanced redox equations.
excerpt: "...working with hair samples from two woolly mammoths—one of them sixty thousand years old and the other eighteen thousand—has tentatively figured out how to modify that DNA and place it inside an elephant’s egg. The mammoth could then be brought to term in an elephant mother. “There is little doubt that it would be fun to see a living, breathing woolly mammoth—a shaggy, elephantine creature with long curved tusks who reminds us more of a very large, cuddly stuffed animal than of a T. Rex.,” the Times editorialized soon after the discovery was announced. “We’re just not sure that it would be all that much fun for the mammoth.”
Bio 3/6 - we discussed the various functions of proteins: enzymes speed up the rate of reactions by positioning substrate molecules properly for bond breakage (hydrolysis) or formation (synthesis),
transport proteins carry needed molecules or even wastes to other parts of the body, hormones help signal "target cells" to regulate the various other life functions in the body, antibodies are the main proteins of the immune/defense response of the body; antibodies bind to foreign organisms' surface proteins and immobilize/mark for death the pathogen, motor proteins are capable of sliding over each other causing muscle contraction and other motions.
We then focused on enzymes, showing that they work to hydrolyze or synthesize particular substrates based on the specific complementary shape of the substrate and enzyme.
I posted a video showing an enzyme catalyzing (speeding up) the hydrolysis of a substrate molecule. I also posted a biochem practice quiz to which I'll post the answer key later.
AP Chem- we learned the "half-reaction" method for balancing redox reactions in either acidic or basic solution; the base solution process requires two more steps than the acid solution process.
I posted a few relevant worksheets on Blackboard.
We began our percent composition/empirical formula of a hydrate lab by showing the proper technique for manipulating a crucible. We will perform the rest of the procedure next week.
We will also apply solution stoichiometry to our half-reaction method balanced redox equations.
# posted by C @ 12:42 PM 
