This Unit, The Chemistry of Life, was mainly about molecules and macromolecules. I learned that atoms consist of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Ionic, covalent, and hydrogen bonds are all different types of chemical bonds that occur within molecules. There are four big macromolecules: Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates are saccharides (sugars) that store energy and are formed of rings of carbon, hyrdogen, and oxygen. Lipids are long chains of carbon and hydrogen called fatty acids, and lipids store energy, make up cell membranes, and make hormones. Proteins are large molecules made up of smaller molecules chained together called amino acids; they support the body, speed up chemical reactions, help cells communicate, and let items through the cell membrane. Nucleic acids make up DNA and are composed of repeating nucleotides, each nucleotide containing on phosphate, sugar, and base. Enzymes are a type of protein, and their functionality is determined by the two factors of pH and temperature. When an enzyme denatures, it unwinds and loses its ability to do work, which is make chemical reactions happen, pull molecules apart, or put molecules together.
From this unit I learned what exactly enzymes do, and why certain enzymes work quicker and produce more results. I also learned what each of the macromolecules did for my body. I learned about monosaccharaides, disaccharaides, and polysaccharaides (various types of sugars). As you can see in the picture below, the fewer rings the sugar contained, the sweeter it would be. The sweetness lab we did in these types of sugars helped me to clearly understand how they work; here is the link to this lab write up, Sweetness Lab Conclusion. I learned how to write a hypothesis correctly also. Although this skill seems simple, I had been taught the incorrect way to write one all my life. The style of writing a hypothesis correctly helped me a lot to understand the labs we did a lot better.
Although this unit taught me much more in depth about macromolecules, I would like to learn more about the nutritional facts about each of them. In school, there has been little discussion about nutrition, but nutrition is very intriguing to me and I want to learn more about it. I would also like to learn what factors cause certain enzymes perform better in certain environments. I understand which enzymes and conditions curdle milk quicker, but I would like to be able to know some characteristics of an enzyme and be able to reason which pH and temperature would cause it to produce the most results in the shortest amount of time. I wonder about the denaturing process of enzymes and proteins. I am interested in knowing how and why the enzyme or protein denatures in the first place, as well as more in depth information about simple and complete denaturing. The labs enforce material in my brain very well, and I would like to do a lab on denaturing to be able to fully understand the concept of it.
From this unit I learned what exactly enzymes do, and why certain enzymes work quicker and produce more results. I also learned what each of the macromolecules did for my body. I learned about monosaccharaides, disaccharaides, and polysaccharaides (various types of sugars). As you can see in the picture below, the fewer rings the sugar contained, the sweeter it would be. The sweetness lab we did in these types of sugars helped me to clearly understand how they work; here is the link to this lab write up, Sweetness Lab Conclusion. I learned how to write a hypothesis correctly also. Although this skill seems simple, I had been taught the incorrect way to write one all my life. The style of writing a hypothesis correctly helped me a lot to understand the labs we did a lot better.
Although this unit taught me much more in depth about macromolecules, I would like to learn more about the nutritional facts about each of them. In school, there has been little discussion about nutrition, but nutrition is very intriguing to me and I want to learn more about it. I would also like to learn what factors cause certain enzymes perform better in certain environments. I understand which enzymes and conditions curdle milk quicker, but I would like to be able to know some characteristics of an enzyme and be able to reason which pH and temperature would cause it to produce the most results in the shortest amount of time. I wonder about the denaturing process of enzymes and proteins. I am interested in knowing how and why the enzyme or protein denatures in the first place, as well as more in depth information about simple and complete denaturing. The labs enforce material in my brain very well, and I would like to do a lab on denaturing to be able to fully understand the concept of it.
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