Welcome back from Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving meal.

Today in class I asked the students to brainstorm questions related to thanksgiving that they could then use to create a science experiment. Some gems:

What is the best method for making mashed potatoes?

Why does cranberry sauce jell up?

Do you need different temperatures to cook a turkey depending on if it is dry or wet?

What makes Thanksgiving food so tasty?

December is the time of projects, and here are some of the projects currently being done in class:

Chemistry we are creating individual element tiles so we can make a giant periodic table as a class.

Both Biology classes are currently learning about genetics- you might ask them about dragon hatchlings and Mendel's pea plants.

Environmental Science is writing a research paper on conservation- ask them about their case study.

Kitchen Chemistry will be making a comic book showing the history and science behind some of their favorite dishes

Physical Science is having a blast creating motors and solar water heaters.

Mendel’s Model of Heredity by Robey

Mendel was a very brilliant man, even though at the time people did not believe so. He studied heredity and how traits are passed on from generation to generation. He discovered that studying pea plants would be a good plant to study in order to have controlled breeding/reproduction, and they reproduced relatively quickly.

The genes passed on come in different forms called alleles. Each allele is responsible for different traits. Some carrier have the same alleles called homozygous or  some carriers have two different alleles called heterozygous. In Heterozygous one allele may be able to mask or cover up the other allele. The one that covers up the other is called the dominant trait, and the one being covered up is called the recessive trait.

Why do you think Gregor Mendel was so interested in heredity?

The recessive trait does not show up if there is a dominant trait, but if there is two recessive traits (homozygous recessive) then the recessive trait is the only trait to show up, because it is the only one present.

There is a somewhat simple way to see the different hereditary combos possible from two different parents. This method came from Mendel himself, but it was not until later that the method was defined. It is called the punnett square.

How do you think that Punnett came up with the Punnett Square?

What was his motivation to continue on after Gregor Mendel?

Through the Punnett Square, there are a couple different types of crossing. There is a monohybrid cross, which is crossing a single trait. There is also a Dihybrid cross, which is crossing two or more traits in a single Punnett Square.

This week in Chemistry by Parker

Summary: This week in Chemistry we are working with specific attribute of the elements on the periodic table. We were each given 4 elements and had to create our own version of periodic table tiles, and had to include the Atomic Mass Units, Atomic Weight, Boiling Point, Melting Point, density at room temperature, state of matter at room temperature, electronegativity,  Color, and isotopes of the elements we were given. This project has demonstrated how valuable the periodic table really is to chemists. The periodic table has many of these things demonstrated on it.

The organization of the periodic table depicts many different attributes of elements as well. For example the periodic table is divided into groups based on  electron configuration. The columns of elements contain the same amount of valence electrons.

I find it very interesting that so much can be represented from this table if you know how to read it. By creating our class periodic table, we are finding that it is difficult to come up with a clear and concise way to recognize all of these features of elements. 

Questions:

What do the Columns on the periodic table show?

Why is the periodic table important to chemists?

What has our class found while creating our own periodic table?

Mitosis and Meiosis by Wrenlie

            In class we have been learning about Mitosis and Meiosis. Whats Mitosis? Mitosis is the usual method of cell division, Cell division starts with the steps Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase. Everyone and everything starts off as one tiny cell, then Mitosis takes place and divides into more cells, this is still taking place right at this minute repairing and growing.

            After Telophase two cells have been made called Daughter Cells. Daughter cells are exactly identical to the Parent cell. What's Meiosis? Meiosis is part of the process of gamete formation. Meiosis occurs after Mitosis and forms much more cells, the two identical daughter cells split and have more daughter cells which are not identical to the original parent cell.

Both of these processes interest me because it's how life was created and why we are the size we are today.

Questions:

Why is there a difference between Mitosis and Meiosis?

How do both of them function?

Who found out about these functions?

Cells by Marty

Here is a picture of an animal cell.  

All living things are made of cells.  Cells are what makes life?  A human has 32.7 trillion cells. Are there different amounts of cells in each human?  Cells are the building blocks of life.  What are the building blocks of cells?  The most important parts of a cell are the plasma membrane, organelles including a nucleus and a mitochondria and ribosomes.  All the organelles are surrounded by cytoplasm.   What do organelles do?   

The nucleus is the most important part of a cell.  The nucleus helps the cell form and grow.  It helps make things move in a cell. 

The cytoplasm fills the cell with a fluid made up of salt and water. It contains organelles. It is in the cell membrane.

The cell membrane controls the in and out of the cells.  The cell membrane protects the cell from from the surroundings. The cell membrane holds proteins. 

Centrosome It serves the cell in the center.  A centrosome can push another centrosome so that centrosome can be made.  It collects microtubule. 

Ribosomes are what give cells energy.  They float around in the cytoplasm.   They bound in the reticulum (ER). 

Golgi body  collects molecules and takes them out of the cell.  It also puts the molecules in vessels.  It creates lysosomes to help things digest.  

Mitochondria it is what keeps our cells alive.  Cells use mitochondria.   mitochondria creates a chain of electrons.  

Vacuoles  collect food for the cells.  It protects the cell from the outside.  They also collect products that have been wasted. 

The nuclear membrane lets a little bit of ions and proteins in the nucleus.  It helps things pass through the nucleoplasm and the cytoplasm.   It controls movements. 

Nucleolus it creates subunits for the proteins.   It takes the proteins to the cell.  It holds people's genes. 

The thing I find most interesting about cells is that they are really small, but they have a lot of room. I find interesting that cells are the reason for life to exist.          

  

Three interesting facts about cells.  They are the building blocks of life. The most important part is the plasma membrane. Cells are too small that they can not be seen with a naked eye.

I think cells are really important because they are what keeps life alive.  Cells are what people should all learn about.          

Photosynthesis by Mikayla

     How do you think that photosynthesis affects the world? Photosynthesis is a process, that is used by plants, to make food for the plants. It is made by sunlight and turned into chemical energy.The chemical energy is used to “fuel” or feed the plants. The sugars, which are made from carbon dioxide and water, are stored in the carbohydrate molecules until they need to be used to feed the plants. I find photosynthesis interesting because it just takes natural things and makes it into something useful. Some other things about photosynthesis that many people find interesting are photosynthesis is affected by temperature, light energy is converted to chemical by the chlorophyll  and the process mostly takes place in the chloroplast.

 The equation for photosynthesis is: Carbon Dioxide + Water --light--  Sugar + Oxygen

113 Year Old Lightbulb By Rachael

            Something interesting that I learned in class this week was about the 113 year old lightbulb. There is a light bulb in Livermore, California that has burned for 113 years. This lightbulb is known as the centennial light or eternal light. The bulb is hanging in a firehouse in California and it’s burned for 989,000 hours.

It was first installed in 1901 at a firehouse in California. It’s rarely been turned off since it was first installed and it is a mystery why it’s lasted as long as it did. This lightbulb is a Shelby bulb. Shelby lightbulbs used to be very popular back in the day and they burned the longest.

No one is quite sure why the bulb is still going but there is many ideas. Some people say it’s because things are made with more care than they used to be. Others are saying it’s because the filament is eight times thicker than it needs to be. Others just say it’s a fluke.

            Since it was installed it has been turned off a couple of times. It was turned off for about a week during remodels to the fire station. The next time it turned off they were moving it to the new station. They got it to turn back on pretty quick. Then one of the more recent times it turned off it was because the bulb lost its power source, but they fixed it. Now the bulb is under surveillance so they can see when it turns off for good. No one wants the bulb to go out.

            This lightbulb has burned for 989,000 hours and probably more by now. The bulb has outlived three surveillance cameras and its own power source. It was confirmed that it was the oldest burning bulb in the world by Guinness World Records.

            Right now the bulb is still burning. It only gives off about four watts of light but it’s a miracle that it’s still going.

Questions:

What do you think is making the bulb last so long?

Could it be a fluke?

Lightning by Keyper

lately we have been learning about electricity, circuits, and lightning types. we were each assigned a lightning type to study, and give information about how rare your assigned type is, how often it occurs, why it occurs, and what weather types.

We also have been learning what thing make good conductors, what conductors are made of, and how batteries work.

Questions: what side on a battery is the negative side?

what is the rod inside the battery made of?

what is the most commonly used conductor?

Lipids by Ella

Lipid: What about them?

Lipids are a group of naturally occurring molecules that include fats, waxes, sterols, fat-soluble vitamins, monoglycerides, diglycerides, triglycerides and  phospholipids. The main functions of lipids include is energy, and acting as structural components of cell membranes. The term lipid is sometimes used as a synonym for fats and fats are a subgroup of lipids called triglycerides.

Fatty acids or fatty acid residues when they form part of a lipid, they are made of a hydrocarbon chain that terminates with a carboxylic acid group. The fatty acid structure they are very important categories in  biological lipids. The carbon chain, typically between four and 24 carbons long, may be saturated or unsaturated, they are “connect” to functional groups containing oxygen, halogens, nitrogen, and sulfur. If a fatty acid contains a double bond, there is the possibility of either a cis or trans, which significantly affects the molecule's configuration. Cis-double bonds cause the fatty acid bend and as an effect, they can be work with more double bonds. Three double bonds in 18-carbon is called linolenic acid and it is the most abundant fatty-acid.

 Here is an example of the structure of Saturated Acid and Unsaturated Acid

Ecosystem Development by Sophia

            An appropriate definition for an ecosystem is a community of interacting organisms in their natural physical environment. The week of September 28th - October 1st we learned about ecosystem development. My blog post is going to be on ecosystem development. My interest in ecosystem developments include surrounding species, plants, and the impact the ecosystem has.

            Usually an ecosystem development would not be for short-term gain, but to help maintain the ecological processes from around where you’re developing. A few examples of an ecosystem is an ocean, desert, forests, grasslands, wetlands, etc. There is a big deal between genetic diversity and species within each ecosystem. Here are three types of ecosystems and their value.

Components of ecosystems are soil, water, sunlight, plants, etc. Another big thing in ecosystems are insects and animals. The condition of an ecosystem for a certain animal is the only type of habitat it can live in, which is why zoos are not good. It is difficult for animals to adapt to different habitats than what they originally lived in. That is the reason I dislike zoos so much. Why do ecosystems matter to human health? How might ecosystems change? What are the consequences of ecosystem change? These are three very important questions of ecosystem development. Did you know there are theories to ecosystem development?

Soils by Cailtin

Soils are complex mixtures of minerals, organic matter, water, air. Not only is it home thousands of microorganisms, but it is also an incredibly important resource for humans. It plays a key role in maintaining food production and keeping a clean underground water supply. Just remember to not get confused between soil and dirt. There is a drastic difference between the two.

Unfortunately, poor land management practices such as overgrazing, deforestation, and over cultivation have led to serious soil degradation problems. If these problems continue, starvation and water shortage will be prevalent throughout the world.

Interesting Facts:

●       There are 70,000 different types of soil found in the United States.

●       1 tablespoon of soil has more organisms living in it than there are people living on Earth.

●       15 tons of dry soil pass through an earthworm each year.

●       10% of the world's carbon emissions are stored in soil.

Questions:

●       How can we protect soil, so that it can continue to be a valuable resource for us?

●       How would our lives change if we got rid of soil?

Two different case studies by Wrenlie

We learned the best ways to hire people and lipids. How do you hire someone? The best way you could hire a person would be looking at their form. What are their best and worst qualities? Then you would narrow what you like best about that person and eventually you would have a list. Hiring someone is important because extra help is always handy, and it benefits the person you had hired because they get your money. Win win for everyone!

What are lipids? Lipids are any organic compound that are fatty acids. They contain natural waxes, steroids, and oils. Some examples of lipids are oils, butter, cream cheese, lard, and more…

            Saturated fats (lipids) are normally solid in a room temperature. They are believed to promote bad cholesterol. Foods like butter and processed meats are great examples of saturated fats.

Unsaturated fats come from normally plant foods, like nuts and seeds. Examples of unsaturated fats are olives, sunflowers, corn, vegetable oils, and soybeans. Since saturated fats promotes bad cholesterol, unsaturated fats do not, and are also monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats as well. What are monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats? Monounsaturated fats bring down bad cholesterol and polyunsaturated fats are just as healthy as well.

Questions?:

Do all foods have Saturated or Unsaturated fats in them?

What is the best way to hire somebody?

How come Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated are almost the same as Unsaturated?

The Periodic Table By Zachary

The History?

The periodic table was first published in 1869 by Dmitri Mendeleev. Scientists before him,  such as Johann Wolfgang Dobereiner, suspected there was a way to group elements. This scientist in particular grouped the known elements in 1829 into triads, based on atomic weight. In 1864, John Newlands grouped all of the known elements into eight different groups, based solely on physical properties. Dmitri used other scientists’ data such as this to form the first table we have that is similar to the one we use today. His model had holes and predicted several elements we know of today.

            Over the next 150 years, hundreds of scientists have worked together to create a table that has 118 elements, 92 of which can occur naturally. 

Electron Configuration by Amaize

Electron Configuration

Amaize Yearsley

            We have been studying the periodic table of elements. We have discussed the ways of writing the element in different forms, and we have also worked with isotopes. The most recent thing we learned was electron configuration which can be recognized and written like: Li: 1s²2s¹

            A question that could relate to this topic is: Why is it important and useful to know the elements more in depth?

3 Facts:

1)   The electron configuration shows the number of electrons in each sublevel of energy.

2)   The sublevels are letters such as: s , p , and d.

3)   Using a box diagram, we show the electron configuration of nitrogen

as:

Atomic Orbitals By Robey

An atomic orbital is a mathematical function that describes the wave-like behavior of either one electron or a pair of electrons in an atom. This function can be used to calculate the probability of find any electron of an atom in any specific region around the atom’s nucleus. The atomic orbitals can have many different shapes. Each different shape is proof that there are different types of atomic orbitals.

            The different shape of the atomic orbitals mean they are made up of different levels of electrons. Inside the different levels there are different orbitals. In the first part there are p orbitals. For example if we have a beginning of n=2 shell, then each shell has three p orbitals. Because of the different values of M, there will be three 2p orbitals, three 3p orbitals and so forth (depending on the value of M). These different levels of orbitals form a dumbbell shape all around the origin.

            Why does the orbitals make a dumbbell shape instead of something like a circle?

            Along with the p and s orbitals, there are d and f orbitals. When M=3 there will be five 3d orbitals, five 4d orbitals and etc because each shell has five possible values for the M numbers. Depending on the d orbital, will change the shape of the “dumbbell” (orbital cloud). A d-orbital of four shows a “four leaf clover” shape of the dumbbell, with each of the leaves laying on the planes of the axis.

            I personally think the most interesting thing of the orbitals is the shape that they take. Instead of just rotating around a center point, they for more of an ellipse shape forming a dumbbell (seen in the photo above). They form this shape because of the higher energy and various wave lengths that they have. Only a s orbital has a spherical shape and that is because they do not have nearly as high of an energy as the other orbitals.

            The p orbitals form a shape almost like a rounded bow tie. It is two of the dumbbell shapes connected by their smallest ends at the origin of the axis. They only have enough energy to make that single shape, and there is only two of them so only two shapes are formed. The d orbitals make a rounded four leaf clover shape. There are four orbitals, making four shapes that connect in the origin of the axis.

            What is the difference in energy levels in the orbitals?

           

Orbitals were originally discovered by Niels Bohr in 1904. The orbitals were then used to make the basic atomic orbital model to give a visual representation that scientists can look at without having to use the extremely powerful microscopes. This model was also used for a visual representation of an electron cloud of an atom with multiple electrons inside of it.