Description:
In this project, we primarily studied four macromolecules: carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins and what their uses are in the human body as well as how to identify them. These processes were practically applied as we produced cheese and examined the macromolecules within it.
Content:
Macromolecules: Macromolecules are large molecules that preform necessary cell functions. These include carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins.
Carbohydrates: The primary carbs that we focused on were monosaccharides, such as glucose, and polysaccharides, such as glycogen and starch. Monosaccharides are simple sugars that are used as energy sources of cells. They are some multiplication of the combination CH2O, such as glucose (C6H12O6). Polysaccharides are more complex than monosaccharides, forming a multi-ringed structure instead of a single-ringed one. These carbohydrates store energy, form cell structure, and act as markers for cell signaling for protein transport. Monosaccharides were present in our cheese sample and polysaccharides were not.
Lipids: The three majors roles of lipids in cell we focused on were energy storage, in the form of fatty acids, the formation of the cell membrane as phospholipids with hydrophobic tails, and lipids as cell signalers such as steroid hormones and messenger molecules. Lipids were present in our cheese sample.
Nucleic Acids: These acids, primarily ribonucleic acid(RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA), form the genetic code of eukaryotic cells as well as preforming other jobs such as making protein synthesis, transferring information, and catalyzing reactions. DNA's complementary base pairs are adenine/guanine and cytosine/thymine. RNA's base pairs are identical aside from thymine being replaced by uracil. The sugar phosphate backbone of both DNA and RNA are formed by the binding of a hydroxyl group with a phosphate. Nucleic acid was not tested for in our cheese sample.
Proteins: Proteins were touched lightly in this project, primarily focusing on their structure (chains of amino acids) and their many functions such as catalyzing metabolic reactions, aiding DNA replication, and transporting molecules. This wide variety of functions is capable due to the order of the amino acids defining its function, similar to DNA, as well as the three dimensional shape the protein twists itself into to suit its particular role. Proteins were present in our cheese sample.
Cheese: Cheese is a product of fermenting milk, an organic product produced by many mammalian species (in this case cows). It is commonly used by these species to nurture young, making it useful to us as it will allow us to learn techniques for identifying monosaccharides, polysaccharides, lipids, and protein.
Experimental Variables: There are two variables in an experiment: the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable is manually changed and the dependent variable changes based on the independent variable. In our experiment, we practiced changing the independent variable to affect the dependent variable.
Project:
For this section, we preformed a three step lab, which will be described below.
In this project, we primarily studied four macromolecules: carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins and what their uses are in the human body as well as how to identify them. These processes were practically applied as we produced cheese and examined the macromolecules within it.
Content:
Macromolecules: Macromolecules are large molecules that preform necessary cell functions. These include carbohydrates, nucleic acids, lipids, and proteins.
Carbohydrates: The primary carbs that we focused on were monosaccharides, such as glucose, and polysaccharides, such as glycogen and starch. Monosaccharides are simple sugars that are used as energy sources of cells. They are some multiplication of the combination CH2O, such as glucose (C6H12O6). Polysaccharides are more complex than monosaccharides, forming a multi-ringed structure instead of a single-ringed one. These carbohydrates store energy, form cell structure, and act as markers for cell signaling for protein transport. Monosaccharides were present in our cheese sample and polysaccharides were not.
Lipids: The three majors roles of lipids in cell we focused on were energy storage, in the form of fatty acids, the formation of the cell membrane as phospholipids with hydrophobic tails, and lipids as cell signalers such as steroid hormones and messenger molecules. Lipids were present in our cheese sample.
Nucleic Acids: These acids, primarily ribonucleic acid(RNA) and deoxyribonucleic acid(DNA), form the genetic code of eukaryotic cells as well as preforming other jobs such as making protein synthesis, transferring information, and catalyzing reactions. DNA's complementary base pairs are adenine/guanine and cytosine/thymine. RNA's base pairs are identical aside from thymine being replaced by uracil. The sugar phosphate backbone of both DNA and RNA are formed by the binding of a hydroxyl group with a phosphate. Nucleic acid was not tested for in our cheese sample.
Proteins: Proteins were touched lightly in this project, primarily focusing on their structure (chains of amino acids) and their many functions such as catalyzing metabolic reactions, aiding DNA replication, and transporting molecules. This wide variety of functions is capable due to the order of the amino acids defining its function, similar to DNA, as well as the three dimensional shape the protein twists itself into to suit its particular role. Proteins were present in our cheese sample.
Cheese: Cheese is a product of fermenting milk, an organic product produced by many mammalian species (in this case cows). It is commonly used by these species to nurture young, making it useful to us as it will allow us to learn techniques for identifying monosaccharides, polysaccharides, lipids, and protein.
Experimental Variables: There are two variables in an experiment: the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable is manually changed and the dependent variable changes based on the independent variable. In our experiment, we practiced changing the independent variable to affect the dependent variable.
Project:
For this section, we preformed a three step lab, which will be described below.
Reflection:
This project was overall positive. Firstly, I worked well with most of my team members. When the need to collaborate arose, I was able to communicate with my group well to complete tasks efficiently. Secondly, I learned how to adjust specific variable precisely during this project, which was necessary considering the objective.
Though primarily good, parts of this project could have been better. My empathy on this project was overall poor. Some ideas others would not have succeeded from my perspective and I reacted by rejecting those ideas. I shall improve this by allowing other ideas to be considered before shooting them down. Additionally, my focus on purely working was not complete. During a slower workday, I would get distracted and work with a much lower efficiency. I will try to improve this through focusing solely on the task at hand..
This project was overall positive. Firstly, I worked well with most of my team members. When the need to collaborate arose, I was able to communicate with my group well to complete tasks efficiently. Secondly, I learned how to adjust specific variable precisely during this project, which was necessary considering the objective.
Though primarily good, parts of this project could have been better. My empathy on this project was overall poor. Some ideas others would not have succeeded from my perspective and I reacted by rejecting those ideas. I shall improve this by allowing other ideas to be considered before shooting them down. Additionally, my focus on purely working was not complete. During a slower workday, I would get distracted and work with a much lower efficiency. I will try to improve this through focusing solely on the task at hand..