Cytoplasmic Streaming

First off, here is a link to a video that shows the chloroplasts moving inside of the elodea leaf cells.

Cytoplasmic Streaming

Additionally, here is a micrograph from when we looked at the elodea leaf cells on Tuesday.

What components of the cell theory were visible in the leaf?

          The part of the cell theory that you can really see in the video and the micrograph is that, as it states on page 156 of BSCS Biology: A Molecular Approach Ninth Edition, "Cells or products made by the cells, are the units of structure and function in organisms."
          When I first looked into our microscope and saw these images, I could not help but be astounded by how each cell fits together perfectly, creating the stability and structure that most plants have. It was super easy to see this due to the visible cell walls that set themselves apart by being extremely obvious to see.
          Something else that really stands out to me when I look at an image of these cells is how easy it is to hypothesize that the cells are filled with liquid (cytosol). I can tell that there is liquid inside of the cell because it is super easy for the chloroplasts to move and transport themselves from one spot to another.
          Finally, the last big thing that is easy to tell by looking at these images is that there is a central vacuole. We can tell that there is one in each of the cells because it is easy to notice that there are no chloroplasts in the middle of the cell. Instead they are pushed to the edges and are restricted to only moving near the cell wall.
          In conclusion, we can really learn a lot about cells by simply looking at them with a microscope and I look forward to being able to look further into cells.

Thoughts on Bio Honors 12-9-16

          Honestly, that yesterday test was super hard. It was especially hard for me because I had a hard time focusing since I had just used most of my brain power on the test that I had had the previous period. The test that I had in math was a long test that was challenging, so I had put a ton of focus and effort into it. When I went into your class, I felt like my brain needed a break. It was so so so hard to focus, and I feel like I made at least a few stupid mistakes on that test.

          With the stress of finals starting to build, this test really didn't help at all. I was hoping that it would be an easier test so that I could have a better grade going into finals, but it was really quite the opposite. Although I have learned a ton of Biology in your class, it would be nice to get an A in your class, especially because it is an honors class, but that hope that I have been working for all semester is slowly drifting away. 

          I wish that I could just not care about my grades, and want to go to school to gain knowledge. I enjoy learning, because most of what I learn is fascinating, but the need to get good grades is always lingering in my brain, and I do not know what to do about it. Colleges look at grades, and it has be embedded in my brain that I need to get into a good college to be successful, and that thought is not going away any time soon. 

          What really frustrates me is the kids who can get good grades without working for them. Not to call anybody out, but there are some kids who do not even need to study and can get good grades without even trying. I train for sports 3 hours a day, and usually do homework or study until midnight, and then I get up at 6 every day, just to start it all over again. It is so unfortunate that grades have become what my generation strives for, but it is not going to change, I guarantee you that.

          Once again, thanks for giving me the opportunity to write these entries for extra credit. Thanks for helping me look deeper into myself. Thanks Mr. Wong!

Thoughts on Bio Honors 12-8-16

          In Bio today, you gave us a final lecture regarding cell respiration. You touched on Glycolysis, the Krebs Cycle, and you went in depth into the Electron Transport system. You also counted the amount of energy that cell respiration gets from food, and you proved to us that our bodies are super efficient in getting energy out off the food that we eat. Although we are super efficient, we could be even more efficient because some energy escapes as head, contributing to energy becoming more and more disorganized.

                                           Here are the notes that I took during class today.

          It continues to blow my mind that we know what happens inside these tiny cells. It is still incredible to me.

Thoughts On Bio Honors 12-6-16

          Today you taught me something bigger than Biology. Bigger than me. People must respect each other, or else they do not get along. To me, this theme goes right along with racism. The theme that we cannot get along due to disrespect or judging somebody by the color of their skin in my opinion is super similar. In both situations, this not getting along turns into something more, depriving others or success. With racism one act leads to the lack of confidence of one person, this leads to the lack of confidence in the people around them. These emotions spread contagiously to everybody around this person, ultimately leading to the deprivation of success for others. In our class, one students lack of respect almost turned into the entire class getting screwed over of the test and the extra credit.
          Although, I did learn one other thing, perhaps more important. If you are a man, and stand up for your actions, you can not only benefit yourself but others. I learned something huge today: we all mess up. Everyone does it. Famous men throughout history mess up. But you can always fix it if you stand up for it and show that you are owning up to it.

Mr. Wong, that lesson is so important to me. Thanks so much for teaching me. I'm not trying to kiss up to you right now, I promise, but you are the most influential teacher I have ever had. You have made me want to be a lawyer to fight for the rights of the people. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

I started doing these blog posts thinking that it would be some nice extra credit, but it has actually helped me look into myself.

Thoughts On Bio Honors 12-5-16

          The stuff that we learned today was super interesting. The fact that all of this stuff can go on inside a tiny cell continues to blow my mind on a daily basis. Millions of reactions every second, energy going into molecules and coming out of molecules. Every single day I am more and more interested. I love it.
          When you went more into depth into the Krebs Cycle, I realized for the first time, that whatever I put into my body has a real affect on how I feel, all the way down to a molecule approach. Every day, I have some junk food that lacks the elements that I literally need to survive and make get the energy that is essential to my daily functions.
          One question that I would have is what happens to the stuff that is in food that is not the stuff that goes into cellular respiration. Or does everything go in? How is it broken down and transported? I will ask this in class, but it was on my mind.
          I cannot say how much this still blows my mind. Literally I cannot wrap my mind around the fact that a little thing called an enzyme can put in energy into a bond and put an element onto a molecule. It is actually absolutely incredible. Most kids learn this stuff and they just look at it as more stuff. When I learn it, I think of it as a miracle from God, giving us life. One more time. incredible.

Thought On Bio Honors 12-2-16

           On Friday, we addressed an extremely important subject: racism. At Bellarmine, we can say as much as we want about the diversity of our community, but at the end of the day, we do go to a private high school and we are privileged. Sometimes, when you are privileged, especially white men, you forget to take a step back and look at the different ethnicities of the other people around you and appreciate their culture.You just think about the false stereotypes that aren't even true. This continuous judging of people creates a constant separation between people. The question that comes to my mind, and makes me curious is, "Can we heal that separation? Or will it always be there, always lingering and depriving the people of the tight brotherhood we all crave?"
          After we had this discussion, which I value and think is essential that teenage privileged boys understand, I started thinking. Has my generation of white people come to the conclusion that we don't need Blacks, we don't need Latinos, we don't need Asians. They think that they can be successful without those groups of people. This is completely and utterly sad to me because I believe in a world where everybody uses one another's strengths and weaknesses to accomplish common goals. A world where everybody has mutual respect and love for one another. Although, you proved in class that this world is only a dream, because of the way that the children of tomorrow are being raised.

Investigation 2C Lab Report

Investigation 2C Lab Report

           In this lab, we tested to see the rate of how fast the reaction with enzyme and hydrogen peroxide would create the product of oxygen. What we did was get a "reaction chamber" and put 4 stick 4 paper disks that had been previously soaked in enzyme to one side of it. We then tipped over the chamber so that the side with the disks was facing up. Next we poured 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide into the bottom of the chamber, so that it is not touching the enzyme. Next, we filled up a pan with water and we filled up a graduated cylinder with water. We then flipped the beaker over, so that it still filled with water, but is also upside down (it's mouth is in the pan of water. We then attached a cap to the reaction chamber that only lets gas out, and nothing in. Next we put the chamber into the pan of water, and flipped it over so that they hydrogen peroxide is touching the enzyme.  A reaction happened, letting bubbles go into the graduated cylinder. We did this two times, once with disks and once with three. For 10 minutes we measured how much gas went into the graduated cylinder. These bubbles are oxygen, a product of the reaction.

          We did this experiment so that my classmates and I could have a direct representation of a product of a reaction. My class is studying how organisms gain energy through what is released during a reaction and it was important that we understand how products are made. 

          As you can see by my table, my reactions gave off a ton of oxygen. With four disks of enzyme, and 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide, there was 18 mL of oxygen given off and with three disks of enzyme and 10 mL of hydrogen peroxide, there was 9 mL of oxygen given off. Before this experiment, I had no idea how much less dense gas is than liquid. This showcases it because the liquid goes from 10mL as a liquid, and then only a bit of that becomes 18mL of gas. This was absolutely mind blowing to me. Also, as you can see in my table, the enzyme reacts with the liquid as continuously as time goes on. Previously, I though that this reaction  was immediate. We later learned in class that eventually it would stop reacting because it would run out of materials. In conclusion, this experiment was interesting and taught me a lot. I am looking forward to more just like it in the future.