This Week12/20/08

Okay so this week we talked about the difference between RNA and DNA, saw a science movie, learned the results of the electrophoresis lab, took notes on a book, and did homework.

Monday: The difference between RNA and DNA is RNA has a single helix strand, has no base pairs, instead RNA has single base pairs, RNA has ribose instead of dioxyribose (which is why it is called RNA instead of DNA), RNA also has a uracil instead of thymine.

We also watched a science movie by Bill Nye with different sections.

First section: Heredity: The first section was about Mendo. Mendo experimented with pea seeds. He crossed breeded the seeds and saw that if he mixed wrinkled seeds with normal seeds the genes of the wrinkled seeds would skip a generation.

Second section: Problems linked to defective cromosomes: The second section was on Thomas Morgan. Morgan experimented with fruit flies. He once got a fly with red eyes instead of white. When he bread this fly he saw that the genes skipped a generation just like what Mendo had absevered. The red eyes were linked to one X chromosome which occured in males. So only males had red eyes.

Third section: Genes control biological events: This was about George Beetle ( Beetle! =)) and Edward Tatem. I think they mutated bread mold. I'm not sure because I had to do something.

Fourth section: I also didn't catch part of this section. I think it was about McClinton. She studdied corn kernels.The colors in the kernels represented chromosome breaks in the kerenels.

Fifth section: DNA carries genetic material. Hersey and Chase studdied viruses. They realized that a virus would eject it's DNA into a host cell. The DNA would control the cell and tell the cell to make as many copies of the virus as possible until the cell blew up from all the viruses inside of it. DNA is the blue print of life.

The period ended so we picked up the movie on Tuesday:

Sixth section: The double helix: Watson and Cric studdied adenine and thymine, cytosine and guanine. They also studdied messenger RNA. Messenger RNA is one strand of RNA. They found out that viral RNA production increases if th messenger RNA carries viral DNA.

Seventh section: The genetic code: Niernberg found 20 A codes and 64 triplet codes.

Eigth section: Restriction Enzymes. (ose usually means enzymes) This section was about Aber and Smith. They studdied how virus DNA breaks down.

The next section was about how DNA splicing is useful in creating effective medicences.

Mini sattilite DNA was found out by Jefferys and Fire. They studdied RNA interference.

Venter studdied 25,000 genes and genomes.

Then the movie and class ended.

On Wendsday we learned the results of the elecrophoresis lab and more about writing an explanation. Our class found out that Drew had stolen Mr. Finley's moon rock.

Explanation: Claim, evidence, reasoning (uses scientific ideas to connect claim and evidence).

What am I looking at?

We are looking at the results of an electrophoresis test. The test was of all the dirty blond, middle height suspects, wh could have stolen Mr. Finley's rock.

What does this mean?

This means that Drew's DNA was the closest match to the sample of hair. No one else had a closer match.

Does this indicate that some one is guilty?

Yes, Drew is guilty. Drew is the one how took the moon rock since his DNA matched the evidence.

How does it do this?

It does this by 1 making a gel, 2 putting DNA samples in the gel, 3 run an electrical current through the gel. 4 The DNA charged by the electricity sorts it's self according to length. 5 Then the DNA patterns are compared to the evidence.

Idenify simularities/differences in the data.

Some simularites are the hair sample's, Drew's, Justina's, and Mickey's DNA patterns were simular. Mr. Finley's DNA results were more different than anyone else's.

Explanation:

Drew took Mr. Finley's moon rock. The results of the electrophoresis lab show the DNA of the hair sample found on the moon rock and Drew's cheek cell's DNA pattern matches. Therefore Drew has to be the culprit because his DNA matched the hair sample's DNA.

Thursday/Friday: On Thursday we wrote down notes on a book we read in class. On Friday we went over the notes we took.

Cellular resperation: Use oxygen to release glucose. Glucose is released to make energy.

Fermentation: Cells release energy without oxygen. Usually eukaryotic cells use fermentation.

Photosynthesis: Photo: light Synthesis: to create Also the process which plant cells change the energy of the sunlight into chemical energy. This usually happeneds in the cell's chloroplasts.

DNA replication: A cell divides into two. The new cell is given a new code, instructions and how to make proteins.

Proteinsynthesis: The cell makes protein.

Also we had homework on Thursday:

A leaf is placed in a jar with water and then placed on a sunny window ledge for a day. What will happen?

The leaf will start photosynthesisizing. I think this because the leaf cells need energy to live. So the leaf must turn sunlight into energy. Since photosynthesis is happening oxygen is in the leaf cells. The leaf does not need the oxygen so it has to release it. Then oxygen bubbles will form around the leaf.

Yeast cells are placed in a jar of warm sugar water. An empty balloon is placed on top. What will happen?

The yeast cells will fermentate. The yeast cells need energy, so the yeast cells take in the sugar water and produce alcohol. The yeast will release carbon dioxide, which it does not need, and the balloon will fill up.

And that is our week! =)