Unit 2 Reflection

Unit 2 was largely about different types of macromolecules and how they are essential for life. The main types are carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids and proteins. Each serve a different functions necessary for life to exist. Carbohydrates are a macromolocule made of rings of glucose, used primarily for energy and sometimes for structure. We learned about carbohydrates and their structure in the sweetness lab. Lipids are another macromolecule that makes up oils, waxes, and fats. It is made of a charged head and a fatty acid tail. Organisms use lipids for energy storage and cell structure. Nucleic acids are polymers made up of nucleotides. Nucleic acids make up DNA and RNA. Without these, life could not exist. Proteins are made of amino acids, and make up muscles, hair, bones, and parts of cells. Proteins also make up enzymes. Enzymes are a type of biological catalyst that speeds up chemical reactions inside the body by lowering activation energy. We learned about enzymes and how they were affected by factors such as pH and temperature in the virtual enzyme lab and in the cheese lab.

Another important thing we learned was how molecules interacted with each other through bonds and such. The reason water molecules can bond with each other is because of polarity.  This means that water has an unequal charge, meaning that one side of the molecule in positively charged while the other side in negatively charged. This allows water to be attracted to itself, a force called cohesion, as well as many other molecules in adhesion. 

Something that was hard for me to understand solely through the vodcasts and  chapter notes were the enzymes and how they worked. Doing the labs in class helped me understand them and how they worked. I think I also benefited from the collaborative setting, because if I was unsure or did not understand something, the people in my group could help me.

Something that I learned from this unit is how to have better lab procedure. Especially in the cheese lab, many people, including our group, did not follow the specific instructions and the outcome was a messy lab that may have not yielded accurate results. Now we know to follow directions better to have a lab that is easier and more productive. I was also able to handle the class and homework better in this unit by learning how to manage my time better and get things done more efficiently. 

Some things I would like to learn more about are enzyme structure, and more about how they work. I found the experiments we did with enzymes interesting and relevant. They exist in everyday items and are present in our own bodies and have a huge effect.