Coming into Unit 2 in biology, we applied what we learned in Unit 1, to set-up our experiments with implementing the scientific method. We not only learned about the living things that were introduced in Unit 1, but we looked more into those living things, learning not only what those living things are, but what makes up them, such as the individual molecules. In this unit we looked at the Big 4 macromolecules.
The first one was carbohydrates, that are either monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides that are represented by the number of rings they have. The carbohydrates are one of the most important molecules because it is the main energy source for the consumer and it is how the producers store their energy.
The next molecule we focused on were lipids, which are just long chains of fatty acids, either saturated fats or unsaturated fats, that are used for energy storage, making cell membranes, and hormones.
Another type of molecule that we learned about were nucleic acids, made up of thousands and thousands of nucleotide. Nucleotides bond to make either 2 strands, called DNA, or 1 strand, RNA. It tells us who we are, as it contains the information, such as characteristics inherited from generations and generations past.
The last type molecule that we learned about were proteins, which are just made up of amino acids. Proteins, the 2 types are structural proteins and enzymes, are one of the most necessary molecules because it is used to support the body, help cells communicate, speed up chemical reactions, and channel proteins.
Towards the end of this unit, we really focused on enzymes, one of the types of proteins. We did a virtual lab explaining what enzymes were and how they worked, and we did a lab where we made cheese, where we learned the applications for enzymes. We learned that in an enzyme 3 very important parts are the substrate, active site, and product. The substrate is the molecule the enzyme works on. Active site is where the substrate attaches to the enzyme. The product is what the enzyme produces. In the cheese lab that we did to understand the applications of enzymes, we learned which enzyme made the reactions faster and which conditions made the protein not denature.
This unit was one that not only taught me about what makes up living things, but I grew as a student and scientist through the labs we did. I learned about time management, specifically through the labs we did, because through the different labs we realized that only if we all worked well and efficiently could we finish the lab on time. Another one of the skills I practiced was perseverance, because I couldn’t and wasn’t able to give up when I was trying to learn the building blocks of life.
Although the unit is over, I still want to learn about DNA, something mentioned in this unit. To me, DNA is the most interesting part of humans and biology because it tells us who we are. DNA can usually tell you if you have a specific disease or not. It can tell you what characteristics from your parents or your long lost relatives you inherited. DNA is one of the most important, I think, parts of biology, and I am very interested in learning and understanding how DNA might or does play a role in the common cold.
