Unit 2 Reflection

     In the beginning of Unit two, we touched some basic chemistry for biologists which included a review of atom structure and solutions and we learnt about polarity, cohesion, and adhesion. Then we were introduced to many concepts surrounding macro-molecules, which are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Carbohydrates are sugars that provide energy and are usually made of 1, 2, and 3 or more rings. Lipids are made of long chains of carbon and hydrogen and they store energy. Nucleic Acids are made of repeating nucleotides and they store information, while proteins are made of amino acids and they support our bodies and speed up chemical reactions. The hardest part for me in this unit was remembering all of these definitions and separating their unique structures and purposes. We also learnt about chemical reactions and components that can speed up or slow down these processes. Enzymes speed up chemical reactions by lowering the activation energy, and they are the machines of the body, also known as catalysts. In class we demonstrated this lab by curdling milk into cheese, but using different components to speed up or slow down the curdling time. I thought this was a great way to apply the information learnt in class and you can read a full analysis on my blog, skmbiologyp6.blogspot.com. Attached below are two pictures, one showing the structures of the four macro-molecules and the other provided as a visual representation of an enzyme lowering the activation energy of a chemical reaction. Overall, this unit was very informative and I learnt a lot, and I look forward to learn more around these topics.

http://www.biology101.org/images/macromolecules.jpg

http://academic.pgcc.edu/~kroberts/Lecture/Chapter%205/05-05_CatalystGraph_L.jpg