Enzymes are biological catalysts, responsible for directing the flow of chemical reactions that is the basis for life. By far the majority of enzymes are proteins, but some consist of RNA or a complex of protein and RNA. Enzymes are remarkably specific, acting on only one or a few types of molecules (called “substrates” of…
As mentioned, the range of protein functions is enormous: from passive structural elements to active motor proteins and everything in between. What characteristics of proteins are required for them to carry out these functions? While these characteristics vary from protein to protein, there are some that can be found in most proteins. We will discuss…
It is often necessary to obtain a preparation containing protein molecules of only a single type (a “pure protein”); eg. for medical use or scientific study. With such preparations, one may determine 3D structure, binding affinities, or determine the amino acid sequence. Obtaining a pure protein is generally challenging because there are thousands of proteins…
Proteins are the largest and most varied class of biological molecules, and they show the greatest variety of structures. Many have intricate three-dimensional folding patterns that result in a compact form, but others do not fold up at all (“natively unstructured proteins”) and exist in random conformations. The function of proteins depends on their structure,…
More properly known as alpha-amino acids, their general structure is: Nineteen of the twenty amino acids have the same arrangement around the central alpha-carbon: a. an amino group, b. a carboxyl group, c. a hydrogen, and d. an R group (called the “side chain”) which differs for each amino acid. Recall that when 4 different…
The term “dogma” describes a doctrine or code of beliefs accepted as authoritative. The central dogma of biology refers to the way that genetic information is stored and retrieved in living cells. The classic relationship is DNA > RNA > Protein. Thus DNA functions as the information storage molecule, and this information is “read out”…
Observations Volume and Temperature Trial T1 (temperature of the air in the flask of boiling water in Celsius) 99ᵒC T2( temperature of air in cooled flask in Celsius) 7ᵒC A(volume of water in flask at T2) 73 mL V1(volume of air in flask at T1) 250 mL V2( Volume of air in flask at T2)…
The cardiovascular system or circulatory system is a system that moves nutrients, gases, and wastes between cells helps fight diseases and transports blood throughout the body (Circulatory System). The main components of the human cardiovascular system include the heart, blood, and various blood vessels. There are several different circuits contained in the cardiovascular system. One…
– Bonding capacity is an important chemical property for elements – All members of the Alkali Metals have one extra electron and need to give it away – Alkaline Earth Metals have two extra electrons that they must get rid of – Halogens need to acquire an electron along with chalcogens – Alkaline Earth will…
Factors affecting the absorption of alcohol Body weight – greater volume of blood in a larger person keeps the blood alcohol level lower Speed of drinking – faster alcohol is consumed the quicker the blood alcohol will rise Food in stomach – food absorbs the alcohol in your body Mix of drinks – alcohol and…
Theory The Law of Conservation of Momentum states that in a closed system, the total momentum of masses before and after their collision is constant-momentum, which is conserved. This states that when two things collide the sum of the momentum will be the same before the collision as after. This law also states that the…
Abstract Proteins are very complex structures and have many variables that affect their function. This lab examined some of those variables. For the first part beef liver, which contains the enzyme catalase, was added to solutions of different concentrations of the substrate hydrogen peroxide. The second and third sections tested the effects of temperature and…
Purpose The purpose of this experiment is to determine the relationship between the vertical depression of the free end of a meter stick and the weight sticks attached. Theory Hooke’s Law shows that when an elastic material is deformed, restoring forces will arise which try to bring the material back to its starting situation. The…
Health – the overall condition of the body or mind and the presence or absence of illness or injury Wellness – optimal health and vitality, encompassing all the dimensions of well-being Risk Factor – a condition that increases ones chances of disease or injury Infectious Disease – a disease that can spread from person to…
Autism, a growing social disorder in our society is defined as a pervasive developmental disorder of children, characterized by impaired communication, excessive rigidity, and emotional detachment. Over the years autism has remained a mystery when it comes to the cause. The original theory was that autism was caused by genetic predisposition, but over time this…
SHARK FAMILIES: There are more than 350 know species of sharks today, which can all be placed under 8 scientific orders that contain 30 families. They are placed into these categories by their shared characteristics, this is called taxonomy. The more closely related species are placed in another family in the order. SQUAINIFORMES: The angel…
Purpose The purpose of the experiment is to determine the specific types of pigments found in a beet leaf and in a spinach leaf by using paper chromatography and two solvents: water soluble solvent and lipid soluble solvent. Hypothesis If a water soluble solvent is present, then there will be the movement of only the…
With ¼ North Americans being affected with a mental illness sometime in their life, people can see that living in a family with one member affected by a mental illness is quite prevalent. From this lone statistic, one would think that much of our countries population would be educated on the topic of mental illnesses;…
Introduction Despite being naturally occurring, the amount of heavy metals in the environment has increased greatly throughout the years as a result of industrialization and human activity. Although many of these metals are vital for sustaining the lives of various microorganisms, high levels have resulted in much pollution and the disruption of the biotic processes…
Introduction Aqueous calcium hydroxide, also known as lime water is used to verify the presence of carbon dioxide gas, (carbon dioxide reacts with the calcium hydroxide to produce calcium carbonate) this is achieved by bubbling the gas through the solution, if the solution turns cloudy then the precipitate calcium carbonate has formed, thus carbon dioxide…