Respiration

Respiration has a lot to do with the electron transport chain in cells. The electron transport chain is a number of protein complexes in the mitochondrial membrane. Two electrons are handed from NADH into the NADH dehydrogenase complex. Along with this transfer is the pumping of one hydrogen ion for each seperate electron. Secondly, the two electrons are transferred to ubiquinone(a mobile carrier because it moves the electrons to the cytochrome b-c1 complex). After that each electron is passed from the cytochrome b-c1 complex to cytochrome c. This only takes one electron at a time, pumping one hydrogen ion through the complex as each electron is transferred. Next, four electrons in the cytochrome oxidase complex interact with a molecular oxygen molecule and eight different hydrogen ions. The four electrons, only for of the hydrogen ions, and the molecular oxygen form two water molecules. The remaining four hydrogen ions are pumped across the membrane. Hydrogen pumping creates a gradient. The potential energy in the gradient is used up by ATP synthase to ATP from ADP and inorganic phosphate. Most electron transport cycles occur simultaneously to make sure the protein gradient is always maintained.


This really confused me at first, but after looking through various animations and having it explained to me about 999,999,999,999.876 times, I understand it better now.(:

Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is the process that creates ATP from ADP and Pi using light energy. The light energy "excites" the electrons passing along the electron transport chain. This is coupled with the pumping of hydrogen ions and the splitting of H2O molecules.
Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast of plant and algae cells. First, the light photon hits the chlorophyll molecule surrounding Photosystem II(complex). This creates a resonance energy that's transferred through neighboring chlorophyll molecules. When the energy reaches the Photosystem II reaction center, an electron is released. The chlorophyll reaction center contains electrons that are transferred when excited. Only one photon is needed to excite each electron in the chlorophyll.
Then, two excited electrons are transferred to plastoquinone Qb(the first mobile carrier). Along the way, the Qb also picks up two protons from the stroma. The two lost electrons are replaced by splitting H2O molecules. The splitting water also releases hydrogen ions into lumen. This contributes to hydrogen ion gradient like one created by the mitochondrial electron transport.
Qb will then transfer two electrons to cytochrome b6-f, allowing two protons to be released from the lumen. This is coupled with the pumping of two or more hydrogen ions into the lumen space by cytochrome b6-f. After this, electrons are transferred to plastocyanin and then Photosystem I. The photons energize the electrons and "propel" them to transfer to the ferredoxin. Ferredoxin transfers the electrons to FNR.

NADPH is made by adding 2 electrons and a hydrogen ion to NADP+. The result is NADPH, ATP, and molecular oxygen.

Cell Structure

Cell Structure on Prezi

Enzyme Lab

I never realized how easily a person can alter the pressure in a test tube with only a little water, H2O2, and yeast.

After mixing H2O2 and water in a test tube, we began our experiment by altering the number of yeast drops we put in the test tube.

The higher the number of yeast droplets, the higher the pressure kept climbing.


Next, we altered the temperature of the test tubes. We went back to mixing H2O2 with water in the test tube. Then, we left one at room temperature, one at 25 degrees, one at 38 degrees, and one at 80 degrees.

This graph is strange. The lowest temperature had the lowest pressure level. At 25 degrees the pressure level was slightly higher. Then, pressure spiked as it was at 38 degrees or warm. But, when the temperature was at 80 degrees, the pressure lowered slightly.


Lastly, instead of altering the number of yeast drops, we altered the pH level of the water concentration to determine how the pH level affects the pressure in the test tube.

The higher the pH levels, the higher the pressure. In two cases the cap actually popped off due to the increased pressure.
This lab taught me that little variable can affect pressure in a great way, making me wonder what else can affect pressure or other characteristics of chemicals...

Photosynthesis Lab Write Up

Materials:
     Bromothymol blue
     2 aquarium snails
     2 elodea (aquarium plant)
     pond water
     4 beakers
     light lamp

Procedure:
     1. Take all of the beakers and fill them 3/4 the way with pond water.
     2. Take all of the beakers and mix bromothymol blue with the water until you see a color change. Record your results.
     3. Take a beaker with bromothymol blue and water mixed in and place the snail into the beaker until you see a color change. Record your results.
     4. Take the third beaker with bromothymol blue and water mixed in and place elodea in the beaker. Place the beaker under the lamp for three hours. Record the color change.
     5. Take the last beaker with bromothymol blue and water mixed in, and place a snail and a elodea in the water. Leave in the light for three hours. Record the color change in the light.
     6. Take the beaker from step 5 and place in it in the dark for three hours. Record the color change.
     7. Clean up, return the snails to the wild, and DON'T DRINK THE POND WATER!

Observation/Conclusion:
     1. Water plus bromothymol blue is blue green - because the water is a neutral pH.
     2. Water plus bromothymol blue plus an aquarium snail turns yellow - because the snail produces carbon acid and BTB turns yellow in acid.
     3. Water plus bromothymol blue plus elodea, is blue-green in light. -green plants photosynthesize in the light and respire all the time, but still keeping the pH neutral, allowing the water and BTB to remain blue-green.
     4. Water plus bromothymol blue plus a snail plus elodea is blue-green in light and yellow when left in the dark for three hours. - because the carbon dioxide produced by the snail is soaked up by the elodea due to photosynthesis, allowing the water to remain blue-green in light. But, because in the dark, the elodea can't photosynthesize, the carbon dioxide from the snail turns the water acidic, making the water turn yellow when in the dark.

Poison - Death Camas/Star Lily

Something that really surprised me was that a plant that looks relatively pretty, can be deadly? That's right! The Star Lily is a deadly plant! It is also known as the death camas. (Toxicoscordion fremontii (Torrey) Rydb in latin)The plant grows from a bulb, and can be mistaken for an onion. The Star Lily is most commonly found in the Western United States (us), some parts in the Eastern United States, and the North American, Western sub arctic and Eastern Siberia. All parts of the "death camas" are extremely toxic. All parts of this plant contain the poisonous alkaloid zygadenine Symptoms include: nervousness, frothing at the mouth, loss of muscle control, subnormal temperature, upset stomach, diarrhea, reduced heart rate, decreased blood pressure and respiration rate. A coma is possible. 
The Star Lily is especially dangerous for cats and dogs if ingested, but humans have also been poisoned after eating the plant. Once, a 2 year-old-child became extremely ill after eating the plant. The alkaloids cause local irritation when ingested and affect the cardiovascular system by slowing the heart and decreasing blood pressure. Treatment includes emesis, activated charcoal, atropine and saline cathartic.

http://helenair.com/lifestyles/recreation/article_0c268c4e-b7d8-5210-9a41-3da75cb76d9d.html

I think it's interesting that a plant can be poisonous. I never knew this before. Obviously in the jungle some plants aren't the best to eat, but a plant that can be right outside our door? That can poison our animals and children? That really surprised me. Luckily it's not extremely deadly towards children.