Unit 2 Reflection

   This unit was about basic chemistry, macro molecules, and enzymes.  In the chemistry for biologists vodcast we learned about the elements and the different types of bonding, the properties of water and why water is important, and the ph scale.  From this vodcast I learned how the hydrogen atoms in water molecules are charged so that they attach to things which was interesting.
   Macro molecules was about Lipids, nucleic acids, proteins, and the different types of carbohydrates and sugars.  To apply what we learned to an experiment we did the sweetness lab in which we tasted the different kinds of sugars that we had learned about during the lesson and rated them on how sweet they where to find which ones where sweetest.  I concluded that the monosaccharides where the sweetest carbohydrates, followed by disacchurides, and polysaccharides where the least sweet tasting.  In this lab I learned about a few sugars that I had not known about before.
   The enzyme vodcast explained the properties of a special kind of protein called an enzyme that helps make chemical reactions happen much faster.  To find the optimal conditions in which enzymes operate most effectively we did two labs.  The first lab was a digital enzyme lab in which we tested how ph and the amount of substrate, and found that the test tubes with neutral ph, and larger amounts of substrate created more product.  Then we did the cheese lab in which we tested the optimal conditions for making cheese by testing the ph, temperature, and curdling agent.  The class concluded that the most effective curdling agent was chymosin, and an acidic ph, and high temperature was best for producing cheese.  This lab not only taught me about enzymes but also how cheese is made.
   This unit was interesting and filled with information that answered all my questions, because of this I have no unanswered questions.  The unit was easy to understand so I understand the concepts that where covered.  I want to learn more about enzymes and macro molecules in the future.