Hey, look how much fun respiration is!

Today we made lungs one singular lung. 

*I wonder if we could implant it into a real person.*
*coughcough*
Nope, never mind.
Bad idea.

Look at this super artistic picture I took. YEAH.

 

Our first attempt wasn't working, so we tried again.

Here's what it looks like in action:

So, we learned that the contraction of the diaphragm (bottom balloon) is what happens when we inhale, and it relaxes when we exhale. When we breathe, the ribcage (the plastic cup) expands to allow the lungs (balloon inside the cup) enough room to inflate. When the diaphragm contracts, air rushes through the trachea (straw) into the lungs. They deflate when the diaphragm goes back into it's resting position. Basically, the *breathing in* part requires a muscle contraction of the diaphragm.

Unit 1 Review

Hey there, Bio ..

Water

• breaks down nutrients
• is stuck together by cohesive, polar covalent hydrogen bonds
• helps the body get rid of waste (as a components of urine and sweat)
• regulates our temperature because it has a high specific heat capacity
• lubricates joints
• is a universal solvent
• protects our brains
• is polar, which allows hydrogen bonding

Digestive System

Oh boy, I sure hope these show up.

Sorry for being lazy D:

This, basically, is the terms.

• Swallowing is the act of pushing the bolus of food down into the esophagus. Peristalsis is what acts upon the food from this point on; it is the name of the contractions of the muscle layers present in the digestive tract.
• The pancreas is the source gland for insulin. Insulin maintains blood glucose levels by either up taking the intake of glucose, storing it, or releasing it into the blood.
• The liver produces bile, stores glucose as glycogen, detoxifies alcohol and toxins from blood, processes nutrients from small intestine, produces blood proteins, and converts amonia in to urea.
• Bile emulsifies fats by breaking them down so they can be digested and absorbed as easily as possible. 
• The small intestine is equipped for both chemical and physical digestion. Physical digestion is done by peristalsis, and the villi and microvilli. The small intestine receives enzymes and secretions from the pancreas to aid in chemical digestion. 
• Villi and microvilli are present in the small intestine; their purpose is to maximize nutrient absorption. Glucose and amino acids are absorbed into the capillaries within the villi, are taken into the blood stream, and are sent to the liver. Fatty acids and glycerol are absorbed into the lacteal of the villi, and travel in the lymphatic system.

• The anaerobic bacteria in the colon prevents the growth of harmful bacteria. By taking up space in the colon, it limits the growth of pathogenic bacteria .
• Water helps break down molecules into their monomers.
• Sodium bicarbonate is released into the small intestine by the pancreas so the gastric juice does not burn the duodenum lining. 
• HCl in the stomach is essential in killing harmful bacteria, so that it is not absorbed into the body. It also changes the pH of salivary amylase, rendering it useless.
• Mucus protects stomach lining from the wrath of HCl.

Biological Molecules

There's a review booklet.

Oh hey, maybe I actually get this stuff..

Do you know what day it is today?

No?

Well, let me help you out.

Today is the day of

It's rather appalling that the twenty six point five six hours of our rotation around the Sun, on the day of pi, is not on a Friday.

Biology 12 Interim Report

Every day in this class is a chance to feel accomplished; I especially felt successful when I realized that I am able to answer questions without having to go through my notes. It is comforting to know that I do not have to flail for answers, they are in my brain. 

My work habits are great. When I go through my binder, there are no incomplete worksheets. I have submitted all my assignments and hope to continue to do so in the future. 

I have had a chance to work collaboratively with some of my classmates. It has enhanced my learning in the sense that I learn more effectively with other people. If one of my group members has a question that had not come to my mind, I get a chance to learn at least one more thing than I would have on my own. 

My main goal is to get an A in order to graduate with a 4.0 average. To do so, I need to study more effectively. By getting a high mark I will have proven to myself that I have learned and applied new concepts. Learning is fun, but is often overshadowed by the anxiety of getting a high mark on tests and projects. I hope to be able to balance all the aspects in order to gain a holistic experience. More than anything, I want to have fun in Biology 12.

Biology is A W E S O M E.