Science Gateway ReviewSpring 2014Miss Shuster

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Writing Scavenger Hunt Name ___________________1. Ideas:

Choose one paragraph. Find three claims the author makes. Then, find the supporting details, explanations, or elaborations to support each claim.

Claim:o Support:

Claim:o Support:

Claim:o Support:

Now, look for claims that are not supported well. List them here:

2. Organization:

Introduction

Write the catchy lead here:

What is the thesis?

Does the introduction start broad and narrow to the thesis?

Conclusion

Is the conclusion as long as the introduction?

Does the writer summarize the thesis?

Does the conclusion start with the thesis and broaden to global ideas?

What is the author’s plan?

Transitions:

How did the writer transition between paragraphs?

How did the writer transition within the paragraphs?

3. Style:

A) Look at the beginning of each sentence. How many beginning with the following?

Repetitive words______2

Transitional word or phrase_____

Subordinating conjunction_______

Coordinating conjunction_______ (avoid these)

Subject of the main clause_______

Prepositional phrase________

Participial phrase_________

Infinitive______

Adverb_____

B) Let us look at word choices. Find the following:

Strong verbs:

Interesting adjectives:

Unique nouns:

Dialogue:

Rhetorical Question:

What about the following bad choices? (how many times are each used?)

Contractions:

Things:

A lot:

Stuff:

“be” verbs:

Got:

Overused or boring words:

C) Let us look at sentence length. Highlight each end punctuation mark.

Number of words in the longest sentence:

Number of words in the shortest sentence:

Greatest number of long sentences in a row:

Greatest number of short sentences in a row:

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4. Conventions: Find a sentence with the following Semicolon:

Compound Sentence punctuated correctly:

Complex Sentence punctuated correctly:

Quotation Marks:

Exclamation Point:

Look for errors:

Sentence Fragment:

Run-on sentence:

Misspelled words:

Contractions:

Awkward or Confusing sentences:

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Ecological Changes Notes Sheet

Competition – Two or more organisms require the same resource that is in limited supply.– Food, shelter, light, water, mates– The strongest organism will win the competition and will be more likely to live and

pass its genes on to the next generation (natural selection).

The place where an organisms lives:________________ An organism’s role in the environment: _____________ The series of predictable changes that occur in a community over time:

____________

Succession – The series of ______________ that occurs in a community over time– Primary succession occurs on a surface where no soil exists. Example: bare rock, areas

covered by volcanic ash

– _______________ succession occurs in an area where a disturbance changes an existing community without destroying the soil. Example: plowed land, area burned by wildfire

Ecological Succession– Stages of Succession

_______________ (1st Stage)– Lichens, decomposers, moss, ferns, grass, shrubs,

animals.....etc.............. _______________

dominant organisms maintain control over ecosystem. Pond climax Land fills in pond

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Ecological Changes Gateway Prompt- Succession

Scenario:

You are an ecologist who studies ecological succession, the process by which the structure of a biological community changes over time. You have been invited to visit a local high school to teach the biology students there about succession.

Task:

Prepare a lesson on ecological succession. Include the following in your lesson:

Define ecological succession and discuss specific differences between the two types of ecological succession.

Use Document B to discuss how ecological succession often “looks” in temperate deciduous forests. In this discussion, define and describe pioneer species and climax communities.

As plant species change over the course of ecological succession, so do animal species. Discuss how the animals that live in a given area change along with the plant species. Be specific and provide explanations of why the animal changes occur along with the plant changes.

DOCUMENT A

Ecological succession is the process by which the structure of a biological community changes over time. There are two types of ecological succession- primary and secondary- which are based on the existing plant life and soil in the area. Primary succession occurs in essentially lifeless areas- regions in which the soil is incapable of sustaining life as a result of such factors as lava flows or rocks left from a retreating glacier. On the other hand, secondary succession occurs in areas where a community that previously existed has been removed. The progression of species during succession is not random. Instead, there is a partially predictable sequence of change in species during succession.

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DOCUMENT B

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INTRODUCTIONWhat’s the “big picture”?

Thesis that mentions each task:

BODYWhat to

include in my paragraphs…

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Vocabulary & Definitions

(3)

Prior Knowledge

(2)

How do these work? How

do they connect

together?

Why do these work this

way? Why do they matter?

CONCLUSIONSo what? Why do these ideas/concepts matter? How do they affect us?

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Practice Gateway Review Cycling of Matter Questions

1. Explain why photosynthesis and cellular respiration are considered to be paired processes.

2. What is the importance of decomposers in the carbon cycle?

3. What effect does the burning of fossil fuels have on the carbon cycle?

4. Scientists have expressed concerns about the burning of the rainforests to clear the land for the planting of crops.

a. Explain how the burning of forests could change oxygen levels.

b. What impact would the change in oxygen levels have on living things?

Food Chain Questions

1. What travels through a food chain or web?

2. What is the ultimate energy for all life on Earth?

3. Food chains start with what?

4. The 1st organism in a food chain must always be what type of organism?

5. Name 2 food making processes.

6. Where do chemosynthetic bacteria get their energy?

7. Define herbivore.

8. Herbivores are also called _________________________.

9. What are animals called that feed on herbivores?

10. Secondary consumers are eaten by larger ________________.

11. _________________ consumers eat secondary consumers.

12. Make a food chain with a producer and 3 consumers.

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Food Web Questions

1. What is used to indicate the flow of energy in a food chain or web?

2. What happens to energy as we move from step to step in a chain or web?

3. Define food web.

4. What is meant by trophic levels?

5. Define autotroph.

6. The 1st trophic level consists of _______________ consumers called _________________.

7. Name the 2nd trophic level (both names).

8. Secondary consumers may be _______________ eating meat or _______________ that eat both plants and animals.

9. What is the 3rd trophic level called?

10. What is the 4th trophic level called?

11. At the 5th trophic level would be _____________ consumers that eat _____________ consumers.

12. Give an example of 3 detrivores. On what do they feed?

13. What organism feeds on dead plants and animals and helps recycle them?

14. Both ______________ and ______________act as decomposers

15. Can an organism fill more than one trophic level --- yes or no? Give an example.

16. In food chains and webs, what trophic level must you have more of than others?

17. Each trophic level has how much LESS energy?

18. What may happen if a species goes extinct?

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PRACTICE GATEWAY QUESTIONECOSYSTEMS AND FOOD WEBS

Scenario:

You are an ecologist studying an ecosystem that consists of a stream surrounded by woods. The following organisms can be found in this ecosystem: mice, rabbits, birds, snakes, bears, large fish, small fish, otters, bacteria, algae, grass, and seed producing plants. Three months ago, a manufacturing plant opened about 2 miles upstream. The plant has been dumping waste water into the stream that contains a high concentration of acetic acid. Over the last month, you have been noticing a decline in the number of fish in the stream; you have also noticed that the grass growing along the side of the stream is starting to become yellow.

Respond to ONE of the following essay topics.

OR

Document A:

Interaction of a community with its environment is an ecological system or ecosystem. Smaller in scope is a community which is an assortment of life forms (for example, bacteria, fish and algae) living together in a particular place and interacting with and depending on one another in various ways.

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Task 1:

Your job is to write an environmental impact paper discussing the effect of the manufacturing

plant’s waste on this ecosystem. Include the following in your discussion:

Discuss the importance of producers to this ecosystem; give an example of a producer.

Discuss the importance of decomposers to this ecosystem; give an example of a decomposer.

If grass, algae, and seed producing trees are eliminated from this ecosystem due

Task 2:

You are a newspaper reporter who has been given the task of writing an informative article on the likely effect of the waste. Include the following in your article:

Explain to your readers the following terms: ecosystem, community, food chain, food web, pollution.

Explain to your readers why they should be concerned about the changes that would occur because of the pollution in the stream. Include environmental and economic concerns.

If no changes are made, what do you predict the area will look like in 100 years?

Document B:

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Bacteria

Bacteria

Snake

Rabbit

GrassSeeds

Mouse

Bird

OtterBear

Large Fish

Small Fish

Algae

INTRODUCTIONWhat’s the “big picture”?

Thesis that mentions each task:

BODYWhat to

include in my paragraphs…

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Vocabulary & Definitions

(3)

Prior Knowledge

(2)

How do these work? How

do they connect

together?

Why do these work this

way? Why do they matter?

CONCLUSIONSo what? Why do these ideas/concepts matter? How do they affect us?

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Gateway Review

Genetics/DNA/Heredity

Meiosis

____________ reproduction (Why is meiosis required for sexual reproduction?) Form gametes (sperm and egg) Daughter cells

– _________ produced (two nuclear divisions)– Haploid (n, cuts the number of chromosomes in _______)– Different from parent and unique from each other

Steps– Prophase I– Metaphase I– Anaphase I– _____________– Prophase II– Metaphase II– Anaphase II– Telophase II

Cells reproduce by means of mitosis or meiosis:MITOSIS

Produces __________ genetic copies 1 cell copies its DNA and organelles and then

splits into____ cells Occurs for the purposes of growth and repair or

asexual reproduction Happens in body cells Consists of Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase,

Telophse

MEIOSIS

Produces _________ or sex cells (sperm and egg) for sexual reproduction

1 cell copies its DNA and splits into ___ cells during two cell divisions

Each of the resulting gametes is __________ from the starting cell and from each other

The end cells have ½ the amount of DNA as the starting cell

Happens in cells of the testes and ovaries only Consists of Prophase I, Metaphase I, Anaphase I,

Telophase I, Prophase II, Metaphase II, Anaphase II, Telophase II

GENETICS/DNA

DNA

Its shape is a twisted ladder, or a _______double helix__________. DNA is made up of sugars and phosphates (the side of the “ladder”) and pairs of nitrogen bases (the

steps of the “ladder”). The bases in DNA are called adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. _A__ always bonds with _T___ and ___G__ always bonds with _C___.

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Heredity and Mendelian Genetics

Genetics: The study of __________(the passing of traits from parents to offspring) Gregor Mendel: The father of genetics. DNA: Consists of many genes Gene: Stretch of DNA that codes for a given___________. Allele: Alternate version of a gene

Dominant and Recessive Traits

Dominant Allele Gene that is fully expressed. Masks/ “speaks louder than” a recessive allele.

Recessive Allele Masked/not expressed if dominant allele is present. Only expressed if dominant allele is absent.

Genotype

The genetic makeup of an organism

Homozygous: having two of the _______allele Heterozygous: having two different alleles. Homozygous Dominant: having two dominant alleles Homozygous Recessive: having two recessive alleles Heterozygous: having one of each allele

Phenotype

The physical and physiological traits of an organism How the genes are expressed What you would see in a photograph

A _____________can be used to predict the genotypes and phenotypes of the offspring produced by a given genetic cross.

Generations Parental (P): The organisms involved in the initial cross First Filial (F1): The offspring of the Parental Generation Second Filial (F2): The offspring of the First Filial Generation

Determining Sex

Human male: _______ Human female: XX Which parent determines the sex of a human offspring? ___________ What is the probability of having a boy? A girl? 50%/50%

Sex linked traits

Carried on the X chromosome Example: hemophilia, color blindness. Disorders occur more often in males than females. Why? Males have one X chromosome, so if one

is defective, they do not have a backup copy as do females.Mutation

A change in the base sequence of____________. A change in DNA can lead to a change in the protein coded for by that gene.

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A change in the protein structure can lead to certain disorders, for example, sickle cell anemia.

Genetics is the scientific study of ________________, or the passing of traits from parents to offspring. Traits are passed by means of _______, or deoxyribonucleic acid. DNA contains segments called _________

which code for certain ________. These proteins control the traits of an organism. More about DNA:

DNA makes up the ______________ that are found in the nucleus of a cell. DNA is a type of nucleic acid. Its shape is a twisted ladder, or a _________________. DNA is made up of sugars and phosphates (the side of the “ladder”) and pairs of nitrogen bases (the

steps of the “ladder”). The bases in DNA are called adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine. ___ always bonds with ____ and _____ always bonds with ____.

Any change in the base sequence of DNA is known as a _________. Mutations can lead to a change in the protein that is coded for by the affected gene. This change can lead to certain disorders like sickle-cell anemia

Important genetics terms:Gene

Allele

Dominant

Recessive

Homozygous

Heterozygous aka hybrid

Phenotype

Genotype

Punnett square

a. Can be used to determine the possible phenotype and genotype outcomes of a particular genetic cross

b. Different alleles ex. Aac. Different forms of genes ex. Tall or short plantsd. Genetic makeup; allelic characteristice. Masked by dominant; lowercase letterf. Masks recessive; capital letterg. Segment of DNA that controls the production of proteins; found on

chromosomesh. Trait; physical appearance, behavior, physiological trait, etc.i. Two of the same alleles ex. AA or aa

PRACTICE GATEWAY QUESTION

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KARYOTYPING

Scenario: You are a doctor of parents who are expecting twins. They just had karyotypes done on their unborn babies as a medical precaution.

Document A: Humans, like all organisms, have a specific number of chromosomes. These chromosomes can be photographed and the paired homologous chromosomes can be arranged in a karyotype. The karyotype will show the paired homologous chromosomes arranged from longest to shortest with the sex chromosomes last. The sex of the individual and abnormalities in chromosome numbers can be detected. This procedure can be done before birth so that the parents can know if the child has a normal chromosome number. In this manner, some genetic disorders can be diagnosed. Although this information is useful, this procedure is not recommended for all pregnant women because of the risk to the fetus.

Document B:

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Task:As their doctor, write a letter to the parents that explains this information:

Reasons for karyotyping Sex of the babies and results of the karyotype test Explain the difference between inherited and non-inherited genetic abnormalities.

Karyotypes of Child A and Child B

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INTRODUCTIONWhat’s the “big picture”?

Thesis that mentions each task:

BODYWhat to

include in my paragraphs…

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Vocabulary & Definitions

(3)

Prior Knowledge

(2)

How do these work? How

do they connect

together?

Why do these work this

way? Why do they matter?

CONCLUSIONSo what? Why do these ideas/concepts matter? How do they affect us?

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Solubility Review WS

Aqueous: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Solution: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Solvent: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Solute: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Miscible: __________________________________________________________________________________________

Immiscible: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Substances Dissolved in Aqueous Solutions

Ionic Compounds Covalent Compounds

Substances break down to the level of ions Ions form electrolytes in aqueous solutions - ions are

suspended in the water solution and conduct electricity (electrolytes are formed)

Substances break down to the level of molecules During solvation, water surrounds the neutral particle Molecules do not form charges in aqueous solutions,

they form a neutral particle – electrolytes are not formed

Tyndall Effect: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Mixture Relative Particle Size Solute Precipitates? Exhibits the Tyndall Effect?1. Solution2. Colloid3. Suspension

Solutions are composed of small particles (ions), light is not dispersed

Appearance: clear, transparent and homogeneous, no sedimentation

Colloids are composed of intermediate sized particles (molecules), light is dispersed

Appearance: cloudy, but uniform and homogenous, no sedimentation

Suspensions are composed of large particles that settle to the bottom of the container, light dispersion is variable

Appearance: Particles eventually settle out of solution (sedimentation), cloudy, heterogeneous, at least two substances visible

Factors that Affect the Rate of Solvation:

1. 2. 3.

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Unsaturated: _______________________________________________________________________________________

Add more solute: _____________________________________________________________________________

Saturated: _________________________________________________________________________________________

Add more solute: _____________________________________________________________________________

Supersaturated: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Add more solute:

_____________________________________________________________________________

Solubility Curves:

Graph that show how much of a substance will dissolve in _________ mL of water Can be used to determine if solutions will be unsaturated, saturated, or supersaturated

Solid solutes

as temperature increases, solubility of the solid will increase

ex. best time to sweeten tea is when it is still hot from brewing, when cold sugar just goes to bottom of container

Gas solutes

as temperature increases, solubility of a gas will decrease

ex. warm sodas produce more foam than cold sodas and go flat faster

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Practice Gateway QuestionPhases of Matter and Solutions

Scenario:A laboratory technician for a chemical company has collected solubility data of two substances “X” and “Y” which is listed in Document B. The technician forgot to label the substances to their corresponding data.

Respond to the following essay topic.

Task:

You are an assistant laboratory technician. Your job is to graph the solubility data and then write a report. In your report, be sure to:

Complete Document A, the Phases of Matter Chart. Distinguish between the three phases of matter. Provide an example of each phase. Based on your solubility graphs, determine which substance is a gas and which is a solid. Explain your findings

based on solubility trends.

Document A: Phases of Matter Chart

Phase Definite Shape? (Yes/No)

Definite Volume? (Yes/No)

Distance Between Particles (Closest Together/Close/Far Apart)

Solids

Liquid

Gas

Document B:

Solubility Data of Substances X and Y in Water at Various Temperatures

Solubility (g/100 g H2O)

Substance 0 ºC 20 ºC 60 ºC 100 ºC

X 1.17 g 0.88 g 0.36 g ----

Y 4.0 g 8.0 g 20.0 g 50.0 g

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Document C:

Document D:

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INTRODUCTIONWhat’s the “big picture”?

Thesis that mentions each task:

BODYWhat to

include in my paragraphs…

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Vocabulary & Definitions

(3)

Prior Knowledge

(2)

How do these work? How

do they connect

together?

Why do these work this

way? Why do they matter?

CONCLUSIONSo what? Why do these ideas/concepts matter? How do they affect us?

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Energy and Matter Transformations

• Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy• Organization of living things

• Ecology• Organic Molecules

• Photosynthesis and Respiration

• Law of Conservation of matter and energy

– Matter or energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only change forms

Organization of living things

Ecologyo Energy in a food chain- single pathway as organisms consume each other

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From smallest to largestAtommolecule organelle cell tissue organ system organism population community ecosystem

Producer 1st order consumer 2nd order Consumer 3rd order Consumer Autotroph Heterotroph Heterotroph Heterotroph

herbivore carnivore carnivore• Producer/autotroph-makes its own food from sunlight

• Consumer/heterotroph-must obtain food• Herbivore- eats only plants• Carnivore- eats only animals• Omnivore- eats plants and animals• Decomposer- breaks down dead organisms• Food Pyramid - At each step of the food

chain, energy is lost• Approximately 10% energy is passed on to

next level

Food web – all possible feeding relationships in an ecosystem

The Carbon Cycle

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The Water Cycle

Organic Molecules – molecules with a carbon backbone made by living things Monomer – basic unit that repeats over and over again

OrganicMolecule

CommonName

Elements Uses Monomer

Carbohydratesugars and starches C, H, O energy monosaccharide

Lipid fats, oils, and waxes

C, H, O storage, cell membranes

1 glycerol and 3 fatty acids

Protein proteins C, H, O, N building blocks of living things, enzymes

amino acids

Nucleic Acid DNA and RNA

C, H, O, N, P genetic material, controls cell’s activities

nucleotide

• Condensation reaction- joins molecules together by removing water• Ex: Glucose + Glucose → Maltose + water• C6H12O6 + C6H12O6 → C12H22O11 + H2 O • Hydrolysis - water is added and the molecule is broken apart

• Ex: Maltose + water → glucose + glucose• C12H22O11 + H2 O → C6H12O6 + C6H12O6

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PRACTICE GATEWAY QUESTIONENERGY FLOW

Scenario :

All organisms require energy in order to live. The earth receives energy from the sun; this energy is then made usable through the process of photosynthesis. Organisms can then take the sugars produced by plants and use them to supply energy and building blocks for themselves.

Respond to the following essay topic.

Document 1:

Reaction for Photosynthesis -- 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy (sunlight) C6H12O6 + 6O2

Document 2:

Reaction for Respiration -- C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O + 38ATP

Document 3: Glucose Document 4: Starch

Document 5: Triglyceride

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Task:

Write an informative essay for publication in Popular Science in which you include:

Explain how photosynthesis and respiration are dependent on each other. Explain how plants and animals differ in their method of long-term energy storage. Design an experiment to measure the effect of light intensity on the amount of sugar a carrot plant

produces through photosynthesis.

INTRODUCTIONWhat’s the “big picture”?

Thesis that mentions each task:

BODYWhat to

include in my paragraphs…

Task 1 Task 2 Task 3

Vocabulary & Definitions

(3)

Prior Knowledge

(2)

How do these work? How

do they connect

together?

Why do these work this

way? Why do they matter?

CONCLUSIONSo what? Why do these ideas/concepts matter? How do they affect us?

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Practice Gateway QuestionEnergy Flow Exemplar

The Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy states, “Matter can neither be created nor destroyed, only rearranged.” This is evident in ecology as matter nutrients such as carbon, nitrogen, phosphorous, and water are cycled from biotic to abiotic forms and back again. Energy, on the other hand, is a one-way flow through food chains, starting with the sun. Plants convert sunlight energy into food using photosynthesis, which literally means making food with light. Herbivores, also known as primary consumers, eat plants to get their energy. Carnivores and omnivores, also known as secondary and tertiary consumers, eat herbivores to get their energy. A simple food chain is illustrated in Diagram A which shows the sun providing energy to grass, to the grasshopper that eats the grass, the shrew which eats the grasshopper, and finally the owl which eats the shrew. A more-detailed overview of the energy flow through photosynthesis and cellular respiration, a comparison of long-term energy storage in plants and animals, and an experiment designed to determine the effect of light intensity on the glucose production of carrot plants will further illustrate these processes at the cellular, rather than ecosystem, level.

Diagram A

Two processes key to the energy flow of plants and animals at the cellular level are known as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. During photosynthesis, plants convert the energy from the sun into glucose. According to Document 1, the chemical equation for the reaction known as photosynthesis consists of 6 molecules of carbon dioxide combined with 6 molecules of water and sunlight energy to produce 1 molecule of glucose and 6 molecules of diatomic oxygen. Energy from the sun is stored in the covalent bonds of the glucose molecule as plants conduct photosynthesis in the chlorophyll pigment contained in the chloroplasts found in leaves. According to Document 2, cellular respiration consists of 1 molecule of glucose and 6 molecules of diatomic oxygen to produce 6 molecules of carbon dioxide, 6 molecules of water, and 38 molecules of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). This process occurs in the mitochondria contained in the cells of both plants and animals. So now, energy is converted from the bonds in the glucose molecule to the bonds in the ATP, particularly in the bond used to add the final inorganic phosphate polyatomic ion to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). The reactants for photosynthesis are the products of cellular respiration and the products of photosynthesis are the reactants for cellular

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respiration. This cycling of matter produces a rather elegant and balanced relationship between plants and animals, as shown in Diagram B, so long as light energy is continually available as a reactant.

Diagram B

Although ATP is used as short-term energy by the cells for all of their functions, including active transport, to bring materials into cells, DNA replication to copy DNA in preparation for cell division, cell division through mitosis for somatic cells or meiosis for gametes, or protein synthesis which creates structural proteins to make muscle and transactional proteins to act as biological catalysts, or enzymes, in chemical reactions taking place in cells. Glucose which is not immediately need by the cell does not go through cellular respiration. Instead, glucose, which is a simple sugar or monosaccharide, is converted into a complex carbohydrate or polysaccharide through a process called dehydration synthesis. In this process, many glucose molecules are covalently bonded together with the removal of one water molecule for each bond created, as shown in Diagram C and Documents 3 and 4. Starch is one form of polysaccharide which can be made from glucose, and it is the form plants use for long-term energy storage. This is the same starch or complex carbohydrates that people ingest when eating potatoes. Animals, on the other hand, use glycogen for short-term energy storage or triglycerides for long-term energy storage. Glycogen is another type of polysaccharide which is made in the liver and stored in the cells when more glucose is needed quickly. Triglycerides are made up of 3 fatty acids bonded to a glycerol (Document 5). The fatty acids are long-chain hydrocarbons and so represent a rearrangement of the atoms originally present in the glucose molecule. When energy intake (food eaten) exceeds energy usage (exercise), then cells do not need the extra glucose, and so must store them as triglycerides, which another name for lipids, or fat. A common misconception that people have about nutrition is that eating excessive fat makes one obese; in really, eating excessive sugars and carbohydrates is what makes one obese, and obesity is a dangerous risk factor for coronary artery disease, heart attacks, and strokes because the excess triglycerides begin to clog up the circulatory system.

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Diagram C

It is possible to design an experiment to measure the effect of light intensity on the amount of sugar production of a carrot plant. First, amount of light is the independent variable, which the experimenter will change amongst experimental groups, and the mass of the carrot is the dependent variable because it is assumed that a larger carrot will have more glucose. Second, control variable, or variables that should not change during the experiment are the type of carrot seed, soil, pot, light source, temperature, humidity, pH, and amount of water. Third, the control group will consist of 10 carrot seeds grown in separate pots under growth lights set to a timer for 0 hours a day. Fourth, there will be 12 experimental groups ranging from 2 to 24 hours of light at 2-hour intervals. Each group will be in an enclosure covered with plastic bags to prevent light from bleeding in from other experimental groups. Carrots need about 2.5 months to mature, so once the carrots have matured, they will be picked and massed. Analysis of the data include taking an average of the ten carrot plants in each of the 13 groups—1 control and 12 experimental groups. The data will be presented in a data table, as well as a graph. My hypothesis is that the plants which receive the most sunlight will be the most massive since sun light energy is a reactant for photosynthesis, according to Document 1. My conclusion will be made once the experiment is conducted and the data are analyzed, according to the scientific method as shown in Diagram D.

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Diagram D

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important cellular level processes. Long-term energy storage as starch in plants or triglycerides in animals is necessary so that cells always have a ready-reserve of glucose for cellular respiration. Experimentation on important crops such as carrots can help determine the optimal light conditions necessary for photosynthesis in carrot plants to produce the maximal amount of glucose necessary for proper nutrition of the world’s every-increasing global population. Throughout all these cellular level processes, energy continues to flow in a one-way direction through food chains while the matter is continually recycled according to the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy.

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