Jaycelynn Ludwig

Biology 1610

Jedediah Doelling

30 July 2019

E-portfolio Assignment: The Common Themes of Biology

Section 1: Chapter 2
1a) Organization: Function depends on structure.

1b) In chapter 2 we had discussed the different levels of organization pertaining to living things.
Which is why I have chosen the common theme organization for section 1. This common theme
describes the function and structure of all things. The chemical context of life from chapter 2
consists of the following functions that work together to form structures that are essential for life.
The atom is the smallest and most fundamental unit of matter. It consists of a nucleus surrounded
by electrons. Atoms then form molecules which is a chemical structure consisting of at least two
atoms held together by a chemical bond. These bounds vary from ionic, covalent, and metallic
bonds. Which leads to the formation of macromolecules that are biologically important. Large
molecules that are typically formed by combining smaller units called monomers. An example of
a macromolecule is deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), which contains the instructions for the
functioning of the organism that contains it. These are all but small examples that help organize
the chemical context of life.

1c) Which is important to study because living things are highly organized and structured,
following a hierarchy on a scale from small to large. Understanding this concept was difficult at
first but with time and practice, I was able to relate these concepts to situations within my other
classes which is when everything started to click. I was able to distinguish the main points and I
found myself talking about what I had learned with family members and coworkers. Being able
to comprehend a subject enough to discuss it with others was the best feeling. I only hope I can
continue to learn from this concept/common theme and apply it further in my studies.
2a). Interactions. (Living) things interact with other (living) things and with the environment.

2b) The formation and function of molecules depend on chemical bonding between atoms.
Atoms with incomplete valence shells can interact with each other by sharing or transferring
valence electrons. These interactions typically result in the atoms remaining close together, held
by attractions called chemical bonds. The strongest chemical bonds are covalent bonds and ionic
bonds.

2c) One thing that helped me understand the differences between these bonds was relationships.
It seems silly but people like to bond with each other, we can not live in isolation. People can
have a strong connection, similarly some atoms have strong bonds between them. Some atoms
can have weak connections, just like two people can have weak connections. I was also able to
see that the proteins we need, and the carbohydrates we eat are all results of chemical bonding
between atoms. Gas we use in our cars is a result of chemical bonding, the oxygen we breathe is
also a result of chemical bond. Medicines we need to cure ourselves are results of chemical
bonding between atoms. All things can relate to the chemical bonding between atoms and the
more I realized that the more I understood the importance of this concept.

3a) Energy and Matter. Cannot be created or destroyed but can be transferred and transformed

3b) Energy has the capacity to cause change, especially to do work. In chapter 2 we also learned
that energy plays an important role in moving matter against an opposing force. Like matter,
energy comes in different forms. One of which is chemical energy, usually referring to the
energy that is stored in the chemical bonds of molecules. These bonds form when electrons are
able to respond to the force fields created by two or more atomic nuclei, so they can be regarded
as manifestations of electrostatic potential energy. In an exothermic chemical reaction, the
electrons and nuclei within the reactants undergo rearrangement into products possessing lower
energies, and the difference is released to the environment in the form of heat.

3c) While it is not always easy to tell a chemical change has occurred as opposed to a physical
change, there are some distinctive signs. Chemical changes may cause a substance to change
color, change temperature or produce bubbles. Chemical changes are also considered to be any
phenomenon that allows a scientist to measure chemical properties. As I learned more about the
chemical reaction of things I was able to see how frequently it occurs right in front of my eyes.

Section 2: Chapter 6
1a) Energy and Matter: Cannot be created or destroyed but can be transferred/transformed.

1b) In chapter 6 we learned about energy and metabolism. All living organisms need energy to
grow/reproduce, maintain their structures, and respond to their environments. Metabolism is the
set of life-sustaining chemical processes that enables organisms to transform the chemical energy
stored in molecules into energy that can be used for cellular processes. Animals consume food to
replenish energy; their metabolism breaks down the carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic
acids to provide chemical energy for these processes. Plants convert light energy from the sun
into chemical energy stored in molecules during the process of photosynthesis. As you can see
both of these examples require energy to complete their tasks.

1c) I was able to fully understand the importance of energy and metabolism through this section
of the course. Which has been beneficial because, before this class I was only aware of the basics
when it came to the topic of energy. However, going into more detail has widened my
perspective and I am better off because of it. I now know the importance of all organisms and
how they use different forms of energy to power the biological processes which allows them to
grow and survive.

2a) Interactions. (Living) things interact with other (living) things and with the environment

2b) The processes of making and breaking down carbohydrate molecules illustrate two types of
metabolic pathways. A metabolic pathway is a step-by-step series of interconnected biochemical
reactions that convert a substrate molecule(s) through a series of metabolic intermediates,
eventually yielding a final product. For example, in chapter 6 we discussed how one metabolic
pathway for carbohydrates breaks large molecules down into glucose. Another metabolic
pathway builds glucose into large carbohydrate molecules for storage. The first of these
processes requires energy and is referred to as anabolic. The second process produces energy and
is referred to as catabolic.
2c) Interactions between pathways are critical for these processes to take place. I have gained a
stronger understanding of these interactions and how important it is for each one to function
properly. If one small mistake were to take place, then the whole system would be affected.
Understanding this concept in detail takes time, which is why I feel like I have only scratched the
surface. That being said, I look forward to learning more about the interactions of metabolic
pathways and how they relate to other elements.

3a) Organization: Function depends on structure.

3b) At the end of chapter 6 we discussed the importance of enzymes and how they are organized.
An enzyme is a protein that facilitates a cellular metabolic process by lowering the activation
energy levels in order to catalyze the chemical reactions between biomolecules. Some enzymes
reduce the activation energy to such low levels that they actually reverse cellular reactions. But
in all cases, enzymes facilitate reactions without becoming altered, like the way fuel burns when
it's used.

3c) After reading chapter 6 I was able to relate enzymes to things within my everyday activities
and I learned that enzymes have a broad spectrum for how they function. For example, in the
food industry, enzymes convert starch to sugar, in order to make sweeteners from sources other
than sugarcane. Also, in the clothing industry, enzymes found in laundry detergents help degrade
stain-causing proteins, while lipases help dissolve fat stains. Simple facts such as these show
how much enzymes can do on various levels.

Section 3: Chapter 14
1a) Interactions.

1b) DNA is the genetic material of all organisms on Earth. When DNA is transmitted from
parents to children, it can determine some of the children's characteristics such as their eye
color/hair color. But how does the sequence of a DNA molecule actually affect a human or other
organism's features? And how did the sequence of nucleotides As, Ts, Cs, and Gs in the DNA of
Mendel's pea plants determine the color of their flowers? These were all questions I had before
getting started on section 3. That being said, the common themes, along with chapters 11-14, has
helped me answer these questions. I understand the importance of the DNA molecule and how it
isn't just a long, boring string of nucleotides. Instead, it's divided up into functional units called
genes. Each gene provides an interaction/instruction for a functional product, that is, a molecule
needed to perform a job in the cell. In many cases, the functional product of a gene is a protein. I
also learned that Mendel's flower color gene provides instructions for a protein that helps make
colored molecules in its petals.

1c) There is a great deal of information to learn from this section and I will admit some areas
were challenging to understand. That being said, I have taken the time to go back and review the
areas in which I had the most questions and now I feel like I have a better understanding of the
concepts. I can also use the information I have learned from all of these sections and use them as
a reference for future biology courses. Which will be beneficial because I am now aware of the
material and how to study it.

2a) Organization: Function depends on structure.

2b) In chapter 14 I took the time to create a comparison chart between Transcription and
Translation. Transcription is the synthesis of RNA from a DNA template where the code in the
DNA is converted into a complementary RNA code. Translation is the synthesis of a protein
from an mRNA template where the code in the mRNA is converted into an amino acid sequence
in a protein. Both of these structures have a specific blueprint that they must follow in order to
function correctly.

2c) I took the time to study this particular concept in chapter 14 because of how fascinating it
was. As mentioned above, I made a comparison chart of what function each aspect does during
this process and it was amazing how much information I obtained from just a simple chart. I
think this was the best way for me to understand the purpose and definition of each term and I
plan on using this strategy on future courses. Especially on concepts that I might not understand.

3a) Evolution: Explains the unity and diversity of life

3b) At the end of chapter 14 mutations and evolution started to catch my attention. Mutations are
the starting point for evolution. We learned that too much change can be harmful to individuals
and/or the population. In contrast, not enough change has the potential to diminish evolution
altogether. It is very important to have a balance between the amount of new variation and the
amount of old variation. It is important because in order for a species to remain healthy there
needs to be consistency as well as change.

3c) Overall, section 3 readings have all been very interesting and I have learned so much from
the material and concepts that were presented. Chapter 14 however was especially interesting
because learning about genes and how they work has left me wanting to learn more. Which is
something I cannot say for many of my classes. I will continue to learn more about this concept,
as well as the ones mentioned above. I look forward to furthering my education/studies in
biology and with these common themes as stepping stones, I am both hopeful and excited about
my future courses,