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VOTE FOR PEROXISOME

We are so excited our new campaign promotion has been released. There will be a commercial released soon in the near future so keep your eyes and ears open! But in the meantime, here it is:

Peroxisome Campaign

Follow my campaign on Twitter! @PeroxisomeCampa

The #shscellwar is on and Peroxisome is going to need your support. Peroxisomes are very important in your body! They help to digest fatty acids and alcohol (ethanol), and also they absorb nutrients the cell has aquired!

I want you...

To vote Peroxisome!

If I Were A Macromolcule...

...I would be a Nucleic Acid. A nucleic acid is used as information storage and is very important. It contains genetic material so it can store and then transfer it's information. The monomers that make up a nucleic acid are called nucleotides, which are composed of three parts: a nitrogen base, a pentose sugar, and a phospate group. The two types of these nucleotides are purines and pyrimidnes, which are different because of their nitrogen bases (single or double ring). DNA is composed of two backbones (sugar and phosphate group) because it is a double helix.


I choose to be a nucleic acid because it is the blueprint for new cells and a new generation. Although the DNA, made up of nucleotices, is not what does all the work it is important.

Joining Quizlet

I created a set of quizlet flashcards for this week's Evolution Test.
Here is the link!

Evolution Unit Quizlet

The Mystery of Missing Xenon

A space shuttle bathed in xenon lights

Xenon is a Noble Gas on the Periodic Table of Elements. It is a heavy and odorless gas that is found in trace amounts in the Earth's atmosphere. It is used in some very rare ways like for a gas-discharge lamps, an exicplex laser, and in an anestetic because of advances in the recovery and recycling of xenon.


According to Sciencenews.org scientists predictions have in the past said there should be much more of the gas Xenon in the Earth's atomosphere. They thought that this noble gas would be traped and dissolved in the the depths of the earth. After billions of years it should have been released into the atmosphere. There is much less Xenon than expected though, so where did it go?



Xenon gas discharge tube

Many experiments, research and studying have been done on the minerals deeper within the earth by scientists (Shcheka and Keppler). Perovskite is the mineral they had the most focus on. In lab experiments the perovskite has behaved unexpectedly; sometimes replacing a spot that oxegyn usually fills to be filled by a different noble gasses, such as argon, krypton, and xenon. The xenon atoms are significantly larger than the other gasses atoms though, therefore there is less xenon in the perovskite structures. In experiments scientists dissolved the perovskite to see which dissolved the best. Argon and krypton both dissovled fairly well while the xenon did not.

The Scientists believe that when the Earth was forming the perovskite trapped oxegyn, argon, and krypton but very little xenon. They say "we will never find xenon, that it was already lost at the beginning of Earth's evolution."

Homecoming Week!

Homecoming at Sparta is amazing. Each year the week is made up of dress up days that go along with our theme. Some of our past themes have been music genres, Disney movies, continents, and musicals. The classes each pick a color to represent them and seniors always pick black. During the week we collect food for a food drive and money for penny a point. Points for each of these go towards each classes overall score. Game Day! Friday starts off with a formal assembly where each senior court nominee gives a speach. After voting for King and Queen the games begin. Each class competes in relay races that will earn them points towards the Red Apple! The catepiller has the most participation as it requires 60 students from each class, and it is the most entertaining if you ask me. There are many other games and competitions such as float building and mock rock! Points are also rewarded for cheering for other classes. After all the games in the gym we walk with the floats down to the football field in a parade and end the day with a pep assembly! Saturday night is the dance which is always a blast.

The senior class dominated almost every game this year, including the limbo, which we have won all four years at the high school! I enjoyed my experiences cheering for and watching my class, participating in some games and dressing up in the class color. I love going to the football game all decked out in Sparta wear and being part of our huge student section to support our team. The dance this year was a lot of fun as well. The protest to turn the lights off was the most intresting thing that has happend at a dance that I have seen! I had a great time with a bunch of friends.

Sadly this was the last year I get to participate in all the games on Friday because I am a senior this year. I am going to miss Homecoming a lot and all the people I spend it with. So any Freshman, make the most of homecoming because there is none like Sparta's out there.

Human Ecological "Stupidity": Ozone Depletion

The ozone is a layer of natural protective, colorless gases. The gasses react easily with other substances but is best known for the absorption of harmful rays of sunlight like UV-B. The very high ozone layer protects all life from the cancer-causing solar radiation. The reactions closer to the Earth's surface though, can be harmful to plants and to humans lung tissues. The more UV-B rays reaching the surface can cause many more problems. Along with hurting plants and humans directly, the radiation from harmful UV-B it can affect the climate all over the globe because of change in the wind patterns; malaria and other infections diseases could result from this as well. Food chains and webs will change if the radiation becomes too powerful. The solar radiation would damage many plants, causing their life cycle to be altered which in turn would change the whole food web.

Over both the earth's poles there are holes in the ozone layer. Twenty-five years ago there was a treaty between a few nations restricting the use of chemicals(Chlorofluorocarbons,called CFC's)  that destroy this protective layer of our atmosphere.The CFC's were most commonly found in spray aerosols used by industrial companys.The chemicals have not been released into the atmosphear since the treaty but the ozone hole above the Antarctic pole has grown larger in every picture that NASA has released (shown below). This is because the CFC's stay in the atmosphere continuing to destroy the protective layer.

On 24 September 2006 the largest hole in the ozone was recorded over the Antarctice Pole. The solution to this issue has been adressed, there have been measures taken to stop the use of CFC's, but it is estimated that another 50 years will have to pass before the chlorine levels to return to natural. Other products besides CFC's may not be enviromentally friendly; these products should also be limited to prevent further damage to the ozone.

Here is a short video clip of the ozone hole every October from 1979 until 2007, notice the largest hole in 2006.

Sources:
http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/
http://www.epa.gov/ozone/
http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/ozone-depletion-overview/

This Semester..

This coming semester I am excited for many of the things we are going to be studing. The one topic I am most excited for is probably Heredity because it just sounds interesting to me. Even though all of the topics sound interesting I'm not looking forward to the Biochemistry or Cell units as much because I don't always enjoy dealing with cells.

Come out and support the Varsity Volleyball team this week at Ravenna at 5 pm. We play Ravenna and Freemont!(:

Me!

I am a varsity volleyball player and senior at Sparta. I'm very unsure about what career I want to pursue. AP Biology seemed like an interesting and challenging course and I am intrested in science. I'd like to learn more about biology and hopefully get college credit by doing well on the AP test.