Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Bio/101 - What is Life?



University of Phoenix Material

What Is Life?

Part I: Media Relevancy

Read each statement.
Write a 100-word summary explaining how the chosen media piece supports the statement. Include reference citations.

1.     Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—that recognizes the fundamental concepts of chemistry in biology. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better understand how fundamental concepts of chemistry affect biology.

Text Box: The video “Basic Chemistry for Biology Students” was very helpful in understanding the relationship between chemistry and biology. The video explains that it is impossible to understand one science without the other, since biology is the study of living things and organisms function and exist because of chemical processes (Humanrelationsmedia, 2012). All of live processes involve chemical reactions, like the combining, exchanging and breaking apart of the atoms and molecules of a few substances. Although back in the day biology was based mainly on observation, with the expansion of the discipline scientist began to ask questions that couldn’t be explained solely by observation, thus the need to connect chemistry concepts into biology (Humanrelationsmedia, 2012). 
Reference:
Humanrelationmedia. (2012). Basic Chemistry for Biology Students [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/PYlALulONE0


2.     Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—that describes the energy metabolism of cells. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better understand the energy metabolism of cells.

Text Box: The video “Energy and Metabolism Explained” mentions that our bodies are constantly working to repair and build cells. To do so, the body needs energy, which comes from the food ingested by the individual. To convert the food into energy, chemical reactions must occur (Pulteneyscience, 2011). This set of chemical reactions is the metabolism, which is crucial in sustaining life in living organisms. The video also explains that the minimum amount of energy the body requires is called the Basal Energy Requirement, which will change depending if the body is in rest or in movement. When it comes to metabolic energy, it is important to note that enzymes are responsible for controlling the chemical reaction within cells. In order to perform tasks such as movement or synthesis of macromolecules, cells must retrieve energy from the environment (Pulteneyscience, 2011). 
Reference:
Pulteneyscience. (2011). Energy and Metabolism Explained [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/rjza24Oyalc



3.     Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—that compares the structures and functions of different cell types. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better compare structures and functions of different cell types.

Text Box: The video “Cell Structure and Function” was helpful in explaining how different cell types work. The video compared a cell to a factory, and mentioned that structure fits function. The video explained that membranes control and organize what goes in and what comes out of the cell and the nucleus controls the cell’s activities. The ribosomes build proteins (Wanakscience’s Channel, 2012). The video goes on to explain the different functions of several parts of the cell, but it does so in a very clear and simple way. Continuing with the comparison of a cell to a factory, the video explains that some structures, although not necessarily part of the assembly line are still important, like the Mitochondria, which is responsible for cell respiration and metabolism (Wanakscience’s Channel, 2012).
Reference:
Wanakscience’s Channel. ( 2012). Cell Structure and Function [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/g4L_QO4WKtM

4.     Find a media piece—article, video, presentation, song, or other—related to the scientific method, creating hypotheses, or designing experiments. Include the link or reference citation for the piece and describe how it helped you better understand how the scientific method is used to create hypotheses and experiments.

Text Box: The video “The Scientific Method” gives a helpful description of the scientific method. It begins with a historic explanation that goes back to Plato and other Greek philosophers. Aristotle was a very smart man who used his intuition to draw conclusions, like his idea that if you drop a bigger object and a smaller object, the bigger one will reach the floor first. Because he was so intelligent, most people didn’t bother testing his hypothesis until much later. Turns out, his idea was wrong. The scientific method, explains the video, always begins with a question, followed by a hypothesis. Next, an independent variable is suggested, and a dependent variable, and the controlled variables (Bozeman Science, 2010). 
Reference:
Bozeman Science. (2010). The Scientific Method. [Video file]. Retrieved from http://youtu.be/GKGtkzgKfkc

             
Part II: Applying Science to Everyday Life
Recently, Earl attended a picnic at his daughter’s school. The picnic was a potluck, and the food was served outdoors. Contributions included hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potato chips, potato salad, coleslaw, apple pie, and vanilla ice cream. Within 24 hours of the picnic, several attendees developed symptoms of food poisoning. Of the 50 people who attended the picnic, only 30 people became ill. Every person at the picnic ate something, but not every person had an opportunity to sample each item. Earl noticed that the potato salad he started to eat was warm. He also noticed that his hamburger was somewhat pink in the middle and not fully cooked. Earl wonders if eating the hamburgers or the potato salad could be responsible for making some attendees ill. Earl has begun to apply the scientific method to this common problem. Complete each of the following tasks in 200 to 300 words. 

1.     How would the scientific method help Earl create an experiment to determine which food sources made people sick?

The scientific method would help Earl because it would allow him to test his hypothesis (some type of food made people sick) and prove it to be true. It would be impossible for Earl to gather food samples from what was actually served at the picnic, since that was 24 hours before people began to get sick, and the food was probably all gone. However, since Earl noticed that his hamburger was undercooked, and the potato salad was not cold, he could create an experiment by using those two items. By using the scientific method, Earl would be able to not only guess which food made people sick, but also discard any possibilities that might not be truth. For Earl to come really close to the truth, ideally he should contact the individual who brought the potato salad to the party and ask questions regarding which ingredients were used in the preparation of the dish, and how it was kept until it was served. The same should be done with the person who prepared the hamburgers. He could then try to recreate the recipes and the conditions and home, and hopefully use himself as a test subject, so he doesn’t get anyone else sick with his experiment.

2.     Describe the steps of the scientific method Earl utilized.

Maybe without even noticing, Earl has already begun to use the scientific method. By being curious and inquisitive, Earl put his mind to work to try to find an explanation to why people got sick at the party. By trying to figure out why people got sick from the food at the party, he would not only come up with an explanation but also an opportunity to avoid the same situation to happen again. The question regarding the reason behind the mass food poisoning began his journey through the scientific method. By observing that the potato salad was warm and the hamburgers were undercooked, Earl performed a background research and came up with a hypothesis, as to whether the potato salad and the burgers made people sick. Earl took only the first stops of the scientific method, which were determining the question and the hypothesis. In order to fully complete the scientific method process, Earl should continue on and complete the remaining steps, which involve testing the hypothesis by doing an experiment, analyzing the data, drawing conclusions, and communicating the results. Is important to note that in this situation, it would be very difficult for Earl to be able to conclude exactly which food was the problematic one, since de can’t be sure if there was something wrong with the other dishes because he did not ty all of them. The only way to know for sure would be to contact every single person who was at the party to find out what they ate.

3.     Describe the remaining steps Earl will use if he decides to use the scientific method to determine what made the people sick.

The first step Earl should take would be deciding the question. In this case, the question should be “what food made people sick at the party?” The second step would be determining a hypothesis, which in this case could be “The potato salad made people sick at the party”. The independent variable, which is the one we can control, would be eating a portion of potato salad, with the same ingredients as the original one served at the potluck, and kept in the same conditions. The depended variable is the resulting variable, or in this case, if the individual gets sick again or not. The controlled variables are everything that stays the same, or in this case the ingredients in the potato salad and the conditions it was kept in. A control group could also be used, where some individuals get the same potato salad, but from a batch that was kept properly refrigerated, as opposed to the other one served warm. After collecting the data (or in this case, observing if individuals got sick or not), Earl could draw his conclusions and even publish the results, in the sense of letting the attendees at the party know what possibly made them sick.


Arts/100 - Analyzing the Symbolism in “Jaws”



Analyzing the Symbolism in “Jaws”
For this week’s assignment, students were supposed to analyze the hidden symbolisms in the classic movie “Jaws”, directed by Steven Spielberg. Interestingly, I haven’t watched that movie before, as I usually avoid watching scary movies. My husband always complains that we never watch the type of move he likes (bloody, scary, and overall unpleasant, if I might say), so I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to complete the assignment and make my husband happy at the same time.
I must say that I did not like the movie. I was tense and anxious the whole time, just waiting to be scared. However, since I was watching the movie for the sole purpose of finding hidden symbols and understand the true meaning of some elements, I watched it with different eyes that I would use to watch a movie for leisure purposes.
Although I initially thought the movie was about a killing shark, I found enough material explaining that the movie can be compared to the World War II. Watching the movie already expecting such comparison allowed me to easily find it. The movie treats the shark as an enemy that attacks a nation on its own land, which can be compared to the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese. Another comparison is regarding the enemy that attacks from the water, like the shark or the Japanese submarines. In other words, although the shark in the movie can signify only a man-eating beast, it also signifies a cruel enemy that will attack without fear of consequences. In the end, as the shark is blown to pieces, it’s inevitable to compare the scene to the explosion of the nuclear bomb in Hiroshima.


Turning “Jaws” into a Theatrical Staging
If I was to develop a theatrical staging of Jaws, it would definitely be a drama. In fact, I would add as many WWII references as possible, without being as subtle as the movie. My play would have no fish at all, and the shark would just be a symbolism referring to the enemy, which would be a Japan during the war. The scenario would be a small coastal town in the United States during the Second World War. The plot of the play would be about the struggles of a small town as the population tries to stay hopeful while a vicious enemy attacks.

Arts/100 - Symbolism in Movies



Symbolism in Movies 

For this week’s assignment, students are supposed to identify and analyze symbolism in movies. At first I thought about finding individual symbols in different movies, but then I realized that a movie that I recently watched for the first time would provide an extensive list of symbols. The movie is “Gravity”, starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. In this movie there are so many scenes with symbols that don’t mean what they apparently do. Sandra Bullock’s character, an astronaut named Dr. Ryan Stone, finds herself alone and in danger in space, when a mission goes awry.
The first symbol we can identify is her name, a predominantly male name. This is a symbol for the male dominance that is present in so many industries, NASA being one of the biggest offenders. In one scene, after Dr. Stone successfully returns to a space base after being in serious danger outside, she removes her space suit and immediately floats into a fetal position. This impactful scene represents Dr. Stone’s starting point, as she has just passed a serious test that could have ended her life.
Another strong symbolism can be noticed at the final scene of the movie, as Dr. Stone successfully returns to Earth and lands on the ocean. In the scene, the astronaut crawls out of the water onto the land, as a symbol of evolution. Interestingly, the director himself, Afonso Quoaron explained the scene, as he says “She’s in these murky waters almost like an amniotic fluid or a primordial soup. In which you see amphibians swimming. She crawls out of the water, not unlike early creatures in evolution. And then she goes on all fours. And after going on all fours she’s a bit curved until she is completely erect. It was the evolution of life in one, quick shot” (Cuaron, 2013).
Overall the symbolisms found in the movie “gravity” were surprising and enjoyable. I did not expect any deeper meaning from the movie as I started to watch it. In fact, my expectations were low and I did not think I was going to enjoy it as much as I did. Before watching the movie I had already ready about some of the symbolism found in it, and that encouraged me to watch the movies. Knowing what to look for, I thoroughly enjoyed finding hidden symbols throughout the movie.


Reference
Quaron, A. (2013, October 8). Personal Interview to Meredith Woener. Retrieved from http://io9.com/gravitys-ending-holds-a-deeper-meaning-says-alfonso-c-1442690788

Arts/100 - Comparing Two Styles of Dance



Comparing Two Styles of Dance

For this week’s assignment, students were required to select two different styles of dance and describe each one.  The first style I chose is Ballet, which is a type of dance originated in Europe in the 15th century, more specifically in the Italian Renaissance courts. At the time, noblemen and women attended events and celebrations where dancing was part of the spectacle. In the 16th century, Catherine de Medici King Henry II of France’s wife, started to fund ballet in the French court. In the 17th century King Louis XIV was crucial in popularizing the dance (Anderson, 1992). Although Italy and France were pioneers in the new style of dance, it was Russia who made its popularity soar, with the development of classic ballet pieces such as The Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Sleeping Beauty. Ballet is a set of formalized movements that emanate from five basic positions of arms, legs, and feet. Ballet is a strict form of dance, which requires practice, rehearsal and discipline. When it comes to a story line, there are two types of ballet. Story ballets tell a story containing narrative action, characters, a beginning and an end. Plotless ballets, on the other hand, have no storyline. They use the body movements to interpret the music and provoke emotions.  
The second style of dance to be explored in this analysis is Jazz, which is a form of dance originated from the African vernacular dances, performed on the slave ships on their way to America. In the early 1900s, the dance developed alongside the music genre Jazz in New Orleans. The style was also influenced by Caribbean and Latin American dance styles (Anderson, 1992). An important element in Jazz is the improvisation, since it is common for dancers to create moves as they go, as opposed to a completely choreographed dance. Jazz is based on natural body movements, creating a fluid type of dance.
Both Jazz and Ballet have similar elements of line, form, and repetition. In both dances, horizontal lines suggest placidity, vertical lines suggest grandeur, and diagonal lines suggest movement (Anderson, 1992). The term “line” in ballet refers to the configuration of the dancer's body, whether in motion or at rest. Both styles of dance communicate a different mood perception for me. Ballet, for example, communicates rigidness and a discipline that I often lack in my day-to-day life. Although it’s a graceful dance, it is very structured, and consequently, serious. Jazz on the other hand, is more flexible and light, which communicates an informality that is greatly appreciated. The influence behind both dances depends on the choreographer. Ballet is a classic and romantic dance. The themes vary between love, loss, and tragedy. Jazz on the other hand does not necessarily evoke the memory of a specific theme.


Reference
Anderson, J. (1992). Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History (2nd ed. ed.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton Book Company