Wednesday, September 26, 2007



cell membrane - the thin layer of protein and fat that surrounds the cell, but is inside the cell wall.
cell wall - a thick, rigid membrane that surrounds a plant cell.
amyloplast - an organelle in some plant cells that stores starch.
Golgi body - (also called the golgi apparatus or golgi complex) a flattened, layered, sac-like organelle that looks like a stack of pancakes and is located near the nucleus.
mitochondrion - spherical to rod-shaped organelles with a double membrane.
photosynthesis - a process in which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food energy (sugars and starches), oxygen and water.
vacuole - a large, membrane-bound space within a plant cell that is filled with fluid.
nuclear membrane - the membrane that surrounds the nucleus.
nucleus - spherical body containing many organelles, including the nucleolus.

Questions:

- What is the process in which plants convert sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide into food energy, oxygen and water?

- What is the large, membrane-bound space within a plant cell that is filled with fluid?

- What part has a think, rigid membrane that surrounds a plant cell?


Thursday, September 20, 2007

WALK IT DONT DRIVE IT

...Walk it Dont Drive it...

It's great that we have cops protecting our island and following the laws!!! Or are they? Recently the Marine Biology class of NMC attended a meeting about the walk it dont drive campaign. Presented was that cops were not follwing the law about not being able to drive on the sand of any beach on the island. While patrolling they drive through the sand that may cause erosion. Then we discussed what can help remind us about conserving all on the beach. DRIVE!!! D for Drip, this is where if people were to keep driving on the sand cars tend to drip oil which goes into the water where important marine organisms live. R for Ruts, this means that turtles lay eggs on the sand and their eggs could be destroyed by driving through it. I for illegal, it is illegal to drive on any beach of Saipan. VE for vegetation,when driving through the sand it kills vegetation that are grown on the sand.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Pau Pau Algae

While attending the marine biology lab last saturday at Pau Pau beach we were able to witness the drainage. The drainage is where runoff water flows along with dirt, chemicals, and other things that are threating to the ocean. Then we went further down and reached the sea shore. There we were able to see the great amount of algae that resides on the rocks. These rocks are in the water where creature such as fish, corals, and other important organisms of the marine life live. Algae is very dangerous especially when it is already residing on the rocks because then corlas would not be able to grow on it. These are the effects of algae: Corlas die if algae covers it up, marine life are threatened, and if algae is grown on the rocks first then corals will not be able to reside there.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007


1. Explain how currents contribute to the distribution of marine organisms around the planet.
*Currents have an effect to the distribution of marine organisms around the planet. The currents control the water temperature as it continually circulates throughout the sea or ocean.

2. The primary factor influencing ocean currents is temperature regulation. What might happen to the ocean currents (and has happened in the past) as global warming increases?
*As global warming increases, it is very possible to experience another ice-age.

3. Explain how density changes cause currents.Use google image to find a world map. Copy and paste into paint and use the drawing tools to create the currents and label them.
*When water changes its temperature, it becomes more dense. Therefore, the colder water will ascend to the surface. This movement helps cause the currents.

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Holes in bread

Virtual Chemistry Labs (Bread)

Question:
What molecules make the holes in bread?

Hypothesis:
I predict that carbon dioxide gas bubbles make the holes in bread.

Procedure:
Step1: I added three scoops of yeast into the tube.
Step 2: I added three scoops of sugar into the tube.
Step 3: I filled up the tube with ¾ of water.
Step 4: I used a stick to stir the yeast, sugar, and water to become same color.
Step 5: I then shined the flashlight on the side of the tube.

Data:
After adding the three scoops of yeast and sugar into the tube by the spoon I poured in ¾ of water then stirred it till the color came out the same. After shining the flashlight I noticed tiny bubble streaming up.

Results:
My hypothesis was proven to be true. Carbon dioxide gas bubbles are the cause of holes in bead.

Explanation:
Carbon dioxide gas bubbles are trapped in the bread dough and leaves holes in the bread when in it baked.



Holes in Bread.
What gas causes the bubbles?

*Carbon dioxide gas is what causes the bubbles.

How was the gas produced?
*By the Yeast that feeds on the sugar molecules and that breaks the sugar molecules apart into new molecules.

How does CO2 get in the ocean?
*When there is very little sink. Sink is what mops up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Therefore without sink carbon dioxide will continue to get into the ocean.

Atoms

Virtual Chemistry Labs (Atoms)
Question:
What atoms are in sour foods?

Hypothesis:
I predict that sour foods contain high concentration of loose hydrogen atoms.

Procedure:
Step 1: Numbered all five cups.
Step 2: Added in all five cups five drops of food.
Step 3: Added one drop of dye into all five cups.
Step 4: Put cups in order, from high concentration to low concentration.

Data:
After adding the dye it showed the concentration of loose hydrogen atoms in the food. Cup 1 turned yellow, cup 2 turned green, cup 3 turned peach, cup 4 turned orange, and cup 5 turned blue. Then I was able to tell which cup had the most or lease concentration. Cup 3 had the highest concentration followed by cup 4, cup1, cup 2, least concentration was cup5.
I was able to identify what types of food were in each cup. Cup 3 the highest concentration was lemon juice, cup 4 was vinegar, cup 1 was orange juice, cup 2 was milk, and cup 5 was water.

Results:
My hypothesis was proven true. Sour foods contain high concentration of loose hydrogen atoms.

Explanation:
Sour foods contain high concentration of loose atoms.


Atoms in sour food.
What are acids and bases?
Acids are known to be compounds that include hydrogen and can dissolve in water to release hydrogen ions into solution. Bases can make an acid weaker, and is sodium hydroxide.

What is a molecule?
Molecules are tiny particles that make up everything around us.

Why is PH important in the ocean?
Because it is saturated with calcium carbonate, important organic molecule for organisms like corals, mollusks and crustaceans.

Saturday, September 8, 2007

The shape of life

1) Ancient Sponge was the organism thought to be the first multi-cellular animal.

2) The alikes from animals today: The differences from animals today:
Sponges reproduce lke animals today. Sponges cells come together (Reinvent) Sponges has prey on other animals for food. Sponges does not have a brain, head,etc. Sponges have a heart like other animals do. Sponges pumps water for food (Fast)(2secs)

3) Scientist know it's an animal because it has a heart, reproduces, and preys on other animals for food.

4) DNA is the evidence that can prove that other animals evolved from this organism.

5) I want to know how other animals can evolve from a sponge when a sponge is simple. other animals move around alot and is just very different from a sponge.