Fruit Loops are Macromolecules

Last week in biology class, we messed around with some fruit loops, and not just to eat them, but to learn about macromolecules. We got a piece of string and got some fruit loops and made a long strand of fruit loops. Each yarn represented one macromolecule. Each person had to find someone else and either make a blob, which was macromolecule bunched up with others. Or, you can get two other strands and make a rope like fruit loops, braided into one. I liked how we got to do that because it helped me understand it a lot more than before. I hope we can do some more stuff like that in the future.

Artificial Sweeteners

Artificial sweeteners are synthetic sugars. Synthetic sugars is a substitute for the real sugar our body craves.  Artificial sweeteners are also known as intense sweeteners because they are many times sweeter than regular sugar really is. Some people think these sugars help them with their weight loss, but not really. They add no calories to your diet, but you still need sugar for your body. Artificial sweeteners are used widely in processed products like candy, pudding, anything sweet. It can be used in your household foods also when your mom is cooking dinner. Certain recipes may need modification because artificial had no bulk or volume like regular sugar. Some sweeteners leave an aftertaste. People who should use these are people who have diabetes. Unlike sugar, artificial sweeteners generally don't raise blood sugar levels because they are not carbohydrates, but always check with your doctor to make sure. That is what artificial sweeteners.

tums and such

Food Testing

So the lab that we did was quit interesting. We got simple products; sugar, honey etc. and tested if they were mono, di, or polysaccharieds. How we did this was using iodine and benedict. This helped us see which one it was; a mono, di or poly. After we got some products and put some drops of iodine or benedict, we put it in hot water for about five minutes. Pretty soon, the product started to turn colors. Some of them didn't change at all. This determined that the products where di. Some products turned dramastically. Some just stayed the same like I said before.

Acid Lab

While doing an acid lab, we came up with a hypothesis that the name brand would work better than the cheap brand.  We discovered that some products like Tums and Rolaids, act different in Milk of Magniesa. The tums became very bubbly and turned strange colors. Then, we were able to use acid strips to see what color they changed. Most of them where a 5, but there was one that turned a 7. Most of the stomach medicain are like really chalky, and taste very nasty. But we came to a conclusion that Rolaids works the best.

Water Properties

This week, my class has been studying water; its molecules and their properties. Water isn't a tear drop shape like everyone thinks. It's actually like a blob. I always thought that it was tear but its not. In the morning, dew on leaves are a spherical shape because the shape increases the density of the water drops. Also, if you try and put as much water as you can on a penny, it kind of has a bent shape on the top. Thats because of the surface tension. Also, while holding a long, wet string vertically, we found out that the water kind of attached to each other. The water had a swirl to it while it when down the string. How it got that way, I'm not for sure, but I know I will find out.
It takes more energy to turn a solid to a liquid, then it is to take a liquid to a gas. Water molecules are cohesive and adhesive. Cohesive is when water flows freely, but the water molecules don't separate from each other. Adhesive is the opposite.
Water is a very funny element that we have on our Earth, and I want to learn more about it.

Double Blind Placebo

While reading about double-blind placebo at www.clinicaltrials.gov, I've learned that its purpose of the study is to Copaxone in CD patients. Crohns disease is a chronic disorder that affects the digestive system. If effects people in their late teens or early twenties, but it can appear at any age. Some signs are weight loss, fever, and abdominal pain. It also attacks the nervous system, and makes the system very weak.
The drug that the doctors would use is Idebenone. This drug like a deitary supplement.