Category: Chemical Reactions

Chemical Reactions, CR 2: Energy in Reactions (HS), CR 4: Driving Reactions (HS), E 1: Energy Flow (HS), Earth Science, Earth's System, Energy, ES 1: Materials/Energy Flow (MS), Life Science, M&E 4: Biogeochemical Cycles (MS), Matter & Energy in Organisms/Ecosystems, Physical Science, S&P 3: Heat & Reactions (MS), Structure & Properties of Matter, W&C 3: Global Warming Causes (MS), Weather and Climate

Environmental impacts on the diversity of methane-cycling microbes and their resultant function

GwynneL.

Environmental impacts on the diversity of methane-cycling microbes and their resultant function SUMMARY: There are two types of microbes that are involved in methane cycling: ones that produce methane (methanogens) and ones that use methane as a source of energy and convert it to carbon dioxide (methanotrophs). This article review looked at all the different… Continue reading Environmental impacts on the diversity of methane-cycling microbes and their resultant function

Chemical Reactions, CR 2: Energy in Reactions (HS), E 1: Energy Flow (HS), Earth Science, Earth's System, Energy, ES 1: Materials/Energy Flow (MS), ES 4: Carbon Cycling (HS), ES 5: Life on Earth (HS), Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems, IR 1: Ecosystem Interactions (MS), IR 3: Ecosystem Stability (HS), Life Science, M&E 3: Food Webs (MS), M&E 4: Biogeochemical Cycles (MS), M&E 5: Matter/Energy Cycles (HS), M&E 6: Biogeochemical Cycles (HS), Matter & Energy in Organisms/Ecosystems, Physical Science, W&C 2: Biomes (MS), W&C 2: Future Climate (HS), Weather and Climate

Moss-Cyanobacteria relationship in the boreal forest

GwynneL.

Moss-cyanobacteria associations as biogenic sources of nitrogen in boreal forest ecosystems SUMMARY: Moss, cyanobacteria, and the trees of the boreal forest share a complicated relationship. This article first focuses on the nitrogen cycle, addressing the various sources of nitrogen and the factors (both abiotic and biotic) that affect nitrogen fixation. Turns out, temperature, water availability,… Continue reading Moss-Cyanobacteria relationship in the boreal forest

Chemical Reactions, CR 1: Determining Chemical Reactions (MS), Physical Science

Fungal biodegradation and enzymatic modification of lignin

GwynneL.

Fungal biodegradation and enzymatic modification of lignin SUMMARY: This article is a summary breaking down and explaining the different types of ligninases found in white-rot and brown-rot fungi. Each section is a description of a particular type of ligninase and its specific function. LESSON COMMENTS: This is a great article if you’re teaching students about… Continue reading Fungal biodegradation and enzymatic modification of lignin

Chemical Reactions, CR 1: Determining Chemical Reactions (MS), CR 1: Predicting Reactions (HS), Life Science, Physical Science, S&F 1: Cells (MS), S&F 2: Cell Function (MS), S&P 1: Atoms & Molecules (MS), S&P 1: Periodic Table Patterns (HS), S&P 4: Molecule Traits (HS), Structure & Properties of Matter, Structure and Function

Silver Dressing and Bacteria

GwynneL.

Wound management in an era of increasing bacterial antibiotic resistance: A role for topical silver treatment(NOT OPEN ACCESS) SUMMARY: One way of fighting antibiotic resistant bacteria is to prevent them from growing in the first place. This article looks at three different types of silver dressing, intended to do just that: silver nitrate, silver sulfadiazine,… Continue reading Silver Dressing and Bacteria

Chemical Reactions, Earth Science, Non-NGSS Articles, Physical Science, S&P 1: Atoms & Molecules (MS), S&P 4: Molecule Traits (HS), Space Systems, SS 2: Big Bang Theory (HS), Structure & Properties of Matter

Beaming Benzene and Naphthalene

GwynneL.

N- and O-Heterocycles Produced from the Irradiation of Benzene and Naphthalene in H2O/NH3-Containing Ices SUMMARY: While pyrimidines have been found on space rocks (carbonaceous chondrites), researchers wanted to see if they can produce different types of heterocyclic molecules in the lab by beaming benzene and naphthalene (both are cyclic organic compounds that can open, substitute… Continue reading Beaming Benzene and Naphthalene

Chemical Reactions, CR 3: Evidence of Reactions (HS), CR 4: Driving Reactions (HS), Earth Science, HE 1: Earth's History (MS), HE 2: Early Earth (HS), History of Earth, Non-NGSS Articles, Physical Science, S&P 4: Molecule Traits (HS), Structure & Properties of Matter

Beaming Purines

GwynneL.

The Formation of Nucleobases from the Ultraviolet Photoirradiation of Purine in Simple Astrophysical Ice Analogues SUMMARY: Purines were combined with water and ammonia and beamed with UV photons similar to the pyrimidines in “Beaming Pyrimidines Part 1”. Researchers found many purine compounds in the products including adenine and guanine (at different concentration levels). The discussion… Continue reading Beaming Purines