AS Descriiption: Question 1 is designed to strengthen students’ understanding of structure-function relationship and also to establish the connection between biology concepts and our daily lives. Question 2 is meant to reinforce an understanding of covalent bonding, and of how Carbon is able to form the basis of organic molecules by comparing it to other potential elements. Question 3 is developed to make students better understand the structural features of fat through comparison among different types of fat to reinforce the theme of structure and function. Meanwhile, it also inspires students to apply the biology concepts in understanding the nature.
AS Instructions: Answer the following three critical thinking questions, in 200-300 word essays, APA format for outside references if needed (textbook need not be cited as it is assumed your answer is largely based on text). Upload your answers as a Word document or PDF.
1. Several emergent properties of water contribute to the suitability of the environment for life. Based on what you learned from this chapter, choose two properties of water and write an essay to describe how these properties arise from the structure of water molecules, give specific examples to state how these properties contribute to the environmental adaptation of life.
2. What properties make carbon the basis of all life? Some scientists think that life elsewhere in the universe might be based on the element silicon. What properties does silicon share with carbon that would make silicon-based life more likely than, say, neon-based life or aluminum-based life?
3. Structure and Function of Lipids: Saturated fat is commonly found in animals while the unsaturated fat is usually in plants. However, fish living in deep sea such as salmon is in rich of unsaturated fat (fish oil) and tropical plants are known rich in saturated fat. Write an essay to explain this phenomenon by analyzing the structural and property differences between saturated and unsaturated fat under the theme of structure and function. AS Rubric: Uploaded in ODC if applicable
