Chemicals of life

Question 1

Cells

Answer 1

1. Basic structural units of all forms of life
2. Specialised for different functions
3. Different types of cells involved in behaviour

Question 2

Typical structure of animal cell

Answer 2

1. Organellles - specialised structures inside the cell
2. Nucleus containing DNA
3. Cytoplasm
4. All surrounded by cell membrane

Question 3

Brain

Answer 3

1. Neurons and glial cells
2. Neuron has similar structures as other animal cells, but is differentiated

Question 4

What chemicals are inside a neuron

Answer 4

1. DNA in nucleus
2. fats in myelin sheath
3. Proteins everywhere

Question 5

Nucleus

Answer 5

1. Genes are located on chromosomes (dna coiled around histones) located in the nucleus
2. gene is a length of dna that contains the information for constructing a particular protein

Question 6

DNA to proteins

Answer 6

1. gene expression is the process of producing a protein from dna
2. transcription - dna to rna
3. translation - rna to protein

Question 7

proteins

Answer 7

1. large complex molecules
2. made up of amino acids
3. do most of the work in cells
4. can be enzymes - make biochemical reactions happen
5. can be messengers - chemical communication across the body
6. can be structural components

Question 8

cytoplasm vs extracellular space

Answer 8

1. watery solution inside - intracellular space outside
2. phospholipid membrane - fats don’t mix with water
3. intermembrane proteins
4. ions - small particles created when you dissolve solid chemicals in water solutions, same chemical elements but in a different form, structure of the atom changes and becomes charged negatively or positively depending on characteristics

Question 9

neuronal membrane

Answer 9

1. at rest (not stimulated) - cell membrane keeps the extra and intra cellular spaces separate, water in or out, most chemical in or out
2. channel proteins pump some ions in and out, other ions go through open channel proteins according to concentration (more to less)
3. maintains an electrical charge of more negative inside than out

Question 10

electricity

Answer 10

1. neurons are electrically charged
2. they generate electrical current by changing the imbalances of ions between the intra and extra cellular space
3. as negative and positive charged elements attract each other, ions move when allowed to go through the cell membrane and by moving they generate electrical impulses

Question 11

axons

Answer 11

1. myelin - fatty substance that does not have the channels/pores for ions
2. insulates the axon and makes it travel faster

Question 12

synapses

Answer 12

1. at the end of the axon, the electrical message needs to be transferred to another cell
2. neurotransmitters - small molecules related to proteins
3. proteins on cell membrane act as receptors and ion channels