Monthly Archives:: February 2013

Topic: Electrolytes

Question: What is the process of conducting electricity and explain what will make a good conductor?

Which one will conduct electricity strong or weak electrolytes and support your answer?

I think part of our second exam is going to cover topics related to glucose. One sample question that I expect to see on the test is “How does pancreas know when blood glucose level is high?”

So I missed the second posting that was supposed to relate how I felt about taking the first exam. Well, I did a lot worse than I expected, but that’s OK. I have quite a bit going on in my life and I didn’t expect to do very well. The exam format was unexpected and that threw me for a loop. Now that I have an idea of the type of questions/answers that this course is going to present, I hope to better prepare myself for the next one.

Describe the structure of the plasma membrane and the various ways in which the plasma membrane permits interactions with the outside environment.

The result of LASSI showed me that my score of motivation was 40 out of 100, but I do not think that I have less motivation of studying at college or university. I guess that my main goal to study at college or university is not to get A grade, but to learn for future like applying for job. However, LASSI seemed that getting higher grade was relevant to high motivation because several questions were about grade and hard work. Of course getting high grade is necessary to transfer great universities, but I never think that grade is the most important thing for students. Instead, I think that learning as many required things for life and job as possible is most important, and it’s the best motivation through entire life, I think. So, LASSI should reconsider at least about motivation and how students should be. That’s my main impression about LASSI.

Topic: Phase change, density, IMF, and energy
Question: Explain why the phase diagram of water is different from that of carbon dioxide.

Before taking LASSI, i already know that I don’t have a very good time management skill. It did reflect on my score, but I can’t say I actually learn something about myself.

It has been a tough weekend since almost every courses that I’m taking either have assignments due or tests in the following week. I had to sit my ass next to my working bench while everyone are having their new-year feast. Can I call it a start to tackle procrastination?

Hybridization problems would definitely appear.

Questions would be like ‘Compare the bond strengths between the carbon atoms of an ethane and an ethene. Draw a Lewis structure of each compound and use hybridization of carbon atoms to facilitate your answer.’

Well here it is, a chance to either redeem ourselves or maintain that level
of success found in the first test. In the first test, I was caught off
guard and found I hadn’t prepared enough for the Bio/Chem test. While most
of the points lost were due to idiocy on my part and careless errors, a
better degree of preparation would have alleviated the pressure and stress
associated with the first test. This time around, I am hoping that my
efforts will not be in vain and that I will do much better. In these last
few weeks we have focused heavily on the biochemistry of living organisms.
We have discussed in great detail the structure and functions of
macromolecules and their importance to our bodies. While it’s obvious that
this will not be a straight fact memorization type of test, there are some
very key issues and concepts that I predict will be found in abundance on
this exam. We covered aqueous solution structures in detail and how
intermolecular forces aid affect bonding. We also discussed how these
forces allow various proteins to break down fats by intersecting them and
bonding through polar bonds and dipole-dipole bonds respectively. I would
be very surprised if there was not a synthesis question asking how the
intermolecular forces of certain molecules aid in breaking down fats.