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Cells and Chemical Reactions: Reaction Rates in Cells
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Details

Type of Product:Science Object
Average Rating:
 based on 2 reviews
Publication Title:Cells and Chemical Reactions SciPack
Publication Date:5/2/2011
Grade Level:Elementary School, Middle School, High School


Description

Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the last of four Science Objects in the Cells and Chemical Reactions SciPack. It investigates how the reaction rates in cells can be affected by temperature, pH, hydration levels, and enzymes.

Chemical reaction rates are affected by the conditions in which they occur (or cannot occur). Most cells must function within a narrow range of temperature and acidity because they are part of a living system. At very low temperatures, reaction rates are too slow. High temperatures and/or extremes of acidity can irreversibly change the structure of most protein molecules. Even small changes in acidity can alter the molecules and how they interact. Hydration levels also affect chemical reactions in cells; dehydrated cells lack the solvent and substrate or substrate structure needed for chemical reactions to proceed. Both decomposition and synthesis of molecules (involving energy transfer) are made possible in cells by a large set of protein catalysts, called enzymes. Without enzymes to catalyze the chemical reactions necessary for life, the conditions (including temperature) inside of cells would slow chemical reaction rates below what is necessary to stay alive. Like other protein reactions, the effectiveness of enzymes reactions is affected by temperature and acidity.


Ideas For Use

Science Objects are two hour learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers can access any topic “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on the science literacy goals in the national standards (NSES, Science for All Americans, Benchmarks, and the Atlas of Scientific Literacy) and tied to state standards.

Each Science Object provides an understanding of the science content by providing a structured set of learning experiences through simulations and practice assessments. Science Objects challenge teachers to explore and explain real world phenomena and are founded on the principle that learners must be challenged with a problem, observation, data, etc., in order to develop scientific understanding. Science Objects utilize the five phases of inquiry-based learning: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate

Learning Outcomes:

  • Explain how high temperatures, extreme pH environments, or low hydration levels might influence and affect chemical reactions within cells.
  • Interpret cellular metabolism data (displayed in graph form) to draw conclusions about how such factors as temperature, pH, and hydration levels influence cellular metabolism.
  • Describe why living organisms need enzymes.

Additional Info

Science Discipline: (mouse over for full classification)
Chemical reactions
Enzymes
Catalysts
Cell
Chemical reactions
Intended User Role:Elementary-Level Educator, High-School Educator, Middle-Level Educator
Educational Issues:Inquiry learning, Professional development, Teacher content knowledge

Technical

Resource Format:application/x-shockwave-flash, audio/mp3, text/html, video/quicktime
Installation Remarks:Run the Science Objects System Check to ensure that your system is capable of viewing the simulations: http://ecommerce2.nsta.org/system_check/
Requirements:Requires Macromedia Flash Player and Apple Quicktime Player


National Standards Correlation

This resource has 3 correlations with the National Standards.  
[VIEW CORRELATIONS]

This resource has 3 correlations with the National Standards.  
[HIDE CORRELATIONS]

  • Physical Science
    • Chemical Reactions
      • Reaction rates depend on how often the reacting atoms and molecules encounter one another, on the temperature, and on the properties--including shape--of the reacting species. (9-12)
      • Chemical reactions in living systems are catalyzed by protein molecules called enzymes. (9-12)
  • Life Science
    • The cell
      • Both breakdown and synthesis are made possible by a large set of protein catalysts, called enzymes. (9-12)


Customer Reviews
Reaction Rates
  Reviewed by: James Johnson (Custer City, PA) on January 12, 2013
  I like the presentation but the pop up on rates tends to take a long time to develop and I'm afraid my students would lose interest in the process and become disengaged before the demonstrated was concluded. Possible the actual rate of the demonstration could be increased to show an effect in 4 seconds but it would only take 2 seconds to show it. It's an attention span thing.

How Fast Can You React
  Reviewed by: Duane Little (Washington, DC) on October 30, 2011
  The knowledge of how the cells in our bodies and the bodies of other non-synthetis organisms pull together so many different components to complete so many different functions in such short periods of time is truly amazing. The more complex the subject matter seems to be the more these SciObjects make it plain and simple. I was truly awed by how negotiable the content of this SciObject was and how attainable the concepts seemed to be. I take my hat off to the developers of these resources; your work is stupendous!

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