Possible Essays
By: Mike Ma

Sorry guys, late again. This time I didn't procrasinate... my computer's been acting up, not to mention damn MS blaster worm. BTW, I'm using wordpad, so sorry about the spelling mistakes and the crappy formatting. Since I don't have that much time, this essay prompt isn't THAT comprehensive, if you need more help, contact me: aznmathfreak714.

1. Describe emergent properties and give 2 examples.

definition - novel properties that emerge that were not present at the simpler levels of organization. They result from interaction between components.

examples:

water molecules made up of Hydrogen atoms and Oxygen atoms. 
Water has the 8 AMAZING PROPERTIES OF WATER, as for what they are, look at study guide.
hydrogen and oxygen atoms interact with each other to create water with properties that were not present when they were atoms.

cells made up of organelles.
Cell has the 7 properties of life, organelles... nah.
Organelles work together to create a cell that is considered living.

Other related topics:
structure and function
These emergent properties are results of more complex structure and organization. 
	Reductionism - reducing complex systems to simpler compoenents that are more 	manageable to study.
	Holism - you can't fully explain a higher level of order by breaking it down into its 	parts. 

Other related topics (thanks to Julie):

Life's hierarchy order. You should know the levels... atoms -> molecules -> etc.
Emergent properties are acquired as you move to higher hierarchy orders.

2. Discuss evolution by means of natural and what observations it was based on.

I believe that the questions means "discuss evolution by means of natural [selection]..."

definition - We all know what evolution is, if you don't.... um....

simiilar species share common ancestors at recent branch point on phylogenetic tree.
more related they are... the more recent the branching.

All lifeforms can be traced to primeval prokaryotes from 3+ billion years ago.

natural selection - nature chooses those organisms with the BEST variations for survival and reproduction of viable offspring. 

So... survival of the fittest.

Evolution is the core theme of biology. The concept was developed by Charles Darwin. He published a book called "On the Origin of Species". He called evolution "descent with modification".

The mechanism of evolutionary changes is natural selection.

Observations - look at page 12...
1. individual variation
2. struggle for existence

3. Describe an ion, ionic bonds and how they relate to biochemical reactions.
Ion - charged atom or molecule
Ionic bond - bond between any two ions of opposite charge

Ionic compounds - all ionic compounds are called salts, doesn't mean you use it to season your food though... The salt we use is table salt.

example:
table salt: sodium + chlorine. Chlorine steals sodium's 1 electron in the third outer shell. sodium = donor, chlorine = acceptor

magnesium chloride : magnesium + chloride... duh..

4. Describe hydrogen bonding and how it relates to water and [its] extraordinary properties.
Hydrogen bonds - hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one electronegative atom + another electronegative atom. usually invovles oxygen or nitrogen atoms.

hydrogen + oxygen = "hydrogen atom covalently bonded to one elctronegative atom"
second oxygen = "another electronegative atom"

Since the hydrogen bonds in water are constantly breaking and reforming, a percentage of the molecules in water are bonded at all times, giving it more structure than other liquids.

know the 8 properties... duh. You would be wise to know them and what they mean.

5. What is acid rain, it's causes, and how is it upsetting the fitness of the environment.

Acidic vs. Basic:
acid- substances that increases the amount of H+ of a solution.
base-substances that decreases the amount of H+ of a solution.

pH scale =  -log[H+], declines as H+ concentration increases.

acid precipitation - rain snow or fog more acidic than pH 5.6
causes = sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides present in the atmosphere. These are caused by burning of fossil fuels.

Effects- obviously, it makes environments unfit for organisms. Most organisms can only live in a certain range of pH level. Any lower or higher... they die. If the water is too acidic, it could affect essential chemical process of life. Also, this could affect forests etc. It could remove certain mineral ions that help to buffer the soil and are needed by plants to grow. 

Buffers - substances that minimize changes in the concentration of H+ and OH- in a solution. They either donate H+ or accept them in order to balance the pH of the solution.