Biology Unit 3 Questions Megathread

[shinny]

As H2Co3 splits into

HCO3 + H, this would raise the acidity of the blood???

or does the body have some way of ridding the protons, so HCO3 can acept other hydrogen ?

The body produces HCO3. Carbonic acid is the result when it binds to CO2.

[Kaille]

sorry guys, another question,

why can there be two different codons for one amino acid?

[WhoTookMyUsername]

As H2Co3 splits into

HCO3 + H, this would raise the acidity of the blood???

or does the body have some way of ridding the protons, so HCO3 can acept other hydrogen ?

The body produces HCO3. Carbonic acid is the result when it binds to CO2.

Is Russ's whole answer correct then?

In. Co2 absorbtion is necessary after strenous excersice to form HCO3 to bond with H + produced?

[Russ]

sorry guys, another question,

why can there be two different codons for one amino acid?

Why is the sky blue; answer, it turned out that way. It's just one of the ways that the body evolved. Because there were 64 codons and only 20 essential amino acids, some of the codons had to code for more than 1.

In terms of function though, it's a very important mechanism for suppressing mutations

[shinny]

As H2Co3 splits into

HCO3 + H, this would raise the acidity of the blood???

or does the body have some way of ridding the protons, so HCO3 can acept other hydrogen ?

The body produces HCO3. Carbonic acid is the result when it binds to CO2.

Is Russ's whole answer correct then?

In. Co2 absorbtion is necessary after strenous excersice to form HCO3 to bond with H + produced?

The body compensates for decreased pH (in this case, due to increased CO2 and thus carbonic acid) in two ways - increasing available HCO3 via the kidneys, or by increasing ventilation in the lungs to expel more CO2. However, increasing HCO3 via the kidneys is a process which takes days. In a fit and healthy person, the decrease in pH following exercise will be quickly corrected by the increase in ventilation (hence why you puff when you exercise). Thus, since the body has to expel all that excess CO2, then the CO2 in the exhaled air will be increased.

On the other hand, to explain your results, perhaps the increase in ventilation overcompensates and leads to hyperventilation, leading to a decrease in CO2 concentration soon after exercise. This might explain why you feel light headed during severe exercise, similar to how you do when you purposefully hyperventilate. I've doubts about this answer but it's the only way I can think of to explain your results. Lets hope lex has some clearer answers

[dooodyo]

hey guys just have a few questions:

How does CoQ10 enhance muscle function and also reduce lipid oxidation?

[shinny]

hey guys just have a few questions:

How does CoQ10 enhance muscle function and also reduce lipid oxidation?

Uhh...do you really need to know this?

[dooodyo]

yeah kinda for a SAC 

[Truck]

hey guys just have a few questions:

How does CoQ10 enhance muscle function and also reduce lipid oxidation?

CoQ10 is the only lipid-soluble antioxidant that is synthesized in the human body. Antioxidants prevent tissue damage by inhibiting oxidative reactions that cause damage to cells.  That explains why lipid oxidation is reduced.

As humans age, the number of mitochondria per cell declines therefore the ability to produce ATP declines right... the level of CoQ10 also declines with age. Coenzyme 10 is a co-enzyme in mitochondrial actions that produce ATP, don't ask me how/where/why because it's "beyond the scope of the 3/4 course" LOL, but I know it is =P. Anyways, as such current research shows that heart tissue in people with cardiovascular diseaser = lower then avg. CoQ 10 concentrations. Essentially the reason why it enhances muscle function is because it's a co-enzyme in ATP producing reactions in the mitochondria.

NOTE: My source for this is NOB book 2, page 61, I think your SAC wouldn't expect you to go into more depth than that on something that technically isn't really part of the course? (It's sorta just an example).

[shinny]

yeah kinda for a SAC  

Urgh, what's with schools setting these amazingly detailed SACs. This isn't even stuff I go into much detail for in uni...

Basically CoQ10 is one of the proteins involved in the electron transport chain. Because muscles have high energy requirements, increased concentrations of CoQ10 allows more ATP production, and thus greater muscle stamina.

CoQ10's function in the ETC is only possible because it is easily reduced and oxidised between its two forms. The CoQ10 found in the blood stream can thus reduce any free radicals floating around which would normally otherwise oxidise other things, such as lipids, which can then lead to clogging of arteries.

[WhoTookMyUsername]

Russ or anyone else if you can answer it, or link me to an appropriate page by 1130 am that would be hugely appreciated!

[lexitu]

Sorry sorry sorry. Didn't realise this was for a SAC so I left it for today to answer.

Oxygen consumption is high during exercise because high amounts of aerobic respiration take place. This means that venous blood has a high concentration of carbon dioxide especially in high-intensity exercise (because it's the end=product of respiration). As soon as an athlete finishes exercise the amount of oxygen being consumed will begin to decrease (although it remains elevated somewhat in order to reverse the effects of metabolic processes such as lactic acid accumulation).

Does that answer your question. Anything that you want clarified, let me know, I have all morning.

[lexitu]

Just realised that this didn't fully answer the question. So, if the amount of carbon dioxide being produced by muscle cells decreases, as I said the concentration in the veins carrying blood back to the heart will also decrease. When the blood is taken to the membranes where gaseous exchange takes place, there will be less of a concentration gradient for the net diffusion of carbon dioxide from the capillaries to the alveoli. This means less carbon dioxide will be exhaled.

During exercise, because so much oxygen is being consumed there is a high concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood returning to the heart and eventually the lungs. This means there will be more diffusion for both gases. Carbon dioxide will be exhaled in higher concentrations and oxygen will be inhaled in higher concentrations.

[WhoTookMyUsername]

Thankyou very much, class results showed that CO2 exhalation immediatly after excercise was LESS than before excercise, i think it is just class results are wrong :| 

[lexitu]

Oh, less than BEFORE EXERCISE. That does seem odd. Class results must have been wrong. Also, a possibility would have been an anticipatory response to exercise causing increased oxygen consumption (due to hormonal changes, etc.), but still you'd expect CO2 exhalation immediately after to be still quite high, even though on the decline.