Chemistry and physics concepts can be found in biology a lot, and there are numerous applications. In my first year here at Longwood, in my CHEM 111 class, my group and I performed an experiment on algae. We wanted to see if differing levels of nitrogen affected the growth of the algae. This experiment had both chemistry and biological concepts, as we looked at nitrogen and how it affects the growth of an organism.
Later down the line, I took BIOL 412, biochemistry the Fall of my Senior year. As the name of the course implies, we focused heavily on the chemistry of biological systems. We discussed proteins and amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, sugars, and a lot more. For our lab project, we performed experiments on myoglobin in order to isolate, purify and characterize it. This experiment was much more complex and required many more laboratory skills than my project in CHEM 111. However, in both of these classes, I was able to learn and utilize many laboratory skills such as centrifuging, PCR, gel electrophoresis, and measuring fluorescence.
Before entering college, I never knew how integrated physics and chemistry were in biology, and how vital it is I learn certain skills. I faced a lot of challenges in chemistry, as it is not my strong suit, but I overcame many obstacles and came out a better student and person. The information I learned in both will benefit me greatly as I apply for vet school and work in the veterinary field. Although I am not the biggest fan of chemistry, I recognize it’s importance to many aspects of biology.
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1LQ36OHpqPVoBZFaJUTQnYZjc-Vn_nhqO