The Project
For this project, our goal was to build a model of two organ systems of the human body. My group was assigned the endocrine and digestive systems. Our models needed to show an individual function of each system, as well as one function that they executed together.
The marble (a hormone) is sent from the funnel (a gland) to the wooden board (a receptor site) by the PVC ramps (the bloodstream).
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The wooden blocks (the teeth), operated by a servo, crush the styrofoam (food) to show mechanical digestion.
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The acetone (gastric acid) flows into the glass bowl (the stomach) through rubber tubes (gastric glands). The styrofoam (food) falls through the pipe (the esophagus) and into the bowl. The styrofoam dissolves in the acetone to demonstrate chemical digestion.
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Biology
The endocrine system is the set of glands in the body that produce hormones. When a gland secretes hormones into the bloodstream, they are taken in by cells with receptor sites for the specific hormone. If the hormone is a steroid, then the receptor site will carry the hormone to the cell's nucleus. If it's not a steroid, then it will bind to a receptor site on the cell membrane and activate a secondary messenger inside the cell.
The digestive system's main purpose is to extract nutrients from food. At the beginning of the digestion process, the food is far too large for the body to process. To break it down, the body uses bone-like organs in the mouth, known as teeth, to crush it into smaller pieces. This is known as mechanical digestion.
Once the food particles travel through the esophagus and into the stomach, chemical digestion begins. The gastric glands lining the stomach wall produce a mix of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride to make gastric acid. The gastric acid breaks down the proteins in food, allowing digestive enzymes to break apart the polypeptide chains and collect the amino acids. The waste is moved through the intestines, where more nutrients and water are removed, and then expelled from the body.
The digestive system's main purpose is to extract nutrients from food. At the beginning of the digestion process, the food is far too large for the body to process. To break it down, the body uses bone-like organs in the mouth, known as teeth, to crush it into smaller pieces. This is known as mechanical digestion.
Once the food particles travel through the esophagus and into the stomach, chemical digestion begins. The gastric glands lining the stomach wall produce a mix of hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride, and sodium chloride to make gastric acid. The gastric acid breaks down the proteins in food, allowing digestive enzymes to break apart the polypeptide chains and collect the amino acids. The waste is moved through the intestines, where more nutrients and water are removed, and then expelled from the body.
Reflection
In this project, I was able to be more inclusive than I have been in the past. While acting as a leader, I evenly split the work between all of my group mates. I did well with being a leader by keeping my group on task throughout the project.
I need to improve on my design process. We had to make many changes to our design in the middle of building because we did not spend enough time designing it. I also need to work on time management. Our group faced difficulties finishing our project because we did not properly plan out our time frame.
I need to improve on my design process. We had to make many changes to our design in the middle of building because we did not spend enough time designing it. I also need to work on time management. Our group faced difficulties finishing our project because we did not properly plan out our time frame.