Bumping with excitement, I headed towards the Science Lab. It was my first practical lesson for Secondary 2 and I was eager to experience things that I have not experienced before. Well, before the lesson itself, I had already predicted the lesson to revolve around chemistry and I was right.
We started off with Acids and Bases, or should I say, studied about it for the entire term. Actually, during the school holidays, I have briefly read this topic already. With my hopes down, I begin to lose interest in the lessons as I thought that I had already known enough. However, there is something special in practical lessons; to experience the experiments yourself and be amazed by the results yourself.
This was something that could never be achieved no matter how vividly and excitingly the textbook describes the experiment. Handling the apparatus and feeling the vibration caused by the reaction during one of the practical lesson, I suppose 1P07, was extremely amazing. This was probably the first time I get to have first hand experience on handling acids and bases.
Basically, practical lessons thought me not to look at things from only one angle and be narrow-minded. It is fine to learn the same thing again, especially if we can learn it from a different point, rather than just reading and memorising the textbook.
Hope all of you reading this can bear my reflections in mind and enjoy our practical lessons for they may be the only time we get to handle such chemicals!
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Why do we feel itchy?
I guess everyone who is reading this post has felt itchy before, but have you ever wondered WHY are you feeling the itch? Is it because of a mosquito bite, or perhaps, an allergy reaction? Perhaps, we should ask ourselves what actually makes us feel itchy, and here I am, helping you to solve this question.
Actually, other than nerves which make us feel pain, there ARE actually nerves which make us feel itchy. There is one specific chemical which commands our itch nerves to send signals to the brain which then processes it and it is called Histamine. So, actually, the culprit is Histamine, a protein released during an allergic reaction. There is a way to stop the itch, that is to use Antihistamine drugs as it will disable the protein's signals and prevent our brain to stimulate the itchy feeling.
However, Histamine itself has an accomplice. Discovered more than a decade ago, there are fibers sensitive to itch which stimulates itchy feelings too.
I hope my work today gives you a better understanding on the irritable itch you feel almost every single day!
Regards,
Jack Tan 2O307
Sources --- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14910412/ns/health-livescience/
Actually, other than nerves which make us feel pain, there ARE actually nerves which make us feel itchy. There is one specific chemical which commands our itch nerves to send signals to the brain which then processes it and it is called Histamine. So, actually, the culprit is Histamine, a protein released during an allergic reaction. There is a way to stop the itch, that is to use Antihistamine drugs as it will disable the protein's signals and prevent our brain to stimulate the itchy feeling.
However, Histamine itself has an accomplice. Discovered more than a decade ago, there are fibers sensitive to itch which stimulates itchy feelings too.
I hope my work today gives you a better understanding on the irritable itch you feel almost every single day!
Regards,
Jack Tan 2O307
Sources --- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14910412/ns/health-livescience/
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Reflections on Term 1 Test
Hello everyone,
This is my very first post of my Science Eportfolio. Well, basically, the marks I got for this term was very... Unexpected, I would say. On the night just before the test, I was revising all my notes and worksheets, but soon after, I realised that I have finished reading all of them quite soon. But I felt that I was unprepared, lacking in a certain aspect and I could not sleep well that night. On the day of the test, everything seemed quite fine to me, as I did the questions quite comfortably. But I was lacking in confidence, especially towards my MCQ answers, where it was constantly bugging me on my mind as I proceeded with the other questions.
Even after the test itself, I had this feeling that I may just mess up this test. It was scary. But when I got back my paper, I realised that my worries were actually unnecessary. I did score an A1.
Well, after reflecting, I discovered that my lack of confidence actually derived from the fact that I was lazy to read the concepts behind the topics. Although I knew the worksheets at the back of my hand, I was unable to handle the new questions which were testing on the concepts well.
Of course, from this, I learnt that when revising for a test, not only must I study the worksheets and notes, I must also make sure that I have the foundation of the topics in me.
Regards,
Jack Tan 2O307
This is my very first post of my Science Eportfolio. Well, basically, the marks I got for this term was very... Unexpected, I would say. On the night just before the test, I was revising all my notes and worksheets, but soon after, I realised that I have finished reading all of them quite soon. But I felt that I was unprepared, lacking in a certain aspect and I could not sleep well that night. On the day of the test, everything seemed quite fine to me, as I did the questions quite comfortably. But I was lacking in confidence, especially towards my MCQ answers, where it was constantly bugging me on my mind as I proceeded with the other questions.
Even after the test itself, I had this feeling that I may just mess up this test. It was scary. But when I got back my paper, I realised that my worries were actually unnecessary. I did score an A1.
Well, after reflecting, I discovered that my lack of confidence actually derived from the fact that I was lazy to read the concepts behind the topics. Although I knew the worksheets at the back of my hand, I was unable to handle the new questions which were testing on the concepts well.
Of course, from this, I learnt that when revising for a test, not only must I study the worksheets and notes, I must also make sure that I have the foundation of the topics in me.
Regards,
Jack Tan 2O307
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