Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Challenge Questions

The Challenge Questions are starting to pile up so I'm going to try my best to answer them!

Q: Do our cells move when we run or move our body?
A: Your individual cells don't move, but your tissues and organs do (cells make up tissues, tissues make up organs).

Q: What happens to orange juice concentrate if it's left in the sun?
A: If you leave frozen orange juice concentrate out in the sun, it will melt and eventually all of the water will evaporate and you'll just be left with some really dry, really orangy concentrate.

Q: Why do people throw up when they get hit in the stomach?
A: When you are hit really hard in the stomach, you can force your food out of your stomach, up your esophagus, and into your mouth, causing you to throw up. This happens because the force of the hit displaces your lunch and it has to go somewhere!

Q: Why do some females have heavier periods than others?
A: There is a lot of variation in women's menstrual cycles. The average menstrual cycle lasts between 3 and 7 days. This can even vary from month to month, especially in teens. A lot of factors can influence the length and how heavy a period is - stress, hormones (like birth control pills), exercise, age, illness. All of this is normal, but you should see a doctor if your period suddenly stops, you bleed excessively (if you have to change your pad or tampon more often than every one or two hours), if you suddenly feel sick after using tampons, if you bleed between periods (more than just a few drops), or if you have unbearable pain during your period. For more information, check out
All About Menstruation.

Q: Why are chloroplasts called chloroplasts?
A: The word "chloroplast" comes from the Greek words "chloro," meaning "green" and "plast," meaning "formed." Chloroplasts are green (which is why plants are green) and they're the organelles that make food.

Q: Do males have bigger bladders than females?
A: I did a LOT of research online and even checked my Anatomy textbooks but I was not able to find a definite answer to this question. The next time I'm at the doctor I'll ask!

1 comment:

ashley said...

I think I need to figure out the bladder thing, too- I've always wondered about that!