Want to Know it? Answers to life's questions » what are

What are Hormones

Want to know it — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:19:52 +0000

Hormones are essentially chemicals that transport or send messages from one part of the body to another. Hormones acts are a catalyst for chemical changes that relate to growth, development and energy. They are important in regulating the systems and processes that occur in the body. They are responsible for ensuring that balance and stability, called homeostasis, is maintained in the body.

Hormones are either released by a cell or a gland and alter cell metabolism. Hormones released from cells are called endocrine hormones. These hormones are released directly into the blood stream. Hormones that are released into a gland are called exocrine hormones. These hormones are either released into the blood stream from the gland or are diffused through cell walls to different areas of the body.

There are two types of hormones that operate in the human body, these are steroids and peptides. Steroids are the hormones that a responsible for changes during puberty and are often called the sex hormones. Two of the most common steroids are estrogen and testosterone. Steroid hormones are produced in our adrenal glands and gonads (testicles and ovaries). These hormones are also produced by the placenta in the womb.

Peptide hormones are responsible for regulating functions such as sleep or sugar levels in the body. They are also responsible for growth and development in the body. They are made up of long chains of amino acids similar to proteins.

Hormones are able to affect the metabolism inside a cell by biding to a protein receptor site on the cells surface. Once the hormone has bonded with the cell it passes on its instructions and acts are the catalyst to start specific process in the cell. By doing this hormones are able to maintain the balance in the body.

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What are Polysaccharides

Want to know it — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 00:47:28 +0000

Polysaccharides are a form of macromolecule that are found in humans, plants, animals and fungi. They are long stands of carbohydrate molecules (glucose) that are bonded together by glycosidic bonds. Polysaccharides usually contain a repeating pattern of the same carbohydrate molecules, and can be both branched and unbranched. Branched polysaccharides are known as amylopectin and consist of thousand of molecules bonded together with many branches. Unbranched polysaccharides are known as amylase and are one long strand of hundreds of molecules.

Structural Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides come in two primary forms, structural molecules or storage molecules. Structural Polysaccharides give stability and rigidity to cells. Cellulose is an example of a structural polysaccharide and is used by plants to give structure to the cell walls. Chitin is also another structural polysaccharide and is the substance that is used to create the exoskeleton of some insects and the shells of crustaceans.

Storage Polysaccharides
Polysaccharides function as the storage unit of energy or glucose for an animal or plant. In humans the storage polysaccharides are called glycogen and in plants they are known as starch. As a molecule of glucose absorbs water it occupies a lot of space in the cell. When glucose is stored as glycogen or starch it does not absorb water and is more tightly packed, which makes it a much more efficient way to store the molecules. Storing glucose in this way allows the body or plant to readily access it when needed and makes sure that the cells do not have too much glucose, which causes raised sugar levels.

The Polysaccharide glycogen is produced by the liver and the muscles in animals. It can also be produced in the brain and stomach. It is stored in the liver and in the muscles. When the body requires quick, instant energy the liver is activated to break down the glycogen into glucose for use in the body. This is done by the release of the hormone glucagon. The glycogen that is stored in muscles is only used by the muscles cells and does not leave the cell. This is to provide quick, instant energy to the muscles in times of need. Glycogen conversion in also triggered by the stress response to allow the fight or flight action need to deal with the situation.

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What Are Chicken Nuggets Made Of

Want to know it — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 12:36:02 +0000

Chicken nuggets are a meat product that are most commonly baked or fried. They were invented in the 1950′s by food science professor Robert C. Baker. They are especially popular with children and are sold in many fast food restaurants. They are also available in frozen form from the grocery store, as a quick and easy food, for cooking at home. Much controversy has raged about what chicken nuggets are actually made from. Continue reading to find the answer.

What are chicken nuggets made out of
The meat used in chicken nuggets may comes from any poultry product, but in most cases chicken and turkey are used. This meat is obtained through mechanical separation, which recovers the meat and other edible tissue (tendons, muscles tissue, skin) left on the bones after initial processing. To do this the chicken carcasses are ground and then fed through a device similar to a sieve to extract the edible parts and to ensure no unwanted items, such as bones, make it into the chicken nuggets. This meat, called poultry paste, is then used for the chicken nuggets. Some manufacturers add artificial flavors and/or colors to this paste, which is intended to improve the color and flavor. The outside coating of chicken nuggets is made from a batter or breadcrumb mixture that is usually made of wheat flour, salt, yeast, vegetable oil, spices and other flavors.

The following is a video from inside a factory that makes chicken nuggets.

Did you know?
In the United States any product using mechanically separated chicken must be clearly labeled.

An internet rumor suggests that poultry paste is soaked in ammonia to remove the bacteria. However, ammonia cannot legally be added to foods.

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What Are The Doldrums

Want to know it — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 01:07:08 +0000

The doldrums is a term used by sailors to describe the parts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean that have very little or no wind at all. Although this isn’t a major problem for today’s ships, it was a major problem for the sailing ships of the past. Amazingly, sailors could get stuck in the doldrums for weeks at a time waiting for enough wind to power their ship. Let’s take a look at where this phenomenon occurs and what causes it.

Where are the doldrums located?
The doldrums are located just north of the equator, but they can be experienced from around 5 degrees north of the Equator to about 5 degrees south.

What causes the doldrums?
The doldrums are caused by a low pressure area that is located near the equator. This low pressure occurs because of the sunlight that heats the equator. This causes the air to rise high in the atmosphere instead of blowing horizontally.

Did you know?
The region began to be called the doldrums in the 18th century. At the time the word doldrums meant dull, sluggish or listless.

Although it is best known for the long stretches without wind this region is also the starting point for many hurricanes and cyclones.

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What are Baseball Bats Made of

Want to know it — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 13:03:28 +0000

A baseball bat is used for hitting the ball, that has been thrown by the pitcher, in the game of baseball. The regulations in the American major leagues state that the bat must not exceed 2.75 inches (7 cm) in diameter at any point and that it must be no more that 42 inches (106.7 cm) in length. The weight of the bat in not restricted, but they usually don’t weight more than 33 ounces (1 kg). If you have ever wanted to know what a baseball bat is made from, keep reading to find out.

What are baseball bats made of?
The rules of professional baseball state that the bat must be one piece of solid wood. The wood that is traditionally used for the construction of a baseball bat is ash. Recently, bats made from maple have made an appearance in the major leagues. They have become popular because maple is a harder wood than ash. However, the use of maple bats is controversial because they are prone to splintering. Other woods that are sometimes used to make baseball bats are hickory wood, and bamboo.

In amateur baseball both wood and metal bats are generally permitted. Metal bats may be made out of aluminum or as a composite of an aluminum outer shell and a graphite interior. These types of bats are popular because they are lighter to use and increase the hitting distance. Many youth baseball leagues use this type of bat.

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What are Balloons Made of

Want to know it — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 00:30:43 +0000

Balloons are a popular decoration at almost any kind of party. They come in many shapes, colors and sizes. They can be filled with air, but helium is also widely used to make them float. They are best known for the loud noise they make when they pop and many children are frightened of this noise. In the past balloons were made of dried animal bladders, but have you have ever wondered what a party balloon is made from today? Keep reading to discover the answer.

What are balloons made of?
Most party balloons are made of natural latex which comes from the rubber tree. This is highly regarded because it is a sustainable and biodegradable material. Synthetic latex is also used in some circumstances because it is cost effective, but this is not biodegradable. The shiny balloons that are often decorated with writing are made from metalized plastic films. These are called foil balloons. Other materials that are sometimes used to make balloons are neoprene and nylon.

Did you know?
We all know that balloons make a loud sound when they pop, but it isn’t from the sudden release of pressure like most people believe. It is actually caused by the tightly stretched latex pieces snapping back at the speed of sound. The sound is actually a sonic boom, just like a fighter jet produces.

Releasing balloons that contain helium is a popular part of many different events, but because latex does take time to break down in the environment this is no longer recommended.

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What are Clouds Made of

Want to know it — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 12:37:40 +0000

We all know clouds as the puffy white masses in the air or the dark gray clouds that bring us rain, but have you ever wondered what they are made of? To answer this question we first need to look at the water cycle.

The water cycle
In basic terms the water cycle is the continuous movement of water on Earth and how water changes states (solid, liquid or gas) on the Earth. The first third of the water cycle is when surface water evaporates into the atmosphere. It then condenses (which forms clouds) and falls back to the earth in the form of rain or snow. This rain and snow eventually makes its way to large bodies of water, such as lakes and oceans, where the process begins again.

What are clouds made of?
By following the water cycle we can see the clouds are made of water vapor. However, water vapor is invisible and it is the condensation process that makes clouds visible. The upper reaches of the atmosphere much cooler than the surface of the earth and when the water vapor cools it changes from gas to liquid. These tiny droplets of liquid are so light that they can stay suspended in the air, sometimes with the help of small dust particles. Light is reflected and refracted from these water droplets and this is how clouds become visible. Rain or snow occurs when the water droplets become too heavy to remain in the air.

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What are the Northern Lights

Want to know it — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 12:41:58 +0000

The northern lights are the common name for the phenomenon known as aurora borealis. The northern lights are a spectacular visual event, where a colorful light display occurs in the sky. It was named by Pierre Gassendi in 1621, after the Roman goddess of dawn and the Greek name for wind. This phenomenon also occurs in the southern hemisphere, where it is known as the “southern lights” or aurora australis. It is usually only observed near the polar regions, but has been seen outside these regions during high levels of solar wind. Some of the best places to view the northern lights include; Alaska, Canada, Norway and Siberia. The cause of the northern lights has been debated throughout history, but today science can answer the question.

What causes the Northern Lights
Aurora borealis is caused by plasma particles (charged gas particles) from the sun that are ejected and make their way towards Earth. This is referred to as solar wind. The plasma interacts with the magnetosphere of Earth and the charged particles enter the Earth’s atmosphere at the polar regions where the magnetic field is the weakest. The particles interact with gases present in the atmosphere and create the spectacular visual phenomenon. The most common colors seen in the aurora borealis are green and brownish red, which are caused by interaction with oxygen at different altitudes. The blue or red colors are caused by interaction with nitrogen.

View this video for a time lapse of the northern lights.

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What are Shallots

Want to know it — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 05:10:27 +0000

Shallots are vegetables. They are relatives of onions. They have a similar taste to onions, but they are sweeter and have a milder taste. They are used a lot in cooking and some people eat pickled shallots. Deep fried shallots are eaten in parts of Asia. The skin of a shallot can be golden brown or rose red in color. They have an off-white flesh. So know you know the answer to the question ‘what are shallots’. Let’s look at some interesting facts about shallots.

Facts About Shallots

In some countries, green onions are also called ‘shallots’.
Shallots are sometimes called eschallots or eschalottes.
Like onions, shallots release chemicals that irritate human eyes when they are sliced, causing tears.
Shallots are widely used in cooking in southern parts of India. It is often eaten in curry.
The name ‘shallot’ comes from Ashkelon, an ancient Israeli city. This is where the Ancient Greeks believed the shallot originated from.
Many chefs enjoy using shallots in their cooking as they have a firm texture, have a strong aroma and are fairly sweet.
Shallots are usually more expensive than onions, especially in the United States.
In Iran, crushed shallots are often eaten in yogurt.

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What are Demographics

Want to know it — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 12:04:30 +0000

Demographics are simply characteristics about a population of people. They are used in market research and by governments. For example, television ratings are measured in total people watching and the demographics of those watching. The number of males and females watching, as well as their ages, are the two most looked at demographics for television ratings.

Why are They Important For Television?

Demographics tell potential advertisers exactly who watches certain shows. For example, 75% of people who watch Judge Judy are female. Therefore, advertisers who are trying to sell products to women are more likely to buy advertising slots during the show. Sports are primarily watched by men, so products targeted to men are advertised during sports programs.

Why are They Important to Governments and Political Parties?

Simple! Governments and parties can survey groups of people to determine which groups of people will vote for them (or look at the approval ratings). They can then look at the weak demographics (it could be people aged 21-30) and work out ways to get more votes from this particular group of people.

Why are They Important in Market Research?

Companies can work out exactly who buys their products. They can then target some advertising campaigns to those who are not buying their products to boost sales. Film distributors also look at demographics to predict how well a movie will do (or has done) at the box office.

What are Some of the Shortfalls?

Demographics make generalizations about groups of people. Just because the majority of young voters voted for Barack Obama at the last elections doesn’t mean that all young voters did. Also, information in usually culturally based. For instance, a television show popular with younger viewers in America might appeal to older viewers in another country. This is near impossible to predict.

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