Introduction
I decided to do my project on reflexes in taekwondo because I did my independent study project on how reflexes can differ between people who have trained in martial arts and people who haven’t. Reflexes affect everyone, so I wanted to apply the science of them to something interesting. I have been training in taekwondo for five years, so this project was really fun for me.
Composition of ...
Potassium
Sodium
Stimulus
Main Chemicals, Compounds, Components
Potassium
Sodium
Chemistry's Role
Potassium can be found naturally in bananas, fish, and baked potatoes.
Sodium can be found naturally in salt, dried tomatoes, and bacon.
Background Research
Potassium and Sodium are the two elements involved in reflexes.There are multiple potassium channels in your body that send signals such as reflexes to all of your extremities.When the brain receives stimulus, it sends a signal down a potassium channel, it is almost like a wave of sodium. That wave of sodium creates an action in return.For example, when someone punches me, I put my hand up to block it. In this case the punch is the stimulus and putting my hand up is the action that it produces.
Resources
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology Fourth Edition by Elaine Marieb
Information about how potassium channels work.
Mader’s Understanding of Human Anatomy and Physiology by Susannah Nelson Longenbaker
Basic understand of how reflexes work
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflex
Types of reflexes
About the Author
Jen Dietz is a senior at Billings Senior High. She is a member of National Honor Society, Senior Advocates, plays goalball, and she is a first degree black belt in ITF taekwondo. She enjoys baseball, taekwondo, anything to do with science, and reading. Jen will be attending MSU Bozeman next fall.