Motzart essays

Motzart essays The classical period produced more instrumental than vocal music, a wealth of serious and comic operas as well as vocal religious music also appeared during this time(Goes 11). One of the best composers of this time was Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In this paper I will go through his childhood, his friends and family, and of course his music. Enjoy! Child of the Enlightenment The world that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart entered ceremoniously in 1756 was brimming in change. Historians refer to this era as the Age of Enlightenment, one of unparalleled scientific, philosophical, and political ferment. Within Mozarts lifetime it set in motion forces that would fundamentally alter life not only in his native, Salzburg, but also around the globe. The Enlightenment was not, to be sure, a democratic movement. In France, the absolutism of the Sun King, Louis XIV, continued under Louis XV and XVI. But in Austria, Empress Maria Theresa introduced a greater measure of tolerance and freedom among her subjects, laying a foundation for the democratic revolutions that followed. Wolfgangs father Leopold came from a family of Augsburg bookbinders. He received a solid Jesuit education, more intellectual than evangelical after a year at the Benedictine University in nearby Salzburg; Leopold stopped attending classes to pursue a career as a musician. Leopold figured as Mozarts most important first model. He taught his son the clavier and composition(Hutchings 23). Wolfgangs mother Anna-Maria brought as much talent to her 32-year marriage as did Leopold. Though deprived of a formal education, she was highly intelligent and quick-witted- qualities that attracted the sober and reserved Leopold. Only two of their seven children survived infancy. Wolfgangs musically talented sister Nannerl was five years older. Yet in this painting, the 12-year- old looks like a spinster of seventy-complete with budding ...

DNA Definition and Structure

DNA Definition and Structure DNA is the acronym for deoxyribonucleic acid, usually 2-deoxy-5-ribonucleic acid. DNA is a molecular code used within cells to form proteins. DNA is considered a genetic blueprint for an organism because every cell in the body that contains DNA has these instructions, which enable the organism to grow, repair itself, and reproduce. DNA Structure A single DNA molecule is shaped as a double helix made up of two strands of nucleotides that are bonded together. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogen base, a sugar (ribose), and a phosphate group. The same 4 nitrogen bases are used as the genetic code for every strand of DNA, no matter which organism it comes from. The bases and their symbols are  adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C). The bases on each strand of DNA are complementary to each other. Adenine always binds to thymine; guanine always binds to cytosine. These bases meet each other at the core of the DNA helix. The backbone of each strand is made of the deoxyribose and phosphate group of each nucleotide. The number 5 carbon of the ribose is covalently bonded to the phosphate group of the nucleotide. The phosphate group of one nucleotide binds to the number 3 carbon of the ribose of the next nucleotide. Hydrogen bonds stabilize the helix shape. The order of the nitrogenous bases has meaning, coding for amino acids that are joined together to make proteins. DNA is used as a template to make RNA through a process called transcription. The RNA uses molecular machinery called ribosomes, which use the code to make the amino acids and join them to make polypeptides and proteins. The process of making proteins from the RNA template is called translation. Discovery of DNA The  German biochemist Frederich Miescher first observed DNA in 1869, but he did not understand the function of the molecule. In 1953,  James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins, and Rosalind Franklin described the structure of DNA and proposed how the molecule could code for heredity. While  Watson, Crick, and Wilkins received the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for their discoveries concerning the molecular structure of nucleic acids and its significance for information transfer in living material, Franklins contribution was neglected by the Nobel Prize committee. Importance of Knowing the Genetic Code In the modern era, its possible to sequence the entire genetic code for an organism. One consequence is that differences in DNA between healthy and sick individuals can help identify a genetic basis for some diseases. Genetic testing can help identify whether a person is at risk for these diseases, while gene therapy can correct certain problems in the genetic code. Comparing the genetic code of different species helps us understand the role of genes and allows us to trace the evolution and relationships between species