Science Project on minerals

1. Minerals that are Essential to
the Body
Henry D

2. My Question
Why and how are certain minerals essential to the
human body?

3. Common Minerals that are Needed for
the Human Body
• Calcium
• Iron
• Zinc

4. Calcium
Calcium is required for vascular contraction and
vasodilation, muscle function, nerve
transmission, intracellular signaling and
hormonal secretion.
99% of the body's calcium is found in the bones
and teeth.

5. Calcium cont.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body,
also known as Vitamin C. Calcium is mainly found
in milk, yogurt, and cheese. It can also be found in
almonds, oranges, and Cheerios.

6. Iron
• Iron is a major component in hemoglobin the
substance in red blood cells that carry oxygen
from your lungs through out your body.
• With the lack of iron the red blood cells can not
carry the oxygen through your body.

7. Iron cont.
Iron is very important to have in the system. IF
there is a deficiency of iron, supplements can be
taken. Some good sources of iron are oysters,
nuts, and beef/lamb.

8. Zinc
• Zinc is involved in catalytic activity of about 100
different enzymes.
• Zinc also plays a role in wound healing, protein
synthesis, DNA synthesis, cell division.
• Zinc also helps normal growth and development
during pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence.

9. Zinc cont.
Zinc is also a mineral that can be taken in
supplements. But for organic, the top three foods
most rich in zinc are beef, lamb, and sesame
seeds.

10. GROW
Over the time of doing this project my topic has changed a
few times.
• It started as “What foods have the most important
minerals for the body?”
• Then it progressed to “What minerals are most
important to the human body?”
• Then, “Why and how are certain minerals essential to
the human body?”
• Finally is was “How do mineral enter our system and
start working?’

11. Obstacles
The main obstacle I ran into was the topic. I
couldn’t decide a topic and when I finally got one
it kept changing to where I had to change the kind
of research I was looking for. Also when I got to
my last and final question there was no more time
to look for a definite answer.

12. Sites Used
• "Zinc." — Health Professional Fact Sheet. N.p., n.d.
Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
• "Calcium." Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: — Health
Professional Fact Sheet. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Mar. 2015.
• "Iron: What You Need to Know." WebMD. WebMD, n.d.
Web. 29 Mar. 2015.