Caffeine

High school (ages 12+)
Food & Cooking

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/caffeine

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the systematic name?1,3,7-trimethylxanthine
2. What is the primary mechanism of action?Non-selective antagonism of adenosine receptors (A1, A2A)
3. What is caffeine and where does it come from?Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee beans, tea leaves, chocolate, and many other plants. It helps people feel more awake and alert.
4. Why does caffeine make us feel more alert?Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors in the brain, which normally make us sleepy. By blocking them, caffeine lets other chemicals keep us awake.

Psychoactive Stimulant: A substance that alters mental activity, increasing alertness and energy levels.
Adenosine Receptor Antagonist: A compound that blocks the action of adenosine at its cellular receptors.
Neurotransmitter: Chemical messengers that facilitate communication between neurons in the nervous system.
Pharmacology: The scientific study of drugs and their effects on living organisms.