Vitamin C

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

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/vitamin-c

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. How big is Vitamin C?Vitamin C was the first vitamin to be chemically produced in 1933
2. What is the scientific name?Ascorbic acid
3. What is the key biochemical role?Cofactor for enzymes involved in collagen synthesis and neurotransmitter production
4. What is Vitamin C and why do we need it?Vitamin C is a nutrient from fruits and veggies that keeps us strong and helps our body heal. It helps build collagen, supports immune cells, and protects our cells from damage.
5. Why can't humans make Vitamin C on their own?Our ancestors lost the gene that makes Vitamin C, so we must eat foods that contain it.

Ascorbic Acid: The chemical name for Vitamin C, a vital water-soluble nutrient essential for human health.
Collagen Synthesis: The biological process requiring Vitamin C for the formation of collagen, a key structural protein.
Antioxidant: A molecule that inhibits the oxidation of other molecules, protecting cells from damage.
Scurvy: A disease caused by severe Vitamin C deficiency, characterized by fatigue and bleeding gums.