Bio P5 Notes / FAQ
(This document is very rushed and very poorly made so apologies in advance)
(not sure abt this but I heard that you shouldn’t write in bullets for the experiment qs)
Planning Experiments:
1. Write down your independent variable. List 5 different values for this variable,
and state how you will vary this variable, along with the apparatus needed to set
up the experiment.
2. Write down the dependent variable. State how you will measure this variable and
the apparatus needed. State how you will come up with a conclusion based on
the data collected.
3. State the controlled variables, and mention how you will keep them constant.
4. Repeat the experiment at least three times at each [independent variable],
remove anomalies and take an average.
5. State the risk of the experiment (low, medium or high), the reason for said risk
and how to avoid it.
6. Make a controlled experiment (and state how), in order to ensure the validity of
the experiment.
Photosynthesis
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Carry out the experiment in a darkened room with no other light source
- Use a light meter to ensure that light intensity is same
- Make sure the lamp is at the same (stated) distance from the plant
- Carry out the experiment in a thermostatically controlled environment to ensure
temperature is constant
- Use a heat shield to reduce heating effect of the lamp
- Use the same length and species of plants
- (If using indicator), Use same volume of (stated) indicator
- (If using chloroplast suspension), Use same volume of chloroplast suspension
- (If using pH indicator), Measure the time taken for the color of the indicator to
change from _____ to _____
- (If using capillary tubing), Measure the time taken for the meniscus to travel a
(stated) distance
- (If using capillary tubing), Ensure that the (named) plant is equilibrated to the
apparatus
- Use a dead water plant as a control
Yeast Respiration
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use the same volume of (given in experiment) yeast mixture
- Use a thermostatically controlled water bath to maintain (or vary) the temperature
- Leave the mixture to equilibrate to the (stated) temperature
- Use the same (stated) volume and concentration of a buffer solution to ensure
pH is constant
- Use water as a replacement for yeast as a control
- Use same (stated) volume and concentration of sugar (given in qs) solution
- (If using gas syringe), Measure the volume of carbon dioxide in gas syringe after
(stated) time
- (If using an inverted cylinder), Use a ruler and measure the height of the gas
after (stated) time
Respirometer
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- (Read the diagram and see what’s the fluid) Here, Use
the same volume and concentration of carbon dioxide absorbent
- Use same number / mass of organism (the one that respires, given in qs)
- Insert the bung with tubing with clip and capillary tubing with scale to ensure
apparatus is airtight
- Add a dye solution to the capillary tube
- Leave the apparatus in a thermostatically controlled water bath to maintain
temperature
- Open the tap to let air in and allow the mixture to equilibrate
- Close the tap and mark the position of the dye on the scale
- Mark the position of the dye on the scale after (stated) minutes
- (If using a photosynthetic organism), Carry out the experiment in a darkened
room to avoid photosynthesis from occurring
- Use glass beads as a replacement for the organism as a control
Enzymes
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use same volume and concentration of enzyme
- Use same temperature using a thermostatically controlled water bath
- (If using inhibitors) use same volume of inhibitor
- Use fresh solutions after each replicate
- Use the same volume of buffers to maintain pH
- Use boiled enzyme as a control
- (If using colorimeter), Additional detail. E.g: Use water to calibrate the colorimeter
- (If using colorimeter), Measure the absorbance after (stated) time
Transpiration
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- (If using potometer), Cut the plants underwater at an angle
- (If using potometer), Use petroleum jelly to make sure the apparatus is airtight
- Use a fan with the same setting to maintain wind speed
- Use an anemometer to measure wind speed
- Carry out the experiment in a thermostatically controlled environment and leave
to equilibrate
- Carry out the experiment in a darkened room with one light source
- Use the same plants for each experiment, but replace the plants after each
experiment to replace the water loss
- Use dead plants as a control
- (If using potometer), Cut the plants underwater at an ang
Water Potential
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use same length of plant and same type
- (Usually the independent variable is solute conc.) Use 5 different (stated)
concentrations of (given) solution
- Use a thermostatically controlled water bath to maintain temperature
- Cover container to prevent evaporation
- (If measuring mass), Measure initial mass of the length
- Ensure that the length is fully submerged in the solution
- After a (stated) certain time, remove the plant length
- Dry the plant using a paper towel
- (If measuring mass), Measure mass after removing and calculate % change in
mass
Micrometer with grid
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
example
- Use same magnification and lens
- Count number of stomata in field of view
- Only count whole stomata
Sampling
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use quadrats
- Use a belt transect
- Systematically place the quadrats along the transect
- Use same size of quadrats
- Identify species using a key or abundance scale
- Calculate Simpson’s index of biodiversity
- Repeat the experiment at atleast three different transects along the same general
location
- Sample at different times of the year
- Take care to not miss the small plants
- Plants could cause irritation so wear gloves due to medium risk
Mark-Release-Recapture
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
Chromatography
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Draw the baseline
- Place the extract at the baseline and concentrate it
- Use capillary tubing to apply the extract
- Apply the extract a same (stated) number of times
- Place the solvent below the sample
- Cover the chromatogram to avoid evaporation
- Run all chromatograms for the same amount of time
- Allow it to dry and spray it with a dye
- Calculate Rf: Distance travelled by solute from baseline / distance travelled by
solvent from baseline
- Count number of spots for each solute
- Take the average Rf values
Electrophoresis
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use (named) gel (usually agarose or polyacrylamide
- Place the sample in wells at the cathode (negative electrode) using micropipettes
- Add a buffer solution
- Apply a potential difference using a battery or other power supply
- Stain the DNA using UV light and observe the extract
- Wear gloves to avoid touching electrical contacts with wet hands
Diffusion
Key marks (Assuming that the independent variable isn’t the one I’m referring to)
- Use same age of plant
- Cut plant into same dimension with same surface area to volume ratio using a
scalpel
- Use a thermostatically controlled water bath to maintain temperature
- Fully submerge the lengths
- After some (stated) time, remove the cubes and dry them with a paper towel
- Cut the plant in half and measure the length of the red tissue after soaking (or
coloured)
Graph Analysis
- Describe the general trends
- Comparative data points (x and y WITH units, if given two datasets, do for both)
- Compare similarities and differences with the trend if given two datasets
- Compare the range if given two datasets
- Compare the max and min points if given two datasets
- Compare steepness along the graph
- If any fluctuations, state
- Compare the end points if given two datasets
Statistics
Standard Deviation:
- Gives information about the spread of the data above and below the mean
- Gives information about the reliability of data. Higher standard deviation, less
reliable
Standard Error:
- Shows how far the sample mean is away from the population mean
- Used to plot error bars
- Overlapping error bars indicate a significant difference
T-test:
- Conditions:
1. Data is continuous
2. Data is normally distributed
3. Standard deviation of the two samples are approximately the same
4. Each sample should have less than 30 values
- Null Hypothesis: There is no significant difference between the means of…
- Formula:
- Degrees of freedom: n1 + n2 - 2
- If t > critical value at 95% significance level (stated) for … degrees of freedom,
we: Reject the null hypothesis and conclude a significant difference between the
means of…
- If t < critical value at 95% significance level (stated) for … degrees of freedom,
we: Accept the null hypothesis and conclude no significant difference between
the means of…
Chi Squared Test:
- Conditions:
1. Data is discrete
2. Data is not normally distributed
3. Expected cell count >= 5 (I don't think this is in syllabus)
- Null hypothesis: There is no significant difference between the observed and
expected results
- Formula:
- Degrees of freedom: c - 1 (c is number of classes)
- If chi^2 > critical value at 95% confidence level (stated) for … degrees of
freedom, we: reject the null hypothesis and conclude a significant difference
between the observed and expected results not due to chance
- If chi^2 < critical value at 95% confidence level (stated) for … degrees of
freedom, we accept the null hypothesis and conclude no significant difference
between the observed and expected results. The difference is due to chance.
Pearson’s Linear Correlation Test:
- Conditions
1. At least 5 pairs of data
2. Scatterplot suggests a linear relationship
3. Data is continuous
4. Data is normally distributed
- Null Hypothesis: There is no correlation between … and …
- Formula:
- Note that -1 <= r <= 1
- If |r| > critical value, we: reject the null hypothesis and conclude a correlation
between … and …
- For correlation, state whether it is strong or weak and positive or negative
Spearman’s Ranked Correlation Test:
- Conditions:
1. At least 5 pairs of data that can be ranked
2. Scatterplot suggests a non-linear relationship
3. Data is discontinuous
4. Data is not normally distributed
- Null Hypothesis: There is no correlation between … and …
- Formula:
- Note that -1 <= r <= 1
- If |r| > critical value, we: reject the null hypothesis and conclude a correlation
between … and …
- For correlation, state whether it is strong or weak and positive or negative
Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity:
- Formula:
- Note that 0 <= D <= 1
- The higher the Simpson’s Index of Biodiversity, the higher the species richness
and species diversity
