Bio paper 6

What is the importance of a control?

- Compares
- It shows that the factor under test is responsible for the change
observed

why is it necessary to calculate the percentage change in mass when

comparing the chips
- Difference in starting mass
In an experiment, a half slide of cucumber is placed in solution E. After 5
minutes the shape of the pieces in solution E had changed. The second piece
is placed in water. These are compared.
State one source of error in the method in this investigation and suggest a
improvement
Source of error
- Cut unevenly
Improvement
- Cut halves equally
In an experiment an onion leaf was cut into three pieces each 2 cm long.
Four cuts were made in each piece. First piece was put into water, second to
salt solution and third to dry filter paper. Observation is made after 10
minutes.
Suggest how this investigation could be improved
- More leaf pieces
- Leave for longer time
- Controls- e.g) same type/ age/ species
Explain why three potato were used in each solution and not just one piece

For repeat/ to increase reliability

Before being mixed together, the test tubes of milk and trypsin were both
placed in the water bath for six minutes
Suggest a reason for this procedure
- To come to same temperature
The students found it difficult to determine when the milk had gone
completely clear
Suggest how they could improve the method (1)
- Mark X on the underside
- Hold against dark background
- Compare with distilled water and undigested milk
Suggest and explain why each test was carried out three times
- Increased reliability
- To identify and reduce errors
- To identify the endpoint (of the milk to go completely clear) clearly
In this investigation, temperature was varied. Suggest and explain one
variable that needs to be controlled
- Milk concentration
- Will alter time to endpoint
- Type of milk
- Alters enzyme activity
- pH
- vary activity of enzyme
A test for vitamin C was carried out. The solutions had different
concentrations. Two are known and one is unknown. They were added iodine
solution, drop by drop until a blue colour appeared.
Suggest four ways in which you could improve this method to find the
concentration of the unknown vitamin C solution
- repeat
- get average
- use more precise instrument to measure volume of drops
- measure volume in cm3 not drops alone
- use a colorimeter
- control variables: iodine solution/ starch solution/ size of tubes
Describe an investigation to show the effect of pH on the activity of the
enzyme that is sued to extract apple juice
- prepare range of different pH
- control of pH- use buffers

same
same
same
same

type of pulp
volume of enzyme
concentration of enzyme
temperature

An experiment is carried out to find the effect of pH on the activity of

catalase. Five test tubes were set up each with different pH. The same
volume and concentration of hydrogen peroxide was used in each testube.
Time taken for filter paper in the hydrogen peroxide is measured.
Suggest four ways in which this experiment can be improved
- control temperature
- same size of apparatus
- same size of catalase
- buffer
- more sophisticated timer
- repeats
the effect of pH on the activity on enzyme was investigated. The solutions
were made up, experiment was set up and was timed how long the enzyme
took to digest the protein and clear the film
If you were to carry out this investigation, describe what steps you would
take to ensure that your results were as reliable and valid as possible
- use the same volume of enzymes
- use of same amount of substrate
- same temperature
- increase in range of pH tested
- agitate the same
- repeat the experiment
- keep all variables the same
Number of leaves were removed from a holly tree. Students investigated the
variation in the number of spines on the holly leaves.
Suggest how you might improve this investigation
Describe how you would safely test samples of green leaves and meat to find
out which has more fat
- equal amounts of food
- equal amounts of reagents
- grind up
- add ethanol
- dissolve the fat
- add water
- emulsion
- compare

wear googles
wear lab coat

Describe a food test you could do to show that bean seeds contain protein
- biuret solution
- blue to purple
Describe and explain the effect of pH on the activity of trypsin
- increased rate
- pH7.5 is optimum
- decreased rate
- because the enzyme is denatured as the shape of active site is
changed
Describe how you could safely test a piece of banana for two different
carbohydrates
- reducing sugar test:
- crush pieces and mix with water
- add benedicts solution
- heat
- blue to green, yellow, orange red
- Starch test:
- Add iodine solution
- Safety: goggles, lab coat, tongs
- From orange to blue black
Suggest how an experiment could be changed to investigate the effect of
temperature on the activity of catalase
- One pH
- Range of temperatures
- Control temperature by keeping it in water bath throughout the
investigation
- Equilibrate the tubes in different water baths
- same volumes of hydrogen peroxide
- Same enzyme source or concentration
- Same size of tubing
- Repeats and find average
- Volume of oxygen measures
- Safety features: use forceps to handle pieces of papers, goggles, lab
coats
The activity of the enzyme is measured by collecting the volume of oxygen
gas given off as shown