Name ________________________ Section ___ There will be a question like this on the Living Environment Regents exam This

is the controlled experiment design question from the January 2009 Regents. Many plants can affect the growth of other plants near them. This can occur when one plant produces a chemical that affects another plant. Design an experiment to determine if a solution containing ground-up goldenrod plants has an effect on the growth of radish seedlings. In your experimental design be sure to: state a hypothesis to be tested [1] describe how the experimental group will be treated differently from the control group [1] explain why the number of seedlings used for the experiment should be large [1] identify the type of data that will be collected [1] describe experimental results that would support your hypothesis [1] ** Here are the grading guidelines for that series of questions:
Allow 1 credit for stating a hypothesis to be tested. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to: Radish seedlings grow faster when exposed to goldenrod solution. Radish seedlings treated with the solution will not grow as tall as the control group. The solution will not affect the height of radish seedlings. Note: Do not allow credit for a hypothesis in the form of a question Allow 1 credit for describing how the experimental group will be treated differently from the control group. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to: The experimental group will be given the solution while the control group is given plain water. The experimental group will have ground up goldenrod in the soil. Allow 1 credit for explaining why the number of seedlings used for the experiment should be large. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to: A large sample will increase the validity of the results. Since some may die, there will be enough left to do the experiment. Allow 1 credit for identifying the type of data that will be collected based on the students hypothesis. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to: The number of seedlings that survive in each group will be counted. the height of the seedlings Note: Do not accept just growth. The type of data must be measurable. Allow 1 credit for describing experimental results that would support the students hypothesis. Acceptable responses include, but are not limited to: Radish seedlings exposed to goldenrod solution were twice as tall as the control group in two weeks. If the radish seedlings treated with the solution do not grow as tall as those in the control group, the hypothesis is supported. If there is no difference between the average height of the group treated with the solution as compared to the control group, the hypothesis will be supported.

Living Environment Regents Part C Practice Using the guidelines for the grading of the 1/09 experiment question answer the following questions from former Living Environment Regents exams. 1. A certain plant has white flower petals and it usually grows in soil that is slightly basic. Sometimes the plant produces flowers with red petals. A company that sells the plant wants to know if soil pH affects the color of the petals in this plant. Design a controlled experiment to determine if soil pH affects petal color. In your experimental design be sure to: state the hypothesis to be tested in the experiment [1] state one way the control group will be treated differently from the experimental group [1] identify two factors that must be kept the same in both the control group and the experimental group [1] identify the dependent variable in the experiment [1] state one result of the experiment that would support the hypothesis [1] _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________
2. Acid rain can have a pH between 1.5 and 5.0. The effect of acid rain on the environment depends on the pH of the rain and the characteristics of the environment. It appears that acid rain has a negative effect on plants. The scale below shows the pH of normal rain. . Provide the information requested below that should be included in a research plan to test the effect of pH on the early growth of bean plants in the laboratory. State a hypothesis. [1] _______________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________ Identify the independent variable. [1] _______________________________________________________________________ State two factors that should be kept constant. [2] (1) ____________________________________________________________________ (2) ____________________________________________________________________ Construct a data table to organize the results. [1]

3. An investigation was carried out to measure the rate of activity of catalase, an enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide. Five 40-mL solutions of the enzyme at concentrations of 20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% were prepared. A filter paper disk was placed in each enzyme solution. Each soaked disk from the different enzyme concentrations was then added to different cups containing 30 mL of 1% hydrogen peroxide. The rate of catalase activity was inferred from measurements of how fast the disks rose from the bottom to the top of each cup. The following data were obtained: 40%12.1 seconds, 80%5.8 seconds, 100%4.1 seconds, 20%15.8 seconds, and 60%9.9 seconds. Directions Organize the data by completing the data table, according to the directions below. Label the second column of the data table with an appropriate heading and record that label on the y-axis of the graph. [Be sure to include units.] [1] Complete the data table so that the percent enzyme increases from the top to the bottom of the table. [1]

Using the information in the data table, construct a line graph on the grid provided, following the directions below. Mark an appropriate scale on each axis. [1] Plot the data from your data table. Surround each point with a small circle and connect the points. [1]

State one valid conclusion that relates enzyme concentration to reaction rate. [1 ] ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________________