Mandatory Practical Activities
There are 23 mandatory practical activities at higher level and 22 of these at ordinary level. The only difference is that at ordinary level ‘the investigation of the effect of heat denaturation on the activity of one enzyme’ is not required. There is no difference in detail required at the two levels.
The mandatory practical activities must have been carried out by each student and must also have been written up by each student and retained by each student. The record of these activities can be a very useful revision aid. It is not essential that you ‘got the right result’ during the practical.
It is the procedure and the appreciation of the scientific method that is important. Mistakes are often more informative than successes and many eminent scientists have made astounding discoveries due to ‘mistakes’ in their experimental work.
Below are questions about the mandatory activities.
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Mandatory Activities
1. Conduct a qualitative test for starch, fat, a reducing sugar, a protein.
2. Using simple keys.
3. Identify and use various apparatus required for collection methods in an ecology study.
4. Conduct a quantitative study of the plants and animals of a sample area of a selected ecosystem.
5. Investigate any three abiotic factors present in the selected ecosystem.
6. Be familiar with and use the light microscope.
7. Prepare and examine one animal cell unstained and stained using the light microscope.
8. Prepare and examine one plant cell unstained and stained using the light microscope.
9. Investigate the effect of pH on the rate of enzyme action.
10. Investigate the effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme action.
11. Investigate the effect of heat denaturation on the activity of one enzyme.
12. Prepare one enzyme immobilisation and examine its application (higher level only)
13. Investigate the influence of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.
14. Prepare and show the production of alcohol by yeast.
15. Conduct any activity to demonstrate osmosis.
16. Isolate DNA from a plant tissue.
17. Investigate the growth of leaf yeast using agar plates and controls.
18. Prepare and examine microscopically the transverse section of a dicotyledonous stem
19. Dissect, display and identify sheep’s heart.
20. Investigate the effect of exercise on the pulse of a human.
21. Investigate the effect of I.A.A. growth regulator on plant tissue.
22. Investigate the effect of water, oxygen and temperature on germination.
23. Use starch agar plates to show the digestive activity during germination.
