Required Practical Reference¶
This page maps the required practicals onto the topic pages where the science is taught. It is a course-level reminder of what each practical is for, what must be controlled and what kind of result is usually expected.
Required Practical Set¶
RP1 Microscopy: use a light microscope to observe plant and animal cells. Linked topic: 4.1.1 Cell Structure.RP2 Microbiology: culture microorganisms using aseptic technique. Linked topic: 4.1.1 Cell Structure.RP3 Osmosis: investigate water movement through partially permeable membranes. Linked topic: 4.1.3 Transport in Cells.RP4 Food Tests: test for sugars, starch, protein and lipids. Linked topic: 4.2.1 Principles of Organisation.RP5 Enzymes: investigate the effect of pH on amylase or a similar enzyme. Linked topic: 4.2.1 Principles of Organisation.RP6 Photosynthesis: investigate how light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis. Linked topic: 4.4.1 Photosynthesis.RP7 Reaction Time: investigate a response using the nervous system. Linked topic: 4.5.2 The Human Nervous System.RP8 Plant Responses: investigate a plant response to light or gravity. Linked topic: 4.5.4 Plant Hormones.RP9 Field Investigation: sample organisms in a habitat and relate patterns to environmental factors. Linked topics: 4.7.1 Adaptations, Interdependence and Competition and 4.7.3 Biodiversity and the Effect of Human Interaction on Ecosystems.RP10 Decay: investigate decay and the factors that affect it. Linked topic: 4.7.2 Organisation of an Ecosystem.
Practical Habits¶
- Change one independent variable at a time and keep relevant control variables constant.
- Use repeats to improve reliability and identify anomalous results before drawing conclusions.
- Choose sensible ways to present data, such as line graphs for continuous variables and tables with units.
- Link explanations back to the biology, not just to whether the result went up or down.