HANDOUT ON PLANNING AND DESIGNING (With special reference to CXC Chemistry) WHAT IS PLANNING AND DESIGNING According to the

CXC syllabus, it is the ability to develop hypotheses to test them; plan and execute experimental procedures and operations in appropriate sequence; use controls where appropriate; modify original plan or sequence of operations as a result of difficulties encountered in carrying out experiments or obtaining unexpected results. It is an experimental skill assessed in the fourth and fifth forms of the two year CSEC course and for Cape Units 1 and 2. (The other experimental skills that are assessed are Observation/Recording/Reporting and Manipulation/Measurement.) HERE IS HOW IT HAPPENS A. BACKGROUND 1. The person doing Planning and Designing (P&D) will have some background knowledge, some experience, or would have made some observations. 2. B. From this, there is a desire to determine whether there is/are any relationship/s existing in the situation under focus.

HYPOTHESIS 1. A hypothesis is developed/formulated. Now, what is a hypothesis? It is a supposition made as a basis for reasoning, without assumption of its truth. It forms the basis for investigating the relationship/s in the situation under focus. It is the starting point for investigation. 2. Within the hypothesis the following should be clearly identifiable. (a) INDEPENDENT VARIABLE same as MANIPULATED VARIABLE (b) DEPENDENT VARIABLE same as RESPONDING VARIABLE.

NOW FOR AN EXAMPLE CLARIFYING POINTS A. AND B. BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE; A Health visitor visited a poor community where some families only used canned orange juice while some other families only used fresh oranges. OBSERVATION The children of the families who used only canned orange juice appeared to show a higher incidence of scurvy (a disease caused by lack of vitamin C) than children of families who used only fresh orange oranges. HYPOTHESIS Fresh orange juice has a higher concentration of vitamin C than canned orange juice. Independent variable fresh orange juice or canned orange juice Dependent variable concentration in vitamin C in Juice
C. WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? IT IS NOW TIME TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THE FOLLOWING MUST BE DONE. Independent/manipulated variable fresh or canned orange juice Dependent variable concentration of vitamin C in juice Controlled variable/s temperature of juice; volume of juice tested Burette, retort stand, 2 25 cm3 pipettes, 50 cm3 measuring cylinder, 6 250 cm3 conical flasks 2 250 cm3 beakers, white tile, 200 cm3 fresh orange juice, 200 cm3 canned orange juice 0.05 mol dm-3 iodine solution, 20 cm3 starch solution, 2 mol dm3 sulphuric acid.

1.

Identify variables

2. Select apparatus and materials / reagents

Prepared by S. Elinor Jordan B. Sc. Dip. Ed. M.Ed.

A labelled diagram showing the apparatus and reagents in the titrations is drawn.

Burette containing iodine solution

Conical flask with orange juice

3. (a)

Devise method Method to be used should be written in steps that can be clearly followed.

(i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) (i) (ii) (iii) (i) (i)

Using a pipette, 50 cm3 fresh orange juice is transferred to a conical flask. 20 cm3 sulphuric acid is then added to the flask. Starch is then added to the conical flask. The contents of the flask are then titrated against iodine solution, until there is the first permanent blue black colour. The titration is repeated twice. The entire method is repeated using canned orange juice. Only one brand of canned orange juice is used. Fresh oranges from only one source are used. Lack of information regarding other possible vitamin C inputs in the diets of the families. Fresh orange juice should be squeezed and the canned juice should opened just before the titration is done, since vitamin C deteriorates with exposure. For this investigation ONLY EXPERIMENTAL ERROR IS POSSIBLE. This may be as a result of improper use of measuring instruments like the pipette, or carelessness when recording results.

(b)

Limitations to the method/investigation Precautions to be taken Sources of error

(c) (d)

4.

Clearly identify DATA that should be collected, showing how this data is to be recorded tables etc. Do not use actual figures (use letters) etc. that show a predetermined result. Remember that you have not yet done the experiment.

Titration number Final reading / cm3 Initial reading/cm3 Volume of I2

Trial b a b- a

1 c b c- b

2 d c d- c

Prepared by S. Elinor Jordan B. Sc. Dip. Ed. M.Ed.

5.

State how results will be treated calculations, graphs etc.

Volume of I2 used in calculation is {(c-b) + (d-c)} cm3 (let this f cm3.) Eqn: C6H8O6 (aq) + I2 (aq) C6H6O6 (aq) + 2HI (aq) Vitamin C + Iodine 1 mole 1 mole No. of moles I2 in f cm3 is 0.05 (f/1000) mole 0.05 (f/1000) mole I2 reacts with 0.5 (f/1000) mol C6H8O6 (see eqn. 1:1 ratio) 50 cm3 orange juice contains 0.05 (f/1000) mol C6H8O6 Therefore 1000 cm3 orange juice contains 1000 /50 {0.05(f/1000)} mole (let this be p mol) C6H8O6 Concentration of vitamin C is p mol dm-3 This calculation is done with the results from both fresh and canned orange juice.

6.

State what conclusions will be reached if results show trends in one direction, in the other/opposite direction or if no trend is observed?

If the concentration of vitamin C in the fresh orange juice is higher than that of the canned orange juice, then the hypothesis is proven true, and it is very possible that the lower incidence of scurvy among the families that use the fresh orange juice, may be due to the use of fresh juice. If the concentration of Vitamin C in the canned orange juice is higher then the hypothesis is proven false and the use of orange juice, fresh or canned, cannot be related to the incidence of scurvy.

Prepared by S. Elinor Jordan B. Sc. Dip. Ed. M.Ed.

BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE EXPERIENCE/ OBSERVATION

HYPOTHESIS FORMULATED

TESTING HYPOTHESIS

IDENTIFY VARIABLES

SELECT APPARATUS (Draw diagrams) DEVISE METHOD (a) Write it out -Passive Voice (b) Indicate limitations, assumptions, sources of errors and precautions

TREATMENT OF RESULTS

IDENTIFY DATA TO BE COLLECTED SHOWING HOW RECORDED

STATEMENTS OF POSSIBLE CONCLUSIONS

EXECUTE INTERPRET

COLLECT RESULTS REPORT

ANALYSE AND

IF UNRELIABLE RESULTS

IF RELIABLE RESULTS, HYPOTHESIS IS PROVEN OR DISPROVEN

MODIFY PLAN

CARRY OUT NEW PLAN

Diagram summarizing the operations involved in Planning and Designing (shaded boxes).
Prepared by S. Elinor Jordan B. Sc. Dip. Ed. M.Ed.