PART A- The proposal (Planning and Designing) 9/10

Problem statement: Marcia sells at the market to preserve her products it is a common practice for
Marcia to sprinkle her vegetables. A student suggested that the growth of the vegetables is controlled
by the irrigation practice Marcia uses. Designing an investigation into the student’s suggestion.

Hypothesis: The products will not change when sprinkled with pesticides.

Aim: To investigate the effects of sprinkling on the products.

Apparatus: Yam, hoe, sprinklers, pesticides

Chemicals: Water, pesticide

Procedure:

1) Use the hoe to dig beds.

2) Plant yam heads.

3) Water yams and sprinkle the yam.

4) Leave the yam for 24 hors.

5) Remove yam and observe the physical qualities before and after being sprinkled

6) Record results in table.

Variable:

Controlled: Size and type of storage organ.

Manipulated: pH (substance)

Responding: Color from cut surface 1

Expected Results:

If the cut surface of the yam changes to brown then the hypothesis would be disproved.

In storage organs such as yam, there is an enzyme known as polyphenol oxidase or tyrosine which
causes of the browning of these fruit when exposed to the environment after being cut or bruised
where the cut surface is revealed. The optimum pH of the enzyme is 6.5, therefore, if the fruit is placed
in an acidic environment the enzyme would become denatured.2

Assumptions:

1∙ three drops from each solution is the most suitable amount to be placed on the cut surface of the
yam.

2∙ The time in which the solution was left of the yam was assumed to be best duration in order to obtain
credible results.