Post-lab 2 Assignment

1. Creating Your Standard Curve in Excel

Using the data that you collected in Table 2.7, and the instructions provided in Excel Tutorial #2
(p. 109), create a scatter plot using Excel. You should only include the data for samples 0I, 5I,
10I, 15I, 20I, and 25I in your standard curve. Your independent variable is amylase
concentration, and your dependent variable is absorbance. Follow the instructions in the
tutorial to format your graph correctly as a publication quality figure. Add a line of best fit to
the scatterplot. Add the equation of the line and make sure that the R 2 value is visible on the
figure. This graph is your standard curve. (10 marks)
2. Determine the concentration of Amylase in your Saliva Samples
The standard curve can be used to determine the amylase concentration of your unknown
samples since you measured the absorbance. The equation of the line in the format y = mx + b,
can be used to calculate the unknown amylase concentration in your saliva. This can be
accomplished by inputting the measured absorbance value of each unknown sample into the
equation of the line and solving the equation to determine the amylase concentration in each
of these tubes. Please remember to factor in the dilution of your saliva sample when calculating
your Amylase conc (mg/ml) and if done correctly, your calculated concentration from the
standard curve will be the same value for 10x, 100x and 1000x saliva samples. Please use your
completed curve to determine the concentration of amylase in your unknown saliva samples.
Please show your calculations for each dilution and your final calculated concentration to your
TA. (3 marks)

Your saliva sample Amylase Conc (ug/mL) Amylase Conc (mg/mL)

10x, 100x and 1000x Y=mx+b

3. Using the completed data Table 2.8 provided by your TA, with both amylase concentration
and self-reported starch consumption from all your labmates, create a 3-bar graph.
Create as a publication-grade figure using 3 bars (low, moderate, high starch consumption on
the x-axis and amylase concentration on the y-axis) with accompanying error bars. You will be
creating two versions of the same figure. The data will remain the same, but one figure will
have standard deviation error bars and the other figure will have range error bars. Instructions
on how to do this assignment is detailed in Excel Tutorial #3 for Office 365 - Creating a Bar
Graph with Error Bars (p. 119) (10 marks)

4. What is happening in the amylase reaction tubes when you added liquid from Tube Set 1 to
Tube Set 2? Why are some of the Set 3 tubes a darker blue colour than others at the end of the
reaction? What causes the tubes to turn blue in colour? (2 marks)
 Grade: /26
Lab 2 Notes