Title: Lab safety, experiment

planning and maths

GET UP WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING
WRONG
Be prepared to explain why
• Write down a list of all the things going wrong in this lab.
• For each of your answers, write a safety rule.
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
Safety symbols bingo
 Safety symbols bingo
WINNER!
ANSWERS
HOW TO DO AN
INVESTIGATIO
N?
• https://
www.youtube.com/watch?
v=h4MhbkWJzKk&ab_chann
el=TED
Microwave ovens…
• Hands up who has heard bad things about them
• Hands up who has eaten food heated up in one
• Let’s read about a project on the effect of microwave water on plants
• Stand up when you hear something that seems like “bad Science” to
you

• https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/microwave-water-plants/
HOW TO DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT (see example of a badly designed one https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/microwave-water-
plants/)
Ask a question. Make reliable measurements.
Sketch procedure: Matching repeats (at least 3).

Create a hypothesis.
A testable theory. A possible answer to
the question. Make accurate measurements.
Close to the true value.

Make a prediction.
An expected outcome.
Make precise measurements.
Obtained with instrument that shows
small differences.
Variables

Independent:
What you change. What can be concluded?
The answer to the question.

Dependent:
What you observe/measure.

Control:
What must stay the same, otherwise
would affect
observations/measurements. Acknowledge limitations?
What could be improved.
HOW TO DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT
Ask a question. Make reliable measurements.
Is microwave heated water harmful to 3 repeats
plants? Sketch procedure:
Large sample (many plants – thousands)

Create a hypothesis.
Microwave water is harmful to plants.
Make accurate measurements.
Water content of leaves (rather than
plant appearance)
Make a prediction.
Plants watered with microwave heated
water will wilt and die sooner than other
Make precise measurements.
plants.
High precision scales to weigh leaves.

Variables

Independent:
Method of heating water. What can be concluded?
The answer to the question.

Dependent:
Water content of leaves

Control:
Type of water
Container for heating it
Type of soil Acknowledge limitations?
Type of plant What could be improved.
Age of plant
Volume of water
Temperature
Sunlight
 MATHS IN BIOLOGY

Calculate mean
(add values and divide by the Remove anomalous results
number of values that were If results do not fit pattern, remove them
added) before calculating the mean
(11+13+12)/3 (11,13,1)

Plot a graph
(place the independent variable
on the horizontal axis and the
dependent on the vertical axis)
Teams with MWB – super fast quiz
1 out of 5
• Write down how you calculate the mean for the following values:
• 4,5,7
2 out of 5
• Label the axes with independent variable and dependent variable
3 out of 5
• Sketch the axis for a graph to show plant height and how much water
was used to water the plants
4 out of 5
• Identify the anomalous result:
• 19.2
• 19.4
• 5.7
5 out of 5
• Show how you would work out the mean of the following results:
• 19.2
• 19.4
• 5.7