RMIT Urban School

Unit 3 Biology

Practical Activity Unit 3 2019

Student Name:

Student N0:

1
 Pages

1. Timeline 3

2. Precautions and protections 4

3. Practical Activity 1: The effect of partially permeable membrane on

the movement of starch and water molecules. 5–7

4. Practical Activity 2: DNA extraction from Kiwifruit 8-10

5. Practical Activity 3: Conditions needed effective enzyme action 11- 12

6. Practical Activity 4: Photosynthesis and respiration- a balance 14-16

7. Practical Activity 5: Investigation of the effect of a plant hormone on plant

growth 17- 21

8. Practical Activity 6: Effectiveness of common skin cleaning agents on

bacterial growth 22- 25

9. Practical Activity 7: Human lymphatic system (Models and charts) 26-27

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 VCE Unit 3: Practical Activities Time line:
Date Class Time Activity
Tuesday Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 1: The effect of Please set the experiment
12th Feb 12.30 am partially permeable before the class for
membrane on the demonstration.
movement of starch and
water molecules
(Demonstration).
Friday Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 1: The effect of Please set the experiment
15th Feb 12.30 am partially permeable before the class for
membrane on the demonstration.
movement of starch and
water molecules
(Demonstration).
Tuesday Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 2: DNA extraction Total 30 students in class
26th Feb 12.30 am from Kiwifruit. Three students in a group.
Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 2: DNA extraction Total 30 students in class
Friday 1st 12.30 am from Kiwifruit. Three students in a group.
Mar
Tuesday Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 3: Conditions needed Total 30 students in class
12th March 12.30 am for effective enzyme Three students in a group.
action.
Friday 15th Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 3: Conditions needed Total 30 students in class
March 12.30 am for effective enzyme Three students in a group.
action.
Tuesday Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 4: Photosynthesis and Total 30 students in class
19th March 12.30 am respiration- a balance Three students in a group.
Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 4: Photosynthesis and Total 30 students in class
Friday 22nd 12.30 am respiration- a balance Three students in a group.
March
Tuesday 6th Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 5: Investigation of the Total 30 students in class
May 12.30 am effect of plant hormone on Three students in a group.
plant growth
Friday 10th Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 5: Investigation of the Total 30 students in class
May 12.30 am effect of plant hormone on Three students in a group.
plant growth
Tuesday Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 6: Effectiveness of Total 30 students in class
21st May 12.30 am common skin cleaning Three students in a group.
agents on bacterial growth.
Friday 24th Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 6: Effectiveness of Total 30 students in class
May 12.30 am common skin cleaning Three students in a group.
agents on bacterial growth.
Tuesday 4th Biology B 10.30 am to Prac 7: Human lymphatic Charts and models
June 12.30 am system
Biology A 10.30 am to Prac 7: Human lymphatic Charts and models
Friday 7th 12.30 am system
June

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 Precautions and protection:
Please read all the instructions and sign at the bottom of this page.
 All students must read and sign the risk assessment sheet for each laboratory practical class.
 At the beginning of most laboratories, your instructor will engage in a pre-lab discussion. Many
safety procedures will be discussed during these discussions. Listen attentively and follow these
procedures.
 Switch off your mobiles.
 Always be aware of potential hazards in the laboratory.
 Never run in the laboratory or along corridors.
 Never indulge in reckless behavior in the laboratory.
 Always exercise care when opening and closing doors / entering or leaving a laboratory.
 Do not store food or drink in a refrigerator which is used to store laboratory materials.
 Do not eat or drink in the laboratory.
 Never place pencils, pens, or other materials in your mouth.
 Do not smoke within the laboratory.
 Handle all apparatus carefully.
 Regard all substances as hazardous, unless there is definite information to the contrary.
 Wash skin areas that come into contact with chemicals, irrespective of concentration.
 Clean up spills immediately. Consult your demonstrator.
 Dispose of specialized wastes in containers reserved for the particular type of waste.
 Outdoor clothing and bags must be left in the areas provided.
 Approved safety glasses must be obtained by each student and worn at all times in all
laboratory areas.
 Laboratory coats must be worn in the laboratory at all times.
 Long hair must be tied back
 Suitable covered footwear must be worn in the laboratory at all times.
 Correct gloves for the task should be worn at any time when handling substances.
 Regard all bench tops and other surfaces as potential sources of contamination. Keep your
bench free of non-essential material at all times. Do not sit on benches.
 Students with cuts, abrasions or other open wounds should see their demonstrator and obtain
suitable protective covering.
 All accidents and incidents must be reported to the demonstrator.
 At the end of the session, return all apparatus and reagents to the appropriate places.
 Ensure that all materials to be disposed of are done according to instructions.
 Turn off all services like water, gas and electricity.
 Before leaving the laboratory always wash your hands with soap and water.
Signature of the student:

Name of the student:

Date:

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Practical Activity 1: The effect of a partially permeable membrane on the movement of
starch and water molecules.

Date:

Part A:

Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Dispose of all used
materials in the bin
provided at the end of
the practical.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a partially permeable membrane on the movement of starch
and water molecules.

Materials: Dialysis tubing, iodine/ potassium iodide, thistle funnel, gas jar, retort stand, clamps,
rubber bands, 50ml beaker
Procedure:

1. Pour starch solution into a 50 ml beaker to a depth of about 1 cm.

2. Add a few drops of iodide/ potassium iodide solution into the starch solution in the beaker.
3. Describe any colour change that occurs.
4. What does the colour change of the solution in the beaker indicate?
5. Fill a gas jar with water until it is about three-quarters full.
6. Add several drops of iodide/ potassium iodide solution.
7. Note the colour of the solution when you add iodide/ potassium iodide to water in the gas jar.
8. What does the colour of the solution in the gas jar indicate about the presence of starch?
9. Use the equipment listed to construct an experimental set-up similar to the one shown in the
following figure.

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 10. Set up the retort stand to support the thistle funnel first.
11. Moisten the dialysis tubing. It may help to open the ends of the dialysis tubing.
12. Tie one end firmly closed with a rubber band.
13. Tie the other end so that it is securely fastened to the thistle funnel.
14. Pour starch solution into the thistle funnel/ dialysis tubing.
15. Note the initial level of the starch solution in the thistle funnel.
16. Make sure that there is no starch solution on the outside of the dialysis tubing or no leaking of
starch solution through the dialysis tubing.
17. Use the clamp to lower the dialysis tubing completely into the water with iodide/ potassium
iodide.
18. Leave the set-up undisturbed for 30 minutes (longer if possible).
19. Note any colour change of the starch solution in the dialysis tubing.
20. What does it indicate?
21. Note the level of the starch solution in the thistle funnel.
22. What does it indicate?

Questions:

1. Write your observations and explanations of steps 3, 4, 7, 8, 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the
procedure.

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Practical Activity 2: DNA extraction from Kiwifruit.

Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Dispose of all used
materials in the bin
provided at the end of
the practical.

Purpose: To extract and handle DNA from the cells of a kiwifruit.

.
Materials: Ice water bath, 100ml chilled ethanol, detergent, 600C water bath, thermometer,
filter paper, cutting board or plate, test tube rack, 1 x 500ml beaker, ½ Kiwifruit, scalpel and fork for
cutting and mashing, funnel, stirring rod, transfer pipette, 2 x 200ml graduated beakers, 1 x 100ml
measuring cylinder and 2 test tubes.

Procedure:

Extracting the DNA

 Prepare the DNA extraction solution: Weigh out 2g of NaCl and place in 200ml beaker. Add
90ml of water then add 10 ml of detergent. Stir gently with a stirring rod to dissolve NaCl and to
mix thoroughly.
 Peel the kiwifruit and cut into chunks.
 Weigh out 30g of these chunks and mash thoroughly with a fork.
 Place the mashed fruit in a 200ml beaker.
 Pour the DNA extraction solution over the fruit until the total volume is approximately double
that of the fruit alone.
 Place the beaker into 600 water bath and allow to incubate for 10-15 minutes, stirring
occasionally to distribute heat evenly. Check that the temperature of the water bath is maintained
between 50-600C for this time.
 Transfer the beaker to the ice bath for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally while it cools.
 While it is cooling, set up the funnel lined for filtration.
 Pour the cooled extraction mixture into the funnel and allow to filter through.
 Thoroughly swirl the filtrate to mix and then pour about 5ml into a test tube.

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 Precipitating the DNA
 Gently layer about 10 ml of chilled ethanol (This must be as cold as possible - remove from ice
bath immediately before use) on top of the filtrate. Add with a transfer pipette or gently pour
down the side of the tube, while holding it at an angle.
 Place the tube gently into a rack and observe what happens at the interface between the ethanol
and the filtrate. Record your observations.
 Allow the solution to sit undisturbed for 2 minutes.
 A white precipitate should form in the alcohol layer which will appear as slimy, white mucus.
This is DNA and may be collected with a stick.

Questions:

1. What do you think is the purpose of the following chemicals/ materials or steps in this practical
activity?
a. NaCl

b. Detergent

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 c. 600C Water bath

d. Ice bath

e. Ethanol

2. The DNA obtained is not pure, what other types of molecules may be present?

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Practical Activity 3: Conditions needed for effective enzyme action.

Date:

Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Caution when using hot
water bath.
 Dispose of all used
materials in the bin
provided at the end of
the practical.

Purpose: To investigate the activity of enzymes and test the effect that temperature has on
enzyme function.

Materials: liver (fresh) finely cut, 3 test tubes, 3% hydrogen peroxide, mortar and pestle, hot
plate / Bunsen burner, detergent, sand, and 100 mL beaker.
Procedure:

 Collect nine small pieces of liver.

 Place three in a beaker half filled with water and boil strongly for 5 minutes.
 Place three in a mortar with a little sand and grind with the pestle.
 Label the test tubes A, B and C and place 5 mL of hydrogen peroxide and 3 drops of detergent
into each.
 Place the fresh liver into tube A, the ground liver into tube B and the boiled liver into tube C.
 Record the height of the bubbles produced in each test tube and compare.

Questions

1. Record your observation and Comment on the relative activity of the three samples.

2. Why could you estimate the amount of activity of catalase by observing the amount of
bubbling in the test tubes?

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3. What was the control in this experiment? What variables were being tested in the two test
tubes?

4. What effect does grinding up the liver have on enzyme activity? Explain why.

5. Account for the reaction rate in test tube C.

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Practical Activity 4: Photosynthesis and respiration - a balance.

Date:
Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Dispose of all used
materials in the bin
provided at the end of
the practical.

Purpose: To recognise the interdependence of the processes of photosynthesis and respiration,

identify the changes in pH to the water surrounding an aquatic plant and describe the
effect of different wavelengths of light on the rate of carbon dioxide uptake of green
plants.
Materials: Five culture tubes with corks or screw caps, test-tube rack, pond water, phenol red
indicator, source of carbon dioxide gas, ammonia solution, Ana charis, pH paper and
Grolux light.
Procedure:
(a) Before setting up the experiment

 Pour some pond water into a culture tube and add a few drops of phenol red indicator.
 Check the pH of the solution and record it.
 Check the colour of the solution and record it.
 Bubble carbon dioxide gas through the solution.
 Check the pH of the solution and record it.
 Check the colour of the solution and record it.
 Add 1-2 drops of ammonia solution to the culture tube.
 Check the pH of the solution and record it.
 Check the colour of the solution and record it.

pH Colour of the solution

1 Pond water in a culture tube + a few drops of phenol.

2 Pond water in a culture tube + a few drops of phenol + CO2.

3 Pond water in a culture tube + a few drops of phenol + CO2

+ ammonia solution.

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1. Refer to the data collected and explain what you would expect to happen to the colour of
pond water + indicator when a water plant is actively photosynthesising. Why?

2. What do you think will happen to the colour of the indicator when the plant does not
photosynthesise for a time?

(b) Set up the experiment

 To set up your experiment, number the culture tubes 1 to 4 and set up the tubes as shown
in the figure.

 Fill each tube with pond water to which indicator has been added.
 Place the caps firmly on the tubes so that they are sealed off from the air.
 Place tubes 1 and 2 in a brightly lit area (under a Grolux lamp) and tubes 3 and 4 in the dark.
 Record the colour of the indicator in each tube at the beginning of the experiment.
 Check the colour of the indicator daily until a pattern has been clearly established.

3. Draw up a table in your practical book to record your results.

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4. Which are the hypotheses that you have tested in this practical activity?

5. Name the variables (independent and dependent) in this experiment.

6. What is the purpose of tubes 1 and 3? Explain

7. Under what conditions do you expect the indicator to change to pink? Does this happen in
any of the tubes? Can you explain this in terms of the processes going on in the plant?

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8. Under what conditions do you expect the indicator to change to yellow? Does this happen
in any of the tubes? Can you explain this in terms of the processes going on in the plant?

9. Can you suggest any changes or improvements to this experiment which would increase
your confidence in your conclusions?

10. Conclusion

Summarise your results, relating them to the aims of this activity.

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Practical Activity 5: Investigation of the effect of plant hormones on dwarf pea plants.

Date:

Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Dispose of all used
materials in the bin
provided at the end of
the practical.

Aim: To investigate the effect of plant hormones IAA and GA on dwarf pea plants.

Materials: Dwarf pea pot plants, sticks for support of growing seedlings, gibberellic acid (GA)
solution, indoleacetic acid (IAA) solution, ruler and trays.
Procedure:

 Divide pot pea plants into 3 groups, Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3.
 Each group consists of 4 pot peas with similar heights.
 Apply treatments as outlined in the following table.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

No treatment IAA treatment: apply GA treatment: apply
IAA to the apical bud GA to apical bud

 Repeat the treatments at least once a week for three weeks.

 Assess the growth of each plant by making the following measurements at the start of the
experiment and each week.
i. measure the height of the plant from the soil surface to the apical bud
ii. count the number of expanded leaves on each plant
iii. count the number of visible internodes on each plant.

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 Record your observations and measurements in the following tables.
Group 1: No treatment
Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Plant 4 Average
Week 0 Height of plant
10 9 9 9 9

Number of leaves
18 18 16 16 17

Number of
internodes 5 5 5 5 5

Week 1 Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes
Week 2
Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes

Group 2: IAA treatment

Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Plant 4 Average
Week 0 Height of plant
12 10 10.5 10.5 11.25

Number of leaves
12 10 10 10.5 10.5

Number of
internodes 4 4 4 4 4

Week 1 Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes
Week 2 Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes

Group 3: GA treatment
Plant 1 Plant 2 Plant 3 Plant 4 Average
Week 0 Height of plant
10 10.5 11 9 10.125

Number of leaves
6 10 10 8 8.5

Number of
3 4 4 4 3.75
internodes
Week 1 Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes
Week 2 Height of plant

Number of leaves

Number of
internodes

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Questions:

1. Draw a graph of average height against time for each group.

Graph

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2. Draw a graph of average number of leaves against time for each group.
Graph

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3. Draw a graph of average number of internodes against time for each group.
Graph

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Practical Activity 6: Effectiveness of common skin cleaning agents on bacterial growth.

Date:

Safety Precautions:
 Wear lab coat, gloves
and eye protection
whilst carrying out this
experiment.
 Avoid skin contacts
with reagents.
 Dispose of all used agar
plates in the biological
hazard bin provided at
the end of the practical.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of common skin cleaning agents on bacterial growth.

Materials: Six poured sterile nutrient agar plates, marking pen, access to washing facilities,
regular bathroom grade soap, disinfectant soap, clear sticky tape, incubator set at 20-
250C
Procedure:

For the purposes this activity it is recommended that hands not be washed within the hour before
undertaking the activity. Each group has three students.

 Collect six pored sterile nutrient agar plates, two for each member of your group. Label the base
of each of your dishes with your initials.
 Each person should label the base of one dish ‘unwashed’ to indicate the dish used for unwashed
hands.
 Decide who will wash their hands with water, who will use regular soap and who will use
disinfectant soap. Label your dishes according to the soap you will be using. For example, one
member of your pair will label ‘water’, indicating the use of water only to wash hands, ‘R Soap’
indicates the dish incubated after hands have been washed with regular soap, ‘D soap’ represents
the dish incubated after hands have been washed with disinfectant soap.
 Each person should raise the lid of the ‘unwashed’ dish with one hand, keeping it above the base
dish, and then lay the fingers of the other hand across the agar so that you press lightly on the agar
surface, but not with sufficient pressure to break the surface of the agar.

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  Each person should wash their hands thoroughly with water, regular soap or disinfectant soap
respectively. Let your hands ‘air’ dry without touching anything.
 Each person repeat step 4, but this time using the dish nominated for water, regular soap and
disinfectant soap respectively.
 Seal the dishes with clear sticky tape and incubate at 20-250C (room temp) for 24-36 hours.
 Wash your hand thoroughly using soap and water.

Next lesson:
DO NOT OPEN ANY OF THE INCUBATED DISHES

1. Examine the dishes carefully

Questions:

1. Write a hypothesis being tested in this experiment.

2. Record your observation in the following table.

Hand washing result

Hand treatment Number and description of bacterial colonies
Person 1 Unwashed

Water

Person 2 Unwashed

Regular soap

Person 3 Unwashed

Disinfectant soap

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DISPOSE OF THE DISHES AS DIRECTED BY YOUR TEACHER, AND WASH YOUR
HANDS THOROUGHLY.

3. Were the results consistent with your expectations? Explain

4. Do the results of your experiment support or negate your hypothesis? Explain

5. Outline any limitations you encountered in this activity.

6. In Australia, health regulations have found their way into our everyday lives, eg: food
handling outlets use plastic gloves to handle food for public consumption, dentists and
surgeons use latex gloves, physicians also wear the gloves to carry out some procedures. Use
examples to explain why such procedures have been put in place.

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7. Conclusion

Write a statement about the effectiveness of different hand washing agents in relation to the
control of bacterial growth.

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Practical Activity 7 Human lymphatic system (Models and charts)
Date:

Safety Precautions:
 No major OHS safety
issues are involved with
this practical activity.
 However, please
carefully handle the
charts and models.

Purpose: To investigate human lymphatic system

Materials: Human lymphatic system charts, models, your tube videos etc

Procedure: Study the following diagram of the lymphatic system. Identify these components
in the given chart or model

1. Which are the primary lymphoid organs?

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2. What are the main functions of primary lymphoid organs?

3. Which are the secondary lymphoid organs?

4. What are the main functions of secondary lymphoid organs?

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