6B-PLANNING AN INVESTIGATION QUESTIONS

(May 2012)
1.
Many hospitals and other public buildings now use alcohol-based hand gels to help prevent the spread
of infection. These hand gels contain a high concentration of an alcohol (such as ethanol) and a mixture of
other components to help thicken and perfume the gel.
Plan an investigation to discover the minimum concentration of ethanol that is needed to inhibit the growth of
a specific type of bacterium.
Your answer should give details under the following headings.
(a) A consideration of the safety issues and how you would minimize the risk.

(3)

(b) Suggestions for preliminary work that you might undertake to ensure your proposed method would provide
meaningful data.
(3)

(c) A detailed method including an explanation of how important variables are to be controlled or monitored.(10)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(d) A clear explanation of how your data are to be recorded, presented and analysed in order to draw
conclusions from your investigation.

(4)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(e) The limitations of your proposed method.

(3)

(Total for Question 1 = 23 marks)

Jan 2012
2. When scientists genetically modify a plant to contain a useful gene, they usually produce clones of the plant
for further testing and evaluation. Plant tissue culture can be used to grow a large number of clones from
small pieces of plant tissue. Plant growth regulators are used in tissue cultures to control the growth of the
plant tissue.
Plan an investigation to test the following hypothesis: The higher the concentration of a plant growth regulator
the greater the rate of growth of the plant tissue.
Your answer should give details under the following headings.
(a) A consideration of whether there are any safety issues that you would need to take into account.

(2)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(b) Suggestions for preliminary work that you might undertake to ensure your proposed method would
provide meaningful data.
(3)

(c) A detailed method including an explanation of how important variables are to be controlled or
monitored.
(10)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(d) A clear explanation of how your data are to be recorded, presented and analysed in order to draw
conclusions from your investigation.
(4)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(e) The limitations of your proposed method.

(3)

(Total for Question 2 = 22 marks)

Jan 2013

3. A company is in the process of developing a new stain-removing washing liquid. They want to
include a protease enzyme to digest the proteins that are responsible for some stains on clothes.
Plan an investigation to discover the optimum concentration of protease to use in this new stainremoving washing liquid.
Your answer should give details under the following headings.
(a) A consideration of whether there is any safety or ethical issues.

(2)

..

(b) Suggestions for preliminary work that you might undertake to ensure your proposed method would
provide meaningful data.
(3)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

(c) A detailed method, including an explanation of how important variables are to be controlled or
monitored.
(10)
[Up to 2 marks are available in this section for the quality of written communication.]

..

..

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation

...

d) A clear explanation of how your data are to be recorded, presented and analysed in order to draw
conclusions from your investigation.
(4)

(e) The limitations of your proposed method.

(3)

(Total for Question 3 = 22 marks)

VIHS/Department of Biology/Grade 12/6B-Planning an investigation