Scribd
Upload
337 views

Transpiration - Simple Experiments To Try: Activity 1-Choose Your Apparatus - An Experiment Circus

Uploaded by

Abed Zaghal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
337 views

Transpiration - Simple Experiments To Try: Activity 1-Choose Your Apparatus - An Experiment Circus

Uploaded by

Abed Zaghal
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Transpiration – simple experiments to try

The aim of this activity is to set up some simple transpiration experiments and to make it work. Then to plan
how to use it for an investigation.

Activity 1- Choose your apparatus – an experiment circus

Burette & tube potometer Filter paper potometer Traditional Lab potometer

Soak a piece of filter paper.


Under water in a bowl or sink, Attach a plumbing washer, or Under water connect a branch
connect a branch to one end of rubber bung to one end of the to the tube and draw water
the tube and a 1ml graduated capillary tube. Sit the wet paper into the syringe. Careful use
pipette to the other. Vaseline on the top ensuring it touches the of the 3 way taps is needed.
and clamps may help to seal. water in the tube. Watch the
bubble move along the capillary.
Plastic bag potometer Celery and oil potometer Balance potometer

Cut the base of a stalk of celery


Measure the mass of a plastic under water. Cover the surface of Measure the mass of a plant
bag accurately. Attach the bag the water in a layer of cooking oil. accurately using an electronic
over the top of a plant and At the end of the experiment balance. Size of plant must
wait. Measure the mass again measure the distance the water not be too big. Record the
after a given time. has moved up the xylem of the mass again over time.
celery by slicing across the stem.

© David Faure, InThinking http://www.thinkib.net/biology 1


Method
1. Each student sets up one piece of apparatus and records any starting data on a piece of
paper which stays with the apparatus. See details in the table below.
2. After the setup time students rotate one place and begin to record data or repair equipment
of their neighbour which is not working.
3. After the first ten minutes of data recording students estimate the uncertainties of the
apparatus and rotate one place.
4. Again after ten minutes of data collection students record uncertainties and limitations and
rotate one place.
5. Continue repeating stem 4 until each student has an opportunity to test each of the simple
sets of apparatus.
6. To end the activity students return to their original place and collect the sheet containing
data, uncertainties and limitations.

All of these sets of apparatus require good manipulative skills to make them work.
Which sets of apparatus seemed to work best?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Which apparatus was the most problematic, explain why?


…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2
Transpiration – simple experiments to try

Activity 2 – Choose your variables


In the IB guide students are asked to investigate one of two possible independent variables:

 the temperature, or
 the humidity.

Both of these variables are difficult to manipulate while controlling other variables. This is part of
the challenge of being a biologist. Try to design a way to change these variables for one of the sets
of apparatus from activity 1.

1. How is it possible to set up an experiment to investigate five different temperatures?


…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

2. How to set up an experiment to investigate five different humidities?


…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

© David Faure, InThinking http://www.thinkib.net/biology 3


Activity 3 – Design a data set and collect the data

Use one of your experiment designs from activity two for this activity.

What type of graph will be needed to show any relationships between the variable which is
deliberately changed (the independent variable) and the variable which has been measured?

Sketch a graph as an example.

How many results will be needed to draw this graph?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

What size will be the smallest and largest values of the variable you changed in the experiment?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Sketch a results table in the space below that could be used to collect the data from this experiment.

Finally note any hazards and precautions which need to be taken in the experiment.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

You might also like