Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Unit 3
Science Investigation Skills
Topic D: Enzymes in action
Lesson 1
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Learning objectives

• To become familiar with assessment command words

• To gain awareness of the method of assessment for Unit 3

• To describe peptide linkage of amino acids

• To research the different levels of protein structure and the

types of bonds involved

• To relate protein structure to function

Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Command words
• There are many command words that are used
to tell you what you need to do in the assessment
tasks.
• You need to have a firm understanding of the
specific meanings of the command words used
in assessments.
• The command words required are defined in the
specification and you should make sure you know
what they are asking you to do.
 Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Example command word: ‘compare’

The definition of ‘compare’ in the specification is as follows:

 You need to look for the similarities and differences of two (or more)
things.
 The answer must include at least one similarity and one difference.
 This should not require the drawing of a conclusion.
 The answer must relate to both (or all) things mentioned in the
question.
Practice task:
Compare sheep and rabbits, following the above definition.

You could ask a friend to check you have included all the requirements
for a good comparison, and have left out points not required.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

How will you be assessed on this unit?

Unit 3 is an externally assessed unit.
The assessment consists of two parts:

Part A:
 You will carry out an investigation following a task brief provided by Pearson.
You will have two weeks to do this.
 You will need to plan, carry out and record a scientific investigation to create primary
data (results/observations) for use in Part B.
 You will not be assessed on practical competence.

Part B:
 This takes place in May or June, two weeks after beginning part A.
 Part B is a written task worth 60 marks.
 You will have 1½ hours to complete a task booklet in which you will process, analyse
and evaluate your primary data and secondary data.
 Sample assessment materials will be available for you to practise your skills.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

What are the functions of these

substances in the body?

kerati
zym es n
en
haemoglobin
hor
mo
nes
collagen

i bodi e s
ant
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

What do all of these substances have in

common?
They all
consist of kerati
n
ym e s protein.
enz

haemoglobin
(so
hor me)
mo
collagen bodi e s nes
anti
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Proteins consist of long chains of amino acids

(polypeptides).
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Structure of an amino acid

The central carbon atom of an amino acid is
bonded to a hydrogen atom and three other
groups.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Build a model of an amino acid using a

hydrogen atom for the R group as an example.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Amino acids are joined together by peptide bonds which form between
the carboxyl group of one amino acid and the amino group of another.
A molecule of water is lost, so this is a condensation reaction.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

The amino acid glycine has an R group consisting of a hydrogen atom.

Add this to your model to form a glycine molecule.

Working with a partner, link two glycines together by removing H2O and form a
peptide bond between them.

How long a polypeptide chain can your class make?

Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Different R groups assign different properties to the amino acids. There

are four main types of amino acids with properties determined by their R
groups:

• Polar/hydrophilic

• Non-polar/hydrophobic

• Acidic/negatively charged R groups

• Basic/positively charged R groups

Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Polar R groups are hydrophilic and non-polar R groups are hydrophobic.

Test your understanding

In a soluble blood protein, which type of amino acid would you expect
to find on the external surface of the protein molecule (exposed to the
water-containing plasma)?
Which type of amino acid would you expect to find embedded within
the internal part of the molecule?
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Some R groups have a negative charge (acidic, eg. COO -) and some have
a positive charge (basic, e.g. NH3+).

From the five amino acids shown below, can you choose two that might be
attracted to each other and pulled together in a protein structure?
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Different types of bond form between different types of amino acid R

groups within a protein.
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Research activity

Protein structure is described at three levels: primary, secondary and tertiary.

Use books and Internet sources to find out about these levels of structure and
identify:

• the structural features involved at each level

• the types of R groups, attractions and bonds involved in
holding these structural features together.

Extension questions

Some proteins have a further level of structure. What is this called and what
does it involve? Can you identify any examples of proteins with this level of
structure?
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

The different amino acid R groups:

• cause a chain of amino acids (polypeptide chain) to fold

into a particular shape

• assign properties that enable the protein to carry out its function
in a living organism.

Protein shapes come in two main forms: fibrous and globular.

Fibrous Globular
Unit 3: Science Investigation Skills

Fibrous proteins are insoluble in water and have strong, elongated

structures.
Globular proteins are soluble in water and have more rounded structures.

Can you sort these proteins into the two groups?

elastin

fibrous globular