Unit 6: Investigative Skills
Project planning
Aim B: Produce a plan for an investigative project based on the proposal
, Introduction:
I work in a research and development laboratory where experimental investigations are used to improve scientific
understanding and support future applications. I have been given responsibility for managing my own project,
which requires careful planning, organisation, and justification of methods before practical work begins.
Following discussion with my supervisor, this investigation was selected based on professional guidance and my
own interest in biology. The project focuses on measuring the rate of photosynthesis and investigating how
changes in light intensity affect this process, as photosynthesis is a fundamental biological mechanism that
underpins life on Earth. A detailed project proposal will be produced outlining the chosen method, required
resources, and contingency plans, alongside a logbook to record decisions, observations, and justifications
throughout the investigation, demonstrating independent project management and critical scientific thinking.
B.P3 Produce a realistic working plan for the project, including health and safety and risk
assessments.
Plan: methods and procedures
Careful planning is essential to ensure that the investigation into the rate of photosynthesis is valid, reliable, and
achievable within a school laboratory environment. Before carrying out the practical work, different methods,
resources, and potential issues were considered in order to select the most appropriate approach and reduce the
risk of error.
Methods considered
Two main experimental methods were considered for measuring the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed:
1. Counting the number of oxygen bubbles released per minute from a piece of pondweed placed in a
solution containing a source of carbon dioxide.
2. Collecting oxygen gas in a gas syringe and measuring the volume of gas produced over a fixed period of
time.
Both methods are based on measuring oxygen, which is a direct product of the light-dependent stage of
photosynthesis. As a result, both approaches provide a valid indication of photosynthetic rate when light
intensity is changed. However, the methods differ significantly in terms of accuracy, practicality, time required,
and suitability for a school laboratory.
Chosen method and justification
The chosen method for this investigation is counting the number of oxygen bubbles released per minute from
pondweed.
This method was selected because the main aim of the experiment is to investigate how changing light intensity
affects the rate of photosynthesis, rather than to calculate the exact volume of oxygen produced. Counting
Project planning
Aim B: Produce a plan for an investigative project based on the proposal
, Introduction:
I work in a research and development laboratory where experimental investigations are used to improve scientific
understanding and support future applications. I have been given responsibility for managing my own project,
which requires careful planning, organisation, and justification of methods before practical work begins.
Following discussion with my supervisor, this investigation was selected based on professional guidance and my
own interest in biology. The project focuses on measuring the rate of photosynthesis and investigating how
changes in light intensity affect this process, as photosynthesis is a fundamental biological mechanism that
underpins life on Earth. A detailed project proposal will be produced outlining the chosen method, required
resources, and contingency plans, alongside a logbook to record decisions, observations, and justifications
throughout the investigation, demonstrating independent project management and critical scientific thinking.
B.P3 Produce a realistic working plan for the project, including health and safety and risk
assessments.
Plan: methods and procedures
Careful planning is essential to ensure that the investigation into the rate of photosynthesis is valid, reliable, and
achievable within a school laboratory environment. Before carrying out the practical work, different methods,
resources, and potential issues were considered in order to select the most appropriate approach and reduce the
risk of error.
Methods considered
Two main experimental methods were considered for measuring the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed:
1. Counting the number of oxygen bubbles released per minute from a piece of pondweed placed in a
solution containing a source of carbon dioxide.
2. Collecting oxygen gas in a gas syringe and measuring the volume of gas produced over a fixed period of
time.
Both methods are based on measuring oxygen, which is a direct product of the light-dependent stage of
photosynthesis. As a result, both approaches provide a valid indication of photosynthetic rate when light
intensity is changed. However, the methods differ significantly in terms of accuracy, practicality, time required,
and suitability for a school laboratory.
Chosen method and justification
The chosen method for this investigation is counting the number of oxygen bubbles released per minute from
pondweed.
This method was selected because the main aim of the experiment is to investigate how changing light intensity
affects the rate of photosynthesis, rather than to calculate the exact volume of oxygen produced. Counting
