Biology CourseworkTo determine if the distribution of flora across Ellerbeck is due to chance. The valley containing Eller beck possesses a huge variety of different species of plant life, particular species are often found in specific places

Biology Coursework To determine if the distribution of flora across Ellerbeck is due to chance. The valley containing Eller beck possesses a huge variety of different species of plant life, particular species are often found in specific places across the valley, to find out why these particular plants grow in the particular places I mean to investigate where different species of plants are located and what the conditions in those particular places are, investigating the effects of several factors on the distribution of these different species across a specific area of the valley. I believe that the varied distribution of the different species investigated is directly related to, and can be explained by the differences in the factors I will be measuring, that certain plants will grow in certain places in the area because they are more suitably adapted, in whatever way to the conditions in that specific place. This is a rough diagram of Ellerbeck. I plan to perform my investigation using two information gathering techniques, after first establishing a straight line across the valley by taking a bearing using a compass from one point at the top of the South side of the valley and following that bearing down the valley, across the beck and up the other side whilst performing both a line transect and an interrupted belt transect. I also plan to perform an interrupted belt

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An investigation into the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis of Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis)

An investigation into the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis of Canadian pondweed (Elodea canadensis) Planning Scientific knowledge and understanding All green plants need to be able to make their own food. They do this by a process called photosynthesis, which means, "making things with light." Photosynthesis is a series of organic chemical reactions by which green plants produce glucose and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. It occurs only in the presence of light, and takes place in the chloroplasts of green plant cells. Land plants get carbon dioxide from the air. Water plants get carbon dioxide from water (carbon dioxide in the air dissolved into water). Photosynthesis creates oxygen and sugar. Oxygen is released into the air and used by all animals, including humans, in order to respire. Sugar is used by the plant to respire or store them inside their body. The overall chemical equation for photosynthesis can be expressed as: Plants convert the light energy into stored chemical energy. Photosynthesis is possible because green plants contain an energy-capturing substance called chlorophyll. The plant gets its green colour because chlorophyll is green. Light energy drives photosynthesis. The chlorophyll captures the light energy and uses it to build carbohydrates from simple raw materials (water, carbon dioxide and minerals). The raw

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How the Mass of Plant Tissue is Affected by a Range of Water Concentrations

How the Mass of Plant Tissue is Affected by a Range of Water Concentrations I will make my investigation fair test by making sure that only the independent variable which is the water concentration changes. There are several control variables which I must ensure I keep the same: * Light * Temperature * Oxygen level in the water * Carbon dioxide level in the water * Size and type of chip I will make sure these remain the same throughout the experiment by: Light: I will carry out the experiment in the same place in the room. Temperature: I will carry out the experiment in the same position in the room. Oxygen level in the water and carbon dioxide level in the water: These are not likely to change much, but I will get the water from the same source. Size and type of chip: I will cut the chips all to the same size and get them from the same source. Prediction I predict that the lower the concentration of water that is in the test tube, the more mass the potato chip will lose. Reasons for Prediction I think that that the end mass will be higher when there is a higher concentration of water because the plant tissue will take in more water. Therefore the more water in the tissue the higher the mass will be. The plant tissue will absorb the water through a process called Osmosis. Osmosis is the movement of water molecules from an area of high concentration to an area

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How the molar concentration of NaHCO3 (Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate) affects the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea.

How the molar concentration of NaHCO3 (Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate) affects the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea. In the experiment I am conducting, I will attempt to discover how the molar concentration of NaHCO3 affects the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea by setting up simple equipment, recording the results as well as attempting to draw some conclusions from my results. I will be looking to find if a relationship/correlation exists between the concentration of NaHCO3 and the amount of bubbles produced during a set duration. Factor chosen: I shall vary the molar concentration of NaHCO3 (Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate) in order to change the concentration of available CO2. My variables: In my experiment, my dependent variable will be the amount of oxygen produced, my independent variable will be the concentration of NaHCO3 and my control variable will be light intensity/distance of lamp from Elodea as well as temperature. Amount of oxygen produced: - the amount of oxygen produced will increase or decrease according to the strengths and amounts of the other factors. Oxygen is created as a result of photosynthesis along with glucose, and this oxygen will be present in the form of a bubble which I will attempt to count. Concentration of NaHCO3:- It gives out carbon dioxide, and when it is heated at relatively high temperatures, it gives out even more carbon dioxide. The

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The effects of shade from trees on plants below

The Effect Of Shade From Trees (On plants below) The effects of shade from trees on plants below Introduction A collection of living things together at the same place and time is called a Habitat. The main purpose of a habitat is to provide and adequate food supply, a comfortable place to breeding/reproduction to take place and to provide a certain degree of shelter. Examples of various habitats are: * Forests and woodland/ trees * Bushes and shrubs * Ponds/ lakes * Sand dunes * Grassland * Rocky shores * Mossy brick walls Apart from where the habitat is situated, there are also 5 other key factors that affect the living things in a habitat. These are: . Climate: which includes variation in Temperature, the amount of rainfall, the light intensity and wind variation. 2. Biotic: Interaction of living things e.g. food chains/ webs 3. Humans: pollution and insecticides are used which effect the environment. 4. Soil: Variations in soil type lead to certain living things having to live in certain areas 5. Shape of the land and aspect: certain areas of land would not be suitable for all living things because of various obstacles. A woodland habitat Within a woodland habitat the main dominating organisms are the trees. The reason for their domination apart from the fact that they are usually larger than most other wildlife is due to the fact that trees have

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Investigating Factors Affecting the Rate of Photosynthesis.

AT2 Biology Investigating Factors Affecting the Rate of Photosynthesis Stella Boachie How does Light Intensity Affect the Rate of Photosynthesis? Aim The aim of this coursework is to investigate whether light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis. To do this, I will place a piece of Canadian pondweed in varying light intensities and observe the amount of oxygen given off. Introduction Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and certain other organisms transform light into chemical energy. In green plants, light energy is captured by chlorophyll in the chloroplasts found in the palisade cells of the leaves and used to concert water, carbon dioxide and minerals into oxygen and energy rich organic compounds (sugar) that are the basis of both plants and animal life. The first step in photosynthesis is Light Dependent Processes (Light Reaction). Light strikes chlorophyll in such a way as to excite electrons to a higher energy state. In a series of reaction, the energy is converted along an electron transport process into ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and NADPH (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate). Water is split in the process, releasing oxygen as a by-product of the reaction. The ATP and NADPH are used to make C-C bonds in the next stage of photosynthesis, Light Independent Process (Dark Reaction). In the Light Independent Process, carbon

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Biology lab - transpiration

AP Biology Lab 9: Transpiration Introduction Most of the water a plant absorbs is not used for a plant's daily functioning. It is instead lost through transpiration, the evaporation of water through the leaf surface and stomata, and through guttation, which is the loss of water from the vascular tissues in the margins of leaves. There are three levels of transport in plants: uptake and release of water and solutes by individual cells, short distance cell to cell transport at tissue and organ levels, and long distance transport of sap by xylem and phloem at the whole plant level. The transport of water is controlled by water potential. Water will always move from an area of high water potential to an area with low water potential. This water potential is affected by pressure, gravity, and solute concentration. Water moves into the plant through osmosis and creates a hydrostatic root pressure that forces the water upward for a short distance, however, the main force in moving water is the upward pull due to transpiration. This pull is increased by water's natural properties such as adhesion and cohesion. Transpiration decreases the water potential in the stele causing water to move in and pull upward into the leaves and other areas of low water potential. Pressure begins to build in the leaves, so to prevent downward movement, guttation occurs. Guttation occurs through leaf

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Investigate the effect of huddling on heat loss.

Huddle investigation PLANNING A Aim: to investigate the effect of huddling on heat loss Hypotheses: . That the larger the huddle, the smaller the amount of heat lost. That is, an organism (test tube) on its own will lose more heat than if it were huddled in a group. In an experiment using test tubes, this will be supported by data which shows that a test tube by itself will lose more heat in the same amount of time than if it were in a huddle. 2. The temperature loss should decrease proportionally as the size of the huddle grows. 3. Also, the organism (test tube) in the centre of the huddle will lose less heat than an organism or test tube on the outside of the huddle. The reasoning behind this hypothesis is that as the huddle group grows in size, the amount of exposed 'surface area' will be reduced per test tube. Although in practice not every test tube is exposed, theoretically, this is a way of comparing huddles. Also, in a huddle of many organisms, or test tubes, if there is a centre test tube which is not 'exposed', it will be warmer than those on the periphery of the huddle. This hypothesis can be supported by data collected in the experiment by measuring the temperature of the centre of the huddle and the periphery of the huddle. The centre will be warmer because it has no surface area exposed to the outside. Huddling is a behavioural adaptation

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An Investigation into the Effects that Different Light Intensities have on the Speed of Woodlice:

An Investigation into the Effects that Different Light Intensities have on the Speed of Woodlice: Introduction: Woodlice are one of the easiest terrestrial arthropods to obtain in large numbers throughout the year. Porcellio scaber, the most common species is not difficult to identify with the naked eye, and is large enough to be handled without employing special techniques. Their behaviour is relatively simple yet providing perfect examples of kinesis and taxis. i A species, which shows taxis, can orient the direction of their movement with respect to the source of an external stimulus whilst kinesis is a steady-state dependence of the movement velocity on the stimulus intensity.iii Thus it is clear that kinesis will be the important response in my investigation as I am not concerned with the stimulus direction. Woodlice lack a waxy cuticle on their exoskeleton and have a high surface area to volume ratio. This means that they are prone to desiccation. As a result, much of their behaviour is concerned with reducing water loss. Woodlice will therefore tend to congregate in more humid, cooler and darker regions where their water loss will be lower.ii Although light does not affect the physiological state of woodlice in the same way as humidity and temperature, it plays a very important part in woodlice behaviour. Woodlice have a negative photokinesis- they move faster as

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Water is a molecule composed of two elements of hydrogen covalently bonded with one element of oxygen

AP Biology Essay 1 Water is a molecule composed of two elements of hydrogen covalently bonded with one element of oxygen. Because of the polarity created from the covalent bond these molecules of water are all connected with a hydrogen bond. A hydrogen bond is formed when two molecules are attracted to oppositely charged components of another molecule. A hydrogen bond has about 5% the strength of a covalent bond and is responsible for some of the unique qualities found in water. It takes a large amount of energy to break down the hydrogen bonds in water allowing it to have a high specific heat, giving water its high boiling point and allowing it to maintain a liquid form over a wide range of temperatures. The hydrogen bonds also allow water to have high surface tension. This happens because, although one hydrogen bond is relatively weak, when many of these bonds are formed between two molecules it causes the bonds to be sufficiently strong and quite stable. Hydrogen bonding also influences cohesion, the clinging of a water molecule to itself or adhesion, the clinging of a molecule to another molecule. Water is known as the "solvent for life" or the "universal solvent". Water is a good natural solvent because it exits in the liquid state in its natural habitat. Another one of water's reasons for being such a good solvent is credited to its feature of having polar

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