Dear Students,
Welcome to IBDP Biology!
This worksheet is designed to introduce you to the key concepts and skills you'll be developing in your
International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (IBDP) Biology course. This activity will help you understand the
nature of biological study and practice working with data, a crucial part of the IB Biology curriculum.
Please complete this worksheet and email it to rsusanna@[Link]
Section 1: Understanding the Scientific Method
The scientific method is a systematic approach used in scientific investigation. It involves the following steps:
1. Observation: Making an observation about the natural world.
2. Question: Formulating a question based on the observation.
3. Hypothesis: Proposing a hypothesis, a testable explanation.
4. Experiment: Designing and conducting an experiment to test the hypothesis.
5. Data Analysis: Analyzing the data collected from the experiment.
6. Conclusion: Drawing conclusions based on the data.
7. Reporting: Sharing the results with the scientific community.
Activity 1: Applying the Scientific Method
Imagine you are a biologist observing a new species of plant. You notice that this plant only blooms in certain
conditions. Write a possible observation and question related to this phenomenon.
Observation: ___________________________________________________
Question: ______________________________________________________
Propose a hypothesis based on your observation and question.
Hypothesis: ____________________________________________________
Describe an experiment you could design to test your hypothesis.
Experiment Design: _____________________________________________
8. What type of data would you collect from this experiment? List at least three data points or measurements.
Data Points:
1.
2.
Section 2: Data-Based Questions
Activity 2: Analyzing Biological Data
Below is a table showing the growth of a plant species under different light conditions over a period of 10 weeks.
Week Low Light (cm) Medium Light (cm) High Light (cm)
1 2 3 4
2 3 5 6
3 4 6 8
4 5 8 10
5 6 9 12
6 7 11 14
7 8 12 16
8 9 14 18
9 10 15 20
10 11 17 22
Graphing Data: Plot the data from the table on a graph. Use different colors for each light condition.
X-axis: Week
Y-axis: Plant Growth (cm)
Data Interpretation:
a. Which light condition resulted in the fastest plant growth?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
b. By how much did the plant growth differ between low light and high light conditions at the end of 10 weeks?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
c. What conclusions can you draw about the effect of light intensity on plant growth based on this data?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Section 3: Critical Thinking and Application
Activity 3: Designing a Follow-Up Experiment
Based on the data and conclusions from Activity 2, design a follow-up experiment to further investigate the effect
of light on plant growth. Consider variables you might want to control, additional data you might collect, and
potential challenges.
Hypothesis: Formulate a new hypothesis for your follow-up experiment.
Hypothesis: ____________________________________________________
Experiment Design: Outline your experimental design, including controls and variables.
Design: ________________________________________________________
Data Collection: Identify at least three additional data points you would collect to support your investigation.
Additional Data Points:
Section 4: Reflection
Activity 4: Reflecting on the Role of Data in Biology
Why is data collection and analysis important in biological studies?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
How can biases and errors affect the outcome of an experiment? Provide an example.
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Reflect on a time when you made an observation and asked a question about it. How did you go about finding an
answer?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Section 2: Activity: Exploring the Amazing Properties of Water
Objective:
Students will explore and understand the unique properties of water and their significance in biological
systems through hands-on experiments and data analysis.
Materials Needed:
• Beakers or clear cups
• Water
• Ice cubes
• Food coloring
• Pipettes
• Paper clips
• Wax paper
• Droppers
• Thermometer
• Stopwatch
• Cotton balls
• Nail Polish remover/ Acetone/ Varnish (for comparison with water)
• Salt
• Sugar
• Small plastic containers
• Magnifying glass
• Graph paper
Part 1: Surface Tension
1. Observation of Surface Tension:
• Fill a small beaker or cup with water.
• Carefully place a paper clip on the surface of the water.
• Observe what happens. Try the same with Nail Polish remover/ Acetone/ Varnish and
compare.
• Question: Why does the paper clip float on water but not on Nail Polish remover/ Acetone/
Varnish?
2. Data Collection:
• Count how many drops of water can fit on a penny before it spills over. Repeat with
alcohol.
• Record the data in a table.
[Link] [Link] of Drops on Penny
[Link]
[Link]
3. Analysis:
• Graph the number of drops for each substance.
• Conclusion: What does this tell you about the surface tension of water compared to
alcohol?
Part 2: Cohesion and Adhesion
1. Cohesion Observation:
• Using a dropper, place a drop of water on a piece of wax paper.
• Observe how the water behaves. Repeat with alcohol.
• Question: How does the behavior of water on wax paper illustrate cohesion?
2. Adhesion Observation:
• Dip a cotton ball in water and touch it to a vertical glass surface.
• Observe how water spreads and clings to the glass. Repeat with alcohol.
• Question: How does water’s adhesion differ from that of alcohol?
Part 3: Capillary Action
1. Capillary Action Demonstration:
• Place a piece of paper towel or a strip of filter paper in a cup of water with food coloring.
• Observe how the water moves up the paper.
• Question: What property of water allows it to move against gravity in the paper towel?
2. Data Collection:
• Measure the height the colored water reaches every minute for 10 minutes.
• Record the data in a table.
[Link] (minutes) [Link] of Water (cm)
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.8
1.9
1.10
3. Analysis:
• Graph the height of the water over time.
• Conclusion: How does the graph illustrate the process of capillary action?
Part 4: Water as a Solvent
1. Solubility Experiment:
• Add a spoonful of salt to one cup of water and a spoonful of sugar to another. Stir both.
• Observe and record what happens.
• Question: How does water’s ability to dissolve substances benefit biological organisms?
2. Data Collection:
• Measure the time it takes for the salt and sugar to dissolve completely in water.
• Record the data in a table.
[Link] [Link] to Dissolve (seconds)
[Link]
[Link]
3. Analysis:
• Compare the solubility of salt and sugar in water.
• Conclusion: What factors might affect the solubility of different substances in water?
Part 5: Temperature Regulation
1. Temperature Change Experiment:
• Fill two small containers with equal amounts of water and alcohol.
• Place an ice cube in each and measure the temperature change every minute for 10
minutes.
• Record the data in a table.
[Link] [Link] Temperature (°C) [Link] Temperature (°C)
(minutes)
1.10
1.20
1.30
1.40
1.50
1.60
1.70
1.80
1.90
1.100
2. Analysis:
• Graph the temperature changes for both substances.
• Conclusion: How does water’s specific heat capacity compare to alcohol? Why is this
property important for living organisms?
Reflection Questions
Why is surface tension important for some aquatic organisms?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
How do cohesion and adhesion contribute to the movement of water in plants?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
Why is water often called the "universal solvent”?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
How does water’s high specific heat capacity benefit living organisms?
Answer: ________________________________________________________
