B1.
5a Variation: Student brief
Practice Controlled Assessment
This practice controlled assessment is about continuous and discontinuous variation in pea plants.
Continuous variation means that the values can be any number within a certain range for example the length
of a pea pod.
Discontinuous variation means a characteristic which has a fixed set of values, for example the number of
peas in a pod.
You are going to test the hypothesis that longer pods contain more seeds.
Plan an investigation to test whether there is a link between the length of a pea pod and the number of peas in
the pod.
Part A: Planning
How to attempt the task:
You must produce a plan. The plan must include:
• an explanation of which equipment you need to complete the task. You may want to draw a diagram of
how the equipment will be set up
• which variable (or variables) you will change and which you will keep the same
• which measurements you should make to test the hypothesis, explaining how these will test the
hypothesis, and including the number and range of measurements
• any risks that are linked to the practical task and how you can reduce these to make your practical task
safer
You should check that the overall plan is clear and will produce a range of results that will test the hypothesis.
Part B: Observations
You are going to test the hypothesis that longer pods contain more seeds. You will test this hypothesis using
your own method from Part A. You should also collect some secondary evidence on variation in pea plants.
How to attempt the task:
You should decide on the number and range of measurements you will make
Complete the practical task, recording your measurements clearly and accurately
Collect some secondary evidence on this task
Comment on the quality of the source of this secondary evidence.
Part C: Conclusions
You will need your primary and secondary evidence from the Part B: Observations task and information about
the method you used.
How to attempt the task:
You must process your primary and secondary evidence from Part B and present these, using mathematical
processes if relevant. You must produce a conclusion in which you:
• review all of the primary and secondary evidence, then identify and deal with any anomalies
• draw conclusions from this processed evidence to prove or disprove a hypothesis
• show how the data supports the conclusion
• explain how you might change the method if you were going to repeat the investigation
• describe the primary and secondary evidence you might collect to extend your investigation and say
why you would collect it.
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This document may have been altered from the original.
B1.5b Variation: Observations
Practice Controlled Assessment
You are going to investigate the hypothesis that there is a link between the length of a pea pod and the
number of peas in the pod.
You will be given the following equipment/resources:
Pods (from one variety of plant), ruler, container
Health and Safety
Do not eat any of the pods or seeds that you are provided with.
Pick up any dropped peas or pods from the floor immediately.
Wash your hands thoroughly after completing your investigation.
Follow these instructions when carrying out the practical:
1 Collect 20 pods of one species of plant.
2 Measure the length of a pod with a ruler.
3 Open the pod with your fingers and count the number of seeds inside.
Do not count any seeds that are tiny in comparison with the others.
4 Place the peas that you have counted and the pods that you measured into the container
5 Repeat these steps for all the pods. Wash your hands after handling the pods.
© Pearson Education 2010. Edexcel GCSE Science Activity Pack
This document may have been altered from the original.
B1.5c Variation: Recording results
Practice Controlled Assessment
Name Class Date
Carry out the investigation on Worksheet B1.5b Variation: Observations and use this sheet to record your
results and draw a conclusion.
Recording your results
1 Record your data in this table.
Pod length Number of Pod length Number of
(cm) seeds (cm) seeds
inside inside
Presenting data
2 a What is the range of pod lengths?
b What is the range of seed numbers?
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Sheet 1 of 2
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B1.5c Variation: Recording results
Practice Controlled Assessment
3 a Draw a scatter graph on the graph paper. You will need to number the axes and label them. Use the
ranges from question 2 to help you. Put the pod lengths on the x-axis and the numbers of seeds found
on the y-axis.
b If you can, draw a line of best fit through your points. This is a straight line, so that about half the points
are above the line and about half the points are below it.
Considering your results/conclusions
4 a Is there a relationship between the length of the pod and the number of seeds that it contains?
b If there is a relationship, state what it is.
c If there is a relationship, suggest why this relationship exists.
5 a Your pods are all from the same variety of plant. Why do you think that the pod lengths vary?
b Explain your reasoning.
Evaluation
6 a How easy would it be for someone to repeat your results?
b Why is data of better quality if it is repeatable by others? (Hint: Think about how much data is needed
for you to be sure of a conclusion.)
© Pearson Education Ltd 2010. Edexcel GCSE Core Science Activity Pack Sheet 2 of 2
This document may have been altered from the original.
