Unit Information & Laboratory Manual
TEP025
Bioscience
Tertiary Enabling Program
School of Academic Language and Learning (SALL)
Student Name: ____________________________________
Faculty of Law, Education, Business and Arts
Version 2 2013
Unit Coordinator:
George Lambrinidis
Email:
george.lambrinidis@cdu.edu.au
Phone:
8946 7097
Office
Orange 4.2.38
Occupational Health & Safety
TEP025 Bioscience
For laboratory sessions all students are required to
wear a long sleeved laboratory coat and covered shoes
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Table of Contents
Introduction
Assumed knowledge
Recording practical results
Laboratory Manual Assessment
About the Unit Coordinator
4
4
4
4
5
Laboratory Guidelines and OH & S
6
OH&S Warning
7
Week 1
Health & Safety Induction (A)
Introduction to Dissection (B)
Homeostasis and Introduction to Scientific Inquiry
8
8
8
12
Week 2
Introduction to Microscopes
17
17
Week 3
Cells, tissue, cell physiology
23
23
Week 4
Enzyme activity
27
27
Week 5
Heart Dissection
35
35
Week 6
Red & White Blood Cells
42
42
Week 7
Assignment 3: Laboratory Report
51
51
Week 8
54
Week 9
54
Week 10
54
Week 11
54
Week 12
54
Appendix 1: Drawings and Diagrams
55
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Introduction
Welcome to the Practical Sessions for TEP025.
During the practical sessions you will be introduced to safe work methods for a laboratory.
These practicals will help you with your studies on the biology of the human body systems.
Included in this manual is information on:

Laboratory Guidelines & OH&S –see pages 6-7

How to use a Microscope – see Week 2

How to create scientific drawings - see Appendix 1
Assumed knowledge
This unit does not assume you know about science; it is an introductory level.
Recording practical results
Please record all results and diagrams in your Laboratory Manual. If required, you can use
an A4 loose-leaf ring binder for your manual. This will permit you to insert plain or lined
pages, graph paper and handouts in an ordered format. A good HB/2B pencil is
recommended for recording your raw data, making diagrams and drawing graphs etc. as
mistakes are easily corrected.
Laboratory Manual Assessment
These practical sessions and reports are designed to make you think about your
dissections, and obtain skills in “writing up” practical laboratory work.
For this reason all practical notes are to be recorded in your Laboratory Manual; they are
designed to reinforce the content knowledge learned in lectures and will not be formally
assessed. Attending and completing laboratory tasks will improve your learning and
success in this Unit.
Please ensure that your notes are legible and that the quality criteria for diagrams are
adhered to. It is also important to include adequate detail when answering the written
questions as this will give you the opportunity to practice answering exam questions which
will be in a similar format.
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About the Unit Coordinator
Science has been my passion, since I was introduced to the concepts in high school. I
continued to learn while completing a Bachelor of Science at the then Northern Territory
University and even went on to complete my Honours year! This led to my interest in
research and I spent the next six years working on various aquaculture and biochemistry
based studies. I have published a few papers and you can find these on the Learnline site
when you log in.
Whilst undertaking research I was asked to teach a few subjects in aquaculture and this
sparked my interest in teaching. I hope to use my knowledge of studying at the same
university as you to assist in your future science studies.
My contact details are listed below;
Phone:
(08) 8946 7097
Email:
george.lambrinidis@cdu.edu.au
Fax: (08) 8946 6799
Office:
George Lambrinidis
School of Academic Language & Learning
Charles Darwin University
Orange 4 Level 2 Room 38
Lecturers contact details are also available via the Staff Information link on Learnline.
Please make sure you have activated your computer account before logging into Learnline
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Laboratory Guidelines and OH & S
1. Do not consume or store any food or drink in the laboratory.
2. No smoking.
3. No running or horseplay in the laboratory.
4. No bags to be brought into the laboratory.
5. Personal effects (such as wallets, calculators or mobile phones) brought into the lab
must be stored out of the way. Mobile phones must be turned off.
6. Do not drink from laboratory taps.
7. Know the location of the nearest emergency shower, eye wash, first aid kit, fire fighting
equipment, exit, and evacuation assembly area.
8. Dispose of specialised wastes (e.g. broken glassware, biological, chemical,
microbiological and radioactive substances) in containers reserved for the particular
type of waste.
9. Inform your lecturer, demonstrator or technician of any chemical spill. Clean up minor
spills immediately and thoroughly. Seek advice if you are unsure what to do.
10. Wear appropriate protective clothing/equipment:

Laboratory coats must be securely fastened. Students are to provide their own.

Flat, closed in shoes with non-slip soles are to be worn. These provide the best
protection against injury or chemical spills. Thongs or similar footwear are not
allowed in the laboratory.

Use the safety glasses provided (that meet AS/NZ Standard 1337.1) whenever
handling chemicals, UV radiation, microbiological specimens or vessels under
pressure or vacuum. However, you are encouraged to purchase your own glasses
for hygiene reasons.

Wear or use other personal protective equipment (e.g. gloves) as directed by your
lecturer, demonstrator or technician.

Long hair must be worn up or tied back.

Students inappropriately dressed may be denied access to the Lab session.
11. Do not pipette using your mouth. Always use pipetting aids.
12. Do not place any laboratory items in your mouth.
13. Use fume cupboards for handling volatile chemicals or when creating fumes.
14. Ask for assistance if you are unsure what to do.
15. All accidents must be reported to your lecturer, demonstrator or technician.
16. All instrument faults must be reported to your lecturer, demonstrator or technician.
17. No unauthorised adjustments or repairs are to be made to laboratory equipment.
18. All glassware and equipment are to be cleaned after use and returned to lockers or
trolley.
19. Remember HOT glassware and liquids look exactly the same as COLD glassware and
liquids, be careful what you touch; 100oC = 212oF (boiling point of water).
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20. Let hot plates cool to room temperature before putting them away; and avoid wrapping
electrical cords around equipment while still hot.
21. Exercise care when opening and closing doors.
22. All benches to be wiped clean after use.
23. Wash hands before leaving the laboratory; take off laboratory coat before leaving the
building.
24. Should you have any personal concerns e.g. illness or potential illness, pregnancy, or
cultural issues please discuss these with your lecturer.
25. Come to the laboratory session prepared. If you are unsure about what to do, please
ask the instructor or technician.
DUTY OF CARE FORM IS TO BE SIGNED UPON COMPLETION OF READING
OH&S Warning
When in a laboratory, always assume all biological specimens are potentially hazardous.
This includes all tissue, fluids, even water. Basically, anything that is from a living
organism or has organisms living in or on it. Do not put your fingers in your mouth or eyes
or suck your pens.
Why? Because there is always the risk that the organism itself is a risk to you or it is
carrying another organism that may cause disease, and by working with it you may
transfer the causative agent to yourself.
To make the work environment a safe one in which to live and work, many safety rules and
procedures have been developed. The assumption, that all biological specimens are
potentially hazardous, has led to the development of many laboratory rules and work
practices. In the healthcare community this assumption is behind the development of
infection control work practices and procedures. This assumption has also led to the
development of national and international quarantine rules and regulations.
During the practical sessions please ensure you utilise the following methods to dispose of
sharps or potentially infectious material.

Glass disposal bins – used for broken glass items such as microscope slides,
pipettes etc.

Infectious sharps (bright yellow bins) – for disposing of sharp items that may be
contaminated such as needles, scalpel blades etc.

Biological waste bags – these have a thick plastic lining and are used for biological
waste which is from plant or animal material, usually has been dissected during the
lesson and can include your gloves! This bag is sealed and autoclaved; a process
where the bag is placed in an autoclave (like a giant pressure cooker) and heated
under pressure so that all living cells are cooked to death.

Rubbish bins – these are for common waste which is not contaminated; such as
paper towel after you have washed your hands on leaving the lab.
Special Note
Follow instructions given for each practical session unless otherwise instructed. Alternative
practicals may require students to complete a Medical Declaration Form and/or a Risk
Assessment Form to be provided to the Lab Manager
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Week 1
Health & Safety Induction (A)
Before you can operate in Laboratory, an OH & S induction must be conducted and you
are required to acknowledge, by signature, that you understand and agree to operate
within the OH & S guidelines of that facility. The laboratory technician for this unit will take
you through the OH & S induction.
Introduction to Dissection (B)
Understanding anatomic terminology is required to successfully undertake any study of
anatomy. Using anatomical terminology to direct the dissection of non-animal products is
an excellent way to learn about body planes, orientation and associated terminology.
The sections we cut, or visual images produced by medical equipment, are named by the
plane which they followed through the object. Find on the figure a transverse plane
(produces a transverse or cross sectional view), a frontal plane (produces the frontal or
coronal section) and the median plane (produces a mid-sagittal section). Note that a slice
to the right or left of this midpoint is still called a sagittal section, but there can only be one
mid-sagittal line.
Use the definitions and figure below to perform a dissection on a piece of celery.
Frontal (or coronal) Plane: imaginary divide of the body into anterior (ventral) and
posterior (dorsal) halves
Horizontal (transverse, axial, transaxial) Plane: created by an imaginary line that
divides the body at any level into superior and inferior portions
Median (mid-sagittal) Plane: the plane created by an imaginary line dividing the body into
equal right and left halves
Sagittal Planes: vertical planes passing through the body parallel to the median plane,
dividing the body into left and right portions
Notch: a V-shaped cut.
.
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Figure 1: Anatomical position with median (mid-sagittal), sagittal (coronal), horizontal
(transverse, axial, transaxial), and frontal planes noted.
Activity 1/2 - Celery Dissection
Aim
Apply understanding of anatomical language to a dissection
Materials

Scalpel

Celery

Cutting surface (wax tray or wooden cutting board)
Methods

At the midpoint on the ventral surface make a superficial mid-sagittal incision on the
ventral surface, to the base of the celery stalk.

Near the superior end of the stalk; make a deep transverse incision on the dorsal
surface.

Beginning at the mid-point on the dorsal surface make a complete frontal/coronal
cut, proceeding inferiorly.

At the inferior end of the celery stalk; make a complete medial notch.
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Activity 2/2 - Fruit Dissection
Aim
Apply understanding of anatomical language to a dissection
Materials

Scalpel

Fruit

Marking pen

Cutting surface (wax tray or wooden cutting board)
Methods

Review Figure 1, the division of the human body into planes.

Draw a large face on the fruit with the pen, representative of the
anterior (ventral) surface.

Place the apple into the dissection pan.

From the fruit’s right side; cut a 2cm thick sagittal section off and lay it aside.

Along the mid-sagittal plane; cut the remaining fruit in half. Reassemble your two
halves and look at the face. Did your last cut go between the eyes?

Take the left section of your original piece of fruit; place the mid-sagittal plane flat
on the cutting surface and make a transverse (cross sectional) cut downwards; to
divide the left half of the apple into superior and inferior sections.

Make a “history” of the dissection just preformed. Indicate where you made your
incisions on the circle below. Label your cuts as #1, #2 and #3.
Figure 2: Fruit dissection history
of Practical 1 (B), Activity 2/2.
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☺
Discussion Questions - Directional Terms
Compare the medial and lateral surfaces of the first cut in the fruit dissection. What is the
difference in texture between the two surfaces?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Describe how the medial surface of the new left and right sections of the fruit dissection
differ from the surface of the first cut.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Review each sentence below. All directional terms are related to the anatomical position. If
the sentence is incorrect, supply the correct term in the space provided.
The mouth is superior to the nose
_____________
The stomach is inferior to the mammary area.
_____________
The nose is medial to the left eye
_____________
The hand is proximal to the elbow
_____________
The knee is distal to the ankle _____________
The vertebral area is lateral to the axillary area _____________
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Homeostasis and Introduction to Scientific Inquiry
Addressed in this lesson:

Homeostasis concept

Scientific inquiry skills

Graphing
Scientific Inquiry
Scientific inquiry is the process that scientists undertake to learn about the world. It is
systematic and involves asking testable questions, posing hypotheses, undertaking an
investigation that usually involves measurement, recording and analysing results, and
drawing a conclusion.
Homeostasis in the human body
Homeostasis, with regards to the human body, refers to the maintenance of a stable
internal environment. The word is derived from Ancient Greek, from homeo (the same) and
stasis (standing still).The term does not mean there is no change; rather that internal
conditions are constantly changing, but only within narrow limits. This is described as a
dynamic state of equilibrium.
But what does this mean? Imagine you are standing on a seesaw, trying to keep it level
and balanced. You are always making slight adjustments to your posture to maintain
balance, but only within a narrow range. This is a good analogy of what the body is
constantly doing.
Homeostasis occurs in all the cells, tissues, organs and organ systems of the body. For
example when you get too hot, your blood vessels near the surface of your skin may dilate
(widen) to allow more blood to flow so that heat can escape from your body. Your skin may
also release beads of sweat to help cool your body by evaporation. Homeostasis exists
when there is a constant, stable functioning of all the bodies systems. In this example,
your body worked to cool itself in more than one way.
Understanding homeostasis and the physiological processes involved is important in this
unit, and in understanding human health. When this balance is disturbed, the body is
unable to maintain a constant internal environment, critical body parameters move out of
what is normally a very narrow range, putting life at risk. In the example above, if your
body could not cool itself it would overheat (hyperthermia and if untreated can lead to
death.
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Your investigation
Today you will undertake a scientific investigation relating to homeostasis of the body
when it undertakes aerobic exercise (such as walking). Have a think about the changes
you notice when you go for a walk or run. You might notice an increase in body
temperature and as a result begin sweating or become red in the face; some of the
physiological responses might relate to the body attempting to cool itself to maintain its
desired temperature, or perhaps attain sufficient oxygen. The body is attempting to
maintain homeostasis. Your investigation today involves measuring the effect of aerobic
exercise on your heart rate; how do you think this is related to homeostasis?
Research question: How does aerobic exercise affect heart rate?
What are your initial ideas about how aerobic exercise may affect heart rate? How do you
think a change in heart rate could be related to the body maintaining homeostasis?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
State an hypothesis which is what you expect will happen. It should be written concisely
and impersonally.
It is hypothesised that:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
A variable is something that changes when affected or influenced by something else.
Variables can be of two kinds; dependent and independent. A dependent variable changes
its value(s) when an independent variable changes. In this investigation we measure how
the dependent variable heart rate is affected by the independent variable level of aerobic
exercise. In experiments we change one of the variables in order to measure an effect in
the other.
There may be other variables not related to the experiment that might influence our
results. We need to control these variables so that our measurements best reflect the
relationship between the two variables in our experiment and the level of error is reduced.
A way of thinking about this is to ask the question: what things need to be kept the SAME
when we undertake our investigation?
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What variables can you think of? An example is listed below to get you started:

Make sure we do the same type of exercise for each trial

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
One way of reducing error is to have a control where there the independent variable is not
affecting the dependent variable. How can this be done?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What are the benefits of repeating the experiment more than once?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Method:

Measure your heart rate for one minute; this is your heart rate in beats per minute
(BPM).

Choose an exercise. It may be walking, stepping up and down on a step, jogging.
Perform this exercise for three minutes. You will need to do this outside of the
laboratory for safety reasons (e.g. in the courtyard outside).

Immediately after finishing the exercise measure your heart rate for one minute.
Record. Measure your heart rate at 1,2 and 3 minutes post exercise.
Equipment:

stopwatch
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Record your results in a table:
Heart Rate (HR) in Beats per Minute (BPM)
Resting
Completion
of Exercise
1 minute
2 minutes
3 minutes
Presented your results as a graph
Write the Title of the Graph
_____________________________________________________________
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What do your results tell you? Are there any relationships or trends in your results?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Why have these relationships or trends occurred? How are they related to homeostasis.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Were the results different to your hypothesis on page 12? If differences occurred, can you
explain them?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What difficulties did you experience in doing this investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How could you improve the investigation, for example, fairness, accuracy?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Week 2
Introduction to Microscopes
Addressed in this lesson:

Cell and tissue anatomy

Microscopy skills

Diagram drawing
Aim
To use and care for microscopes in the observation of microscopic and macroscopic
specimens.
Cells are extremely small and in order to examine their cell structure a microscope is
required. Different types of microscopes can be found in all laboratories that handle
biological specimens. Most laboratories have more than one type of microscope.
Handling the microscope
To lift and transport a microscope, place one hand under the base, with the other hand
grasped firmly on the stand. (Do not hold by the body, mechanical stage or condenser.)
Use two hands to correctly lift up a microscope and place back on the bench. A
microscope should be kept covered and disconnected from power when not in use.
Brief instructions for using a compound microscope
If you are unsure about anything to do with the microscopes, please check with your
lecturer or the laboratory technician assisting you, about how to use the microscopes.

Check all parts are working and in place and ensure the light is plugged in and
working.

Start with the objective lens on the lowest power.

Adjust the light intensity so that it is white, not too bright (usually somewhere up to
halfway on the scale).

Position the sample in the center of the stage by watching it from the side, not as
you look through the eyepiece.

Check that the condenser is in the correct position (at lowest power it is very close
to the stage).

Watching from the side lower the stage/slide as far down as possible away from the
objective lens.

Now looking through the oculars, gradually move the rough focus knob so that the
stage moves up towards you. When the object is visible and the edges sharply
defined, the slide is in focus.

Use the fine focus knob so that you don’t raise the stage too high and crack the
slide.

Make sure the section or sample is always in the center of the field of view and
sharply defined (focus) before moving to the next higher power.
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Dissecting Microscope
Image source: http://microscopess.com/dissecting-microscope
Light microscope
Image source:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_microscope
All modern optical microscopes designed for
viewing samples by transmitted light share the
same basic components of the light path, listed
here in the order the light travels through them:
In addition the vast majority of microscopes
have the same 'structural' components
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
Ocular lens (eyepiece) (1)

Objective turret or Revolver or
Revolving nose piece (to hold multiple
objective lenses) (2)

Objective (3)

Focus wheel to move the stage (4 –
coarse adjustment, 5 – fine
adjustment)

Frame (6)

Light source, a light or a mirror (7

Diaphragm and condenser lens (8)

Stage (to hold the sample) (9)
From: Jones, A., Reed, R., Weyers, J. (1998) Practical Skills in Biology Addison Wesley
Longman Ltd. Essex. Pages 44-49.
For more detailed information on scientific drawings please see Appendix 1
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
Avoid using dots

Add a rule or show magnification
to demonstrate size

Use HB or 2B pencil. Do not
draw faint lines!

Make careful notes to describe
colour, movement and other
attributes

Label structures accurately

Use a ruler to draw label lines,
which must be horizontal
Activity 2/3 - Drawing fixed slides
Drawing is an important skill to learn as it helps develop your observational skills. The
diagrams you are required to draw in these practical sessions need to be accurate in their
general proportions, but otherwise they are stylised showing only the most important
features. Biological knowledge is required to select items for inclusion and to decide what
detail to ignore.
Materials

compound microscope

fixed slides: Euglena or Paramecium
Methods

Obtain a fixed, prepared slide of Euglena or Paramecium.

Observe the specimen with the naked eye. What detail you can see? Discuss your
observations with your partner.

Observe the specimen under a dissecting microscope. What detail you can see?
Discuss your observations with your partner.

Observe the specimen under a compound microscope using a X40 objective.
To get clear focus on X40 objective, first focus the X4 objective, then the X10
objective and continue until you get to the X40 objective. Get assistance you’re your
lecturer or tutor if necessary.

What detail you can see? Discuss your observations with your partner.

Sketch a diagram of what you see when using the compound microscope, using
the notes on the next page (and Appendix 1 for more information) on how to draw
good scientific diagrams.
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Figure 4: ___________ Microscope view of _____________________ x___
Activity 3/3 – Using a Dissecting Microscope
Materials

dissecting microscope

leaves or sand

Petri dishes to be used to contain specimens during observation
Methods

Place a few grains of sand (beach sand with shells) or leaf specimens in a Petri
dish.

Observe the specimen under a dissecting microscope.

Sketch a well labelled diagram of what you see.

Note: Sand - you will only need to draw a representative sample of 3-5 granules.
Leaf - draw the whole leaf and then draw a magnified view of a small section only.
Include a scale using a ruler.

Record the objective and ocular magnifications then calculate the total
magnification used for the specimen.
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Figure 5: ___________ Microscope view of _____________________ x___
Discussion Question
A dissecting microscope has a less powerful magnification than a light microscope. What
benefits can the dissecting microscope offer, despite its less powerful magnification; can a
less powerful magnification be useful in some instances? Clue: think about the name,
dissecting microscope.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Week 3
Cells, tissue, cell physiology
Addressed in this lesson:

Cell and tissue anatomy

Diagram drawing

Scientific inquiry skills

Graphing

Microscopy skills
Cells are the smallest functioning units of life, and the human body is made up of several
trillion of them. There are many varieties of cells, each designed to carry out a specific
function. Most have organelles (or ‘little organs’), the type and number of which vary
according to the cell’s function.
Investigation: Cells
How big are cells? What do they look like? What is inside a cell? All of these questions are
difficult to answer without the use of a microscope. Your investigation involves
investigating these questions.
Cells, tissues and organs are all interdependent and related closely to each other’s
function. Tissues are comprised of specialised cells that perform a specific funtion; there
are many types of tissues in the body. Organs are combinations of different tissues that
perform complex functions.
Pick one question to investigate:

Are all cell types the same size?

Are all cell types the same shape?

Are the cells that comprise all tissues arranged in the same way?

Is the nucleus always the largest organelle in a cell?

What separates cells from their external surroundings?
What are your initial ideas about the question you chose? What do you already know
about cells that relates to your question?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
State an hypothesis that reflects what you think the answer to your question is. It is
hypothesised that:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Will you need to look at more than one cell? Will you need to look at more than one cell
type (e.g. blood cell, skeletal muscle cell)? Will your observations and conclusions be an
accurate representation of ALL cells if you only observe one or two? Why/ why not?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Method:

1. Select three or four different cell/tissue types from the microscope slides provided
in class.

2. View each slide under the microscope. Measure/make observations and draw a
diagram in the following spaces,
Microscope view of _____________________ Magnification ____ x___
Observations:_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Microscope view of _____________________ Magnification ____ x___
Observations:_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Microscope view of _____________________ Magnification ____ x___
Observations:_____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Microscope view of _____________________ Magnification ____ x___
Overall Observations:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What do your results tell you?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Was the outcome different from your hypothesis? How so?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What difficulties did you experience in doing this investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How could you improve your investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Week 4
Enzyme activity
Introduction
What would happen to your cells if they produced a poisonous chemical? You might think
that they would die. In fact, your cells are always producing poisonous chemicals. They do
not die because your cells use enzymes to break down these chemicals into harmless
ones.
Enzymes are proteins that speed up the rate of reactions that would otherwise happen
slowly. The enzyme is not altered by the reaction and is reusable. You have hundreds of
different enzymes in each of your cells. Each of these enzymes is responsible for one
particular reaction that occurs in the cell.
In today’s experiments, you will study an enzyme that is found in the cells of many living
tissues. The name of the enzyme is catalase (KAT-uh-LAYSS). It speeds up a reaction
which breaks down hydrogen peroxide, a toxic chemical, into two harmless substances;
water and oxygen. The reaction is as follows:
2H2O2  2H2O + O2
This reaction is important to cells because hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is produced as a byproduct of many normal cellular reactions. If the cells did not break down the hydrogen
peroxide, they would be poisoned and die.
You will study the catalase found in chicken or beef liver cells. It might seem strange to
use dead cells to study the function of enzymes, however, this is possible because when a
cell dies, the enzymes remain intact and active for several weeks, as long as the tissue is
kept refrigerated.
Safety Note
Always add acid slowly to a large volume of water to avoid a violent reaction. Never add
water to an acid! Safety glasses to be worn at all times.
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 27 of 60
How does temperature affect catalase activity (rate of reaction)?
How does pH affect catalase activity (rate of reaction)?
Your investigation:
Under certain conditions enzymes are denatured. An enzyme is denatured when the
protein molecule loses its 3-D shape and cannot function. Factors that can denature an
enzyme include high temperatures, extremes of acidity and alkalinity (pH), heavy metals,
and alcohol. What are your initial ideas about how these will affect catalase activity?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
State two hypotheses about what you expect to happen to catalase activity when exposed
to various temperatures and pH’s. It should be written, concisely, impersonally and like a
prediction.
It is hypothesised that high temperatures will:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
It is hypothesised that a change in pH will:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Refer to page 11 for a definition of variables. In these two investigations we investigate
how the dependent variable catalase activity (rate of reaction) is affected by the
independent variables temperature and pH. Which variable/s will you change and which
will you measure?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What variables need to be kept the SAME when we undertake our investigation? One is
given as an example.

Use the same amount of liver in each trial

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________
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Page 28 of 60
Why is it important to conduct the experiments under controlled conditions?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Activity 1. Normal Catalase Activity

Pipette 2 ml of the 3% hydrogen peroxide into a clean, labelled test tube

Cut a small piece of liver, using forceps and a scalpel, and add it to the test tube

Push it into the hydrogen peroxide with a stirring rod

Observe how rapidly the solution bubbles. This is the room temperature rate of
catalase reaction. It is rated at 4 on a scale of 0 to 5 (0=no reaction, 1=slow, 5= very
fast)

Feel the temperature of the test tube and note whether it is endothermic (absorbs
heat- feels cooler) or exothermic (gives off heat – gives off heat).
Activity 2. Effect of Temperature on Catalase Activity

Prepare three test tubes with a piece of liver of approximately equal size in each.
Cover the liver with water (This will help to heat or cool the liver down faster when
you put it in hot/cold water baths).

Place one test tube in a boiling water bath; place one test tube in a 37 degree C
water bath; place one test tube in the 0 degree C ice bucket. Leave for ten minutes.

Pour out the water.

Add 2 ml of hydrogen peroxide to each test tube

Record the reaction rate (0-5) in TABLE 2 and complete the first 2 discussion
questions.
Temperature / Catalase Activity
Temperature
Rate of Enzyme Activity
00C
Room Temp
4
370C
1000C
(0=no reaction, 1=slow,...., 5= very fast)
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 29 of 60
Activity 3. Effect of pH on Catalase
pH measures the amount of hydrogen ions in a solution. The more hydrogen ions in a
solution the more ACIDIC it is; the less hydrogen ions in a solution, the more ALKALINE or
BASIC it is. This is a pH scale; pH 0-7 is acidic, pH 7-14 is alkaline.
The numbers on the scale are measurements of acidity/alkalinity; they are represented as
‘negative logarithms’ of the actual amount of hydrogen ions in a solution. The negative
logarithm is convenient to use because it allows us to work with small numbers (0-14)
rather than describing pH as the millions and billions of actual hydrogen ions that are in a
solution.
How does pH relate to biological processes?
pH is important to homeostasis of organisms as processes only work within a narrow
range of pH. The pH range that a process will work optimally in is different for various
organisms and processes. Today we will be using pH paper to estimate the pH of different
solutions to see how it effects the rate of reaction of catalase.
Method

Add 6ml of hydrogen peroxide to a clean test tube and measure the pH using a pH
paper. Record in the table below. Add a piece of liver to the hydrogen peroxide and
observe the rate of reaction. We will describe the rate of this reaction as 4/5 and
use it to compare the following reactions against.

Add 6ml of Hydrogen Peroxide to six clean test tubes, and then prepare them as
follows. Be sure to label your test tubes to avoid confusion. CAUTION: Do not let
acids or bases contact your skin or clothing.
Acidic: add one drop of HCl
Alkaline: add one drop of NaOH
More acidic: add two drops of HCl More Alkaline: add two drops of NaOH
Most acidic: add four drops of HCl Most Alkaline: add four drops of NaOH
TEP025 Bioscience
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
Swirl each test tube after adding the HCl or NaOH

Measure the pH of each solution with pH paper; record in the table below.

Add a small piece of liver to each test tube. Estimate the reaction rates (0-5) and
record in the table below
Effect of pH on rate of enzyme activity
Treatment
None: Hydrogen peroxide with nothing
added
Acidic: Hydrogen Peroxide with one drop of
HCl
More acidic: Hydrogen Peroxide with two
drops of HCl
Most acidic: Hydrogen Peroxide with four
drops of HCl
Alkaline: Hydrogen Peroxide with one drop
of NaOH
More Alkaline: Hydrogen Peroxide with two
drops of NaOH
Most Alkaline: Hydrogen Peroxide with four
drops of NaOH
TEP025 Bioscience
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pH
Rate of Enzyme
Activity
4
Graph the results of either the temperature or pH experiment.
Write the Title of the Graph
_____________________________________________________________
What do your results tell you? Are there any relationships, patterns or trends in your
results?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Page 32 of 60
Was the outcome different from your hypothesis? In what way and what is a possible
explanation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What is the gas (bubbles) being released?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Did the test tubes become warmer or cooler? Is the reaction endothermic (feels cold) or
exothermic (feels hot)?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Assuming the reaction is complete. What is the liquid from the first test tube composed of?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What will boiling do to an enzyme?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Once the hydrogen peroxide is added to the pre-heated and cooled liver, what is
happening in the test tube?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What is the "optimum" temperature for catalase? (This is the temperature at which the
reaction proceeds fastest).
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Why did the reaction proceed slowly at 0°C? Why did the reaction not proceed at all at
100°C?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Page 33 of 60
Does there appear to be a pH "optimum"? Which pH is it? What is the effect of low or high
pH on enzyme activity?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What difficulties did you experience in doing this investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How could you improve the investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
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Week 5
Heart Dissection
Introduction
When in the anatomical position the left ventricle forms the ‘point’ in the bottom section of
the heart (the apex) and its walls feel much firmer (thicker muscle) than the walls of the
right ventricle. A slight furrow that runs up and down the heart’s surface also distinguishes
the left and right ventricles.
Task
Dissect and investigate the major structures of a mammalian heart. Trace the pathway of
blood circulation through a mammalian heart.
Materials

Heart model

Wax dissecting tray

Sheep’s heart

Scalpel

Blunt probes

String

Forceps
Explore Heart Model
Explore the model of the heart and locate the following:

right & left atrium

aorta

right & left ventricles

pulmonary artery & vein

right & left atrioventricular valves

superior vena cava

semilunar valves
Observation: External Anatomy
Sheep have a four-chambered heart, just like humans. By studying the anatomy of a
sheep's heart, you can learn about how your own heart pumps blood through your body.
Most heart diagrams show the left atrium and ventricle on the right side of the diagram,
which is how you view the heart in its location in a human facing you. The left side of their
heart is on their left, but since you are facing them, it is on your right.
Identify the right and left sides of the heart
Look closely and on one side you will see a diagonal line of blood vessels that divide the
heart. The half that includes the entire apex (pointed end) of the heart is the left side.
Confirm this by squeezing each half of the heart. The left half will feel much firmer and
more muscular than the right side. The left side of the heart is stronger because it has to
pump blood to the whole body. The right side only pumps blood to the lungs.
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 35 of 60
Turn the heart so that the right side is on your right, as if it were in your body.
Examine the flaps of darker tissue on the top of the heart. These ear-like flaps are called
auricles. Find the large opening at the top of the heart next to the right auricle. This is the
opening to the superior vena cava, which brings blood from the top half of the body to the
right atrium (the atria are the top chambers in the heart). Put a probe down this vessel.
You should feel it open into the right atrium. A little down and to the left of the superior
vena cava there is another blood vessel opening. Insert your probe into this; it should also
lead into the right atrium. This is the inferior vena cava, which brings blood from the lower
tissues. You can also see another blood vessel next to the left auricle. This is a
pulmonary vein that brings blood from the lungs into the left atrium. Note that the vena
cavae may sometimes not be present because they were removed in the slaughtering
process.
Sticking straight up from the centre of the heart is the largest blood vessel you will see.
This is the aorta, which takes oxygenated blood from the left ventricle to the rest of the
body (the ventricles are the lower chambers of the heart). The aorta branches into more
than one artery right after it leaves the heart, so it may have more than one opening on
your heart specimen. Look carefully at the openings and you should be able to see that
they are connected to each other. Again these may have been removed.
Behind and to the left of the aorta there is another large vessel. This is the pulmonary
artery which takes blood from the right ventricle to the lungs.
Sheep heart anterior view
TEP025 Bioscience
Sheep heart blood vessels
Page 36 of 60
Draw gross anatomy of heart

Explore the fresh heart. Locate the left and right ventricle and place the heart on the
wax dissecting in the anatomical position.

Draw the gross anatomy of the un-dissected heart in its anatomical position.

Label the following on your drawing:

right & left atrium

aorta

right & left ventricles

pulmonary artery & vein

right & left atrioventricular valves

superior vena cava

semilunar valves
Gross anatomy of a sheep’s heart
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 37 of 60
Dissection: Internal Anatomy
Insert your dissecting scissors or scalpel into the superior vena cava and make an incision
down through the wall of the right atrium and ventricle, as shown by the dotted line in the
external heart picture. Pull the two sides apart and look for three flaps of membrane.
These membranes form the tricuspid valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle.
The membranes are connected to flaps of muscle called the papillary muscles by tendons
called the chordae tendinae or "heartstrings." This valve allows blood to enter the ventricle
from the atrium, but prevents backflow from the ventricle into the atrium.
Insert your probe into the pulmonary artery and see it come through to the right ventricle.
Make an incision down through this artery and look inside it for three small membranous
pockets. These form the pulmonary semilunar valve which prevents blood from flowing
back into the right ventricle.
Insert your dissecting scissors or scalpel into the left auricle at the base of the aorta and
make an incision down through the wall of the left atrium and ventricle, as shown by the
dotted line in the external heart picture. Locate the mitral valve (or bicuspid valve) between
the left atrium and ventricle. This will have two flaps of membrane connected to papillary
muscles by tendons.
Insert a probe into the aorta and observe where it connects to the left ventricle. Make an
incision up through the aorta and examine the inside carefully for three small membranous
pockets. These form the aortic semilunar valve which prevents blood from flowing back
into the left ventricle.
Right side internal anatomy
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 38 of 60
Left side internal anatomy
Drawing a dissected mammalian heart
Draw a well labelled drawing of the heart. The structures listed below should all appear on
your drawing.

Left & right atria

Chordae tendineae

Left & right ventricles

Right & left semilunar valves

Tricuspid valve
(Atrioventricular)

Interventricular septum


Pericardium
Mitral (bicuspid) valve
(Atrioventricular)
Internal anatomy of a Sheep’s Heart
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 39 of 60
Blood Flow
Now consider all the parts you've found and how the blood flows through them. Draw a
diagram of the heart and use red and blue arrows to show the flow of blood:

deoxygenated blood (blue)

oxygenated blood (red)
Blood from the tissues → superior and inferior vena cava → right atrium → tricuspid valve
→ right ventricle → pulmonary semilunar valve → pulmonary artery → lungs → pulmonary
veins → left atrium → bicuspid (mitral) valve → left ventricle → aortic semilunar valve →
aorta →body tissue.
Blood flow through the mammalian heart
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 40 of 60
Discussion Questions
Locate, examine and manipulate the flap-like atrioventricular valves and the chordae
tendineae. Explain their function and how they work together.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What is pulmonary circulation? Include the structures in this circulation pathway beginning
at the pulmonary artery and ending at the atria.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What is the systemic circulation and describe the path blood takes commencing with the
aorta?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What is the function of the coronary circulation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What causes the sounds made by the heart when listening with a stethoscope?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 41 of 60
Week 6
Red & White Blood Cells
Aims:

explore the site of blood cell production by examining the sagittal section of a long
bone

examine a haematocrit using a centrifuge

prepare your own blood slide and compare this to a fixed and stained blood slide

compare and contrast blood cells.
Introduction
Blood is the only fluid tissue. Although blood looks like a thick fluid, under the microscope
it can be seen that blood is made of both solid and liquid components. Blood is a complex
connective tissue in which living blood cells (formed elements) are suspended in a nonliving fluid matrix (plasma).
This breakdown can be seen when blood is spun in a centrifuge. The blood separates into
three distinct layers: the reddish mass at the bottom, erythrocytes (the red blood cells that
function as oxygen transporters in the body); the thin white layer of leukocytes (white
blood cells that act in various ways to protect the body) and platelets (cell fragments that
function in the blood clotting process), and the top layer of plasma. In humans, new blood
cells are produced in the bone marrow of large bones.
Activity 1/4 - Draw a longitudinal section of the long bone
Explore the section of a long bone that has been cut in half lengthwise (longitudinal
section). Identify the following structures:
Externally

Internally
Proximal epiphysis, diaphysis and
distal epiphysis

Epiphyseal line


Yellow marrow
Periosteum (fibrous connective
tissue membrane)

Medullary cavity

Articular cartilage

Compact and spongy bone
Note any areas (holes) where blood
vessels enter and leave; if there is any
muscle attached to the bone note the
colour of the muscle tissue and the
colour of the attachment (tendons); if
there is a synovial joint present: note the
joint capsule, the cavity between the
joints and the colour of the ligaments
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 42 of 60
Consider the importance of the
epiphyseal line, the yellow marrow and
the function of the calcium and fibres in
the spongy and compact bone.
Draw an accurate, well labelled diagram of the sectioned long bone.
Longitudinal section of a long bone
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 43 of 60
Prepare or view a demonstration of a Haematocrit using fresh lamb’s blood.
Materials

2ml sealable Eppendorf tubes

Permanent markers

Disposable pipette

Lamb’s blood (with anticoagulant, EDTA)
Methods

Label a 2ml sealable Eppendorf tube with your identifying mark.

Use a pipette to half-fill the 2ml sealable Eppendorf tube with fresh lamb’s blood.

Seal 2ml sealable Eppendorf tube.

Place into centrifuge ensuring that there is another tube diagonally opposite in order
to balance the bowl.

Centrifuge will be operated by your lecturer or technician.

Examine the fractions of the centrifuged blood. Estimate the percentage of: Red
Blood cells (haematocrit), the buffy layer and the plasma layer.
Results
Plasma
________________%
Leukocytes
________________%
RBC’s
________________%
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 44 of 60
Investigation question: How do erythrocytes and leukocytes differ in size, shape,
quantity and bodies in the cytoplasm?
Activity 3/4 Make your own blood slide and compare it to a fixed stained slides
In this investigation you will be creating your own blood slide to view under the microscope
using lamb’s blood sourced from a local veterinary laboratory. What do you already know
about erythrocytes (red blood cells) and leukocytes (white blood cells)? What do you
expect to see or know about their relative size, shape, quantity and the presence of a
nucleus?
Erythrocytes (Red Blood Cells)
Leukocytes (White Blood Cells)
Size
Shape
Quantity
Bodies in the
cytoplasm?
Write an hypothesis about what you expect to see.
It is hypothesised that erythrocytes will:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
It is hypothesised that leucocytes will:
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How will you carry out your investigation to answer your question?
1. Create a blood slide as per instructions below
2.Then ...
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 45 of 60
Prepare your own blood slide and compare this to a fixed and stained blood slide
In this investigation you will be making your own blood slide to view under the microscope
using sheep’s blood.
Preparing and viewing a blood smear slide
If blood is collected without using an anticoagulant it will clot. This is often done if tests are
to be done on the liquid portion, called serum. Serum is used to test for antibodies for a
wide variety of antigens in a laboratory. The discipline is called serology. You will view
such a sample.
If a blood smear is to be made then it must be collected into a tube with an anticoagulant,
commonly heparin or EDTA.
Materials

slides and cover slips

lamb’s blood, no coagulant

disposable pipette

Kim wipes

lamb’s blood with EDTA

microscopes
Method
Watch the demonstration by the lecturer before doing it yourself. Do not be afraid to
practise on a number of smears – a good smear is an acquired skill.
Place a drop of blood approximately 4 mm in diameter on the slide near the end
Spread the drop by using another slide (called here the “spreader”), placing the spreader
at a 45° angle and BACKING into the drop of blood. The spreader catches the drop and it
spreads by capillary action along its edge.
To make a short smear, hold the spreader at a steeper angle, and to make a longer
smear, hold it closer to the drop.
Now, push the spreader across the slide; this PULLS the blood across to make the smear.
Do not push the blood by having it ahead of the smearing slide! It should take about one
second to smear the drop. A smooth action is required, with the edge of the spreader held
against the slide.
Smears should be air-dried, and then dipped into 100% methanol.
Text and image from:
www.uvm.edu/~jschall/pdfs/techniq
ues/bloodsmears.pdf
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 46 of 60
Draw the cells (a) on your blood slide and (b) that of fixed stained slides (supplied). On the
next page write up your observations of the differences. (c) also view and draw cells from
slides showing disease conditions. What are the differences? Discuss the disease
conditions with the lecturer and write up your findings. Put labels on your drawings. On the
next page write up your findings.
Microscope view of _____________________ Magnification ____ x___
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 47 of 60
What are the differences between a stained and unstained blood smear
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What are your findings about the slides showing disease conditions?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Were your observations different from your hypothesis? How so?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
What difficulties did you experience in doing this investigation?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
How could you improve the experiment to increase fairness and accuracy?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
TEP025 Bioscience
Page 48 of 60
Activity 4/4 Make your own blood slide and compare it to a fixed stained slide
In this investigation you will analyse erythrocytes and leukocytes under the microscope
using the slides from the previous exercise (not the ones with disease conditions). Which
of the stained/unstained blood smears will provide the best clarity for this investigation?
Develop hypotheses for the differences between erythrocytes and leucocytes in relation to
the following:

size_______________________________________________________________

shape_____________________________________________________________

quantity____________________________________________________________

bodies in the cytoplasm_______________________________________________
Record your findings in the following tables. Some data will be qualitative (descriptive
only), some will be quantitative (can be counted or measured).
Size
(in micrometres (μm) = 10-6 metre (1/1,000,000))
The average size of an erythrocyte is 6-8 μm. How much variation is there between
erythrocytes and how do they compare with leukocytes? Estimate.
Observation #
1
2
3
Erythrocyte
Leukocytes
Presence of Nucleus
Is there a nucleus? Yes or no.
Observation #
1
2
3
TEP025 Bioscience
Erythrocyte
Page 49 of 60
Leukocytes
Bodies in the Cytoplasm
Do you see any bodies (organelles) in the cytoplasm? What do you think they are?
Observation #
1
2
3
Erythrocyte
Leukocytes
Shape
How do the shapes of cells differ?
Observation #
1
2
3
TEP025 Bioscience
Erythrocyte
Page 50 of 60
Leukocytes
Week 7
Assignment 3: Laboratory Report
Due date:
Sunday, Week 14 (draft due Sunday Week 12)
Length:
2500 words
Value:
40% (Draft 5% & Final 35%)
Preparation
To successfully complete this assignment:
1. Read the instructions below carefully, and complete ALL the required tasks.
2. Read the marking scheme in the following pages. This will have the criteria
that will be used for assessing this report and the draft.
3. Ensure you have completed the appropriate tutorial or reading on Learnline
(Week 9-12) that will help guide you with the draft report.
4. Note that on campus students will be conducting experiments 2, 3 and 4
in their scheduled laboratory session. Ideally all students should complete
the experiments by Week 8 or 9.
Task
Materials:







Large plastic bucket or sink for submerging your hands and forearms for
30 mins while you are sitting down.
Stopwatch or clock with a second hand
Thermometer
Water (at 35°C and 10°C)
Kettle to heat the water
Ice
Create a table to record the measurements
Methods:
You will investigate the regulation of the cardiovascular system by observing
changes in heart rate (HR). If you have a sphygmomanometer or digital HR/BP
monitor, you may like to take blood pressure (BP) readings as well as HR.
TEP025 Bioscience
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Experiment 1 – Diurnal Changes Affecting Heart Rate over 7 days
1.
Relax for at least 5 minutes, sitting, standing or lying down.
2.
Measure your pulse over 60 seconds to determine your heart rate in
beats per minute (BPM).
3.
Repeat this measurement in the morning and the evening each day
over a 7-day period (make sure you use the same position each time.
4.
Record the results in a suitable table.
Experiment 2 – Postural Changes Affecting Heart Rate – one morning or
afternoon
1. Relax for at least 5 minutes in a prone (lying face downward) or supine
(lying on the back, face or front upward) position.
2. Measure your pulse rate over 60 seconds.
3. Stand upright quickly with as little movement as possible.
4. Immediately measure your pulse rate again over 60 seconds.
5. At 2 minutes post-standing, measure your pulse rate again.
6. At 4 minutes post-standing, measure your pulse rate again.
7. Record the results in a suitable table.
Experiment 3 – Effect of Immersion in Warm Water on Heart Rate
Caution! Add the warm water to the cool water and test the temperature
with the thermometer before placing hands in the water.
Having an assistant to take HR will improve accuracy of measurements. Take
the heart rate over 60 seconds each time.
1. Relax for at least 5 minutes and measure your pulse rate BEFORE you
submerge your hands and forearms in water.
2. Fill the container with water at a temperature of approximately 37°C,
using a thermometer. Maintain this temperature throughout this
activity. Ideally, your hands and forearms should be submerged in the
water to the elbows.
3. After 10 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
4. After 20 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
5. After 30 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
6. Record the results in a suitable table (an assistant is useful for
recording the data).
TEP025 Bioscience
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Experiment 4 – Effect of Immersion in Cold Water on Heart Rate
Caution! If you feel that the water is too cold, you can use 15oC water or ask
a friend to be your test subject.
Having an assistant to take HR will improve accuracy of measurements. Take
the heart rate over 60 seconds each time.
1.
Relax for at least 5 minutes and measure your pulse rate BEFORE you
immerse your hands and forearms into the water.
2.
Using the same equipment, fill the container with water at a
temperature of approximately 10°C, using a thermometer. Maintain
this temperature throughout this activity. The water should feel quite
cold, but not uncomfortable.
3.
After 10 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
4.
After 20 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
5.
After 30 minutes in the water, measure your pulse rate again. STAY
IN THE WATER.
6.
Record the results in a suitable table.
Please refer to Learnline>Weekly Materials>Week 12 for assignment marking criteria and
guidelines for preparing the draft and final laboratory report.
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Page 53 of 60
Week 8
Lecture
Lab session
No class. Revision for upcoming online
exam.
No class
ONLINE EXAM
Week 9
Lecture
Lab session
Communicating in Science: Journal
Articles, Aims, Hypotheses & Inquiry
TUTORIAL: Finding and interpreting
journal articles. Preparing for Blog 1.
Please see your lecturer for details of the
location.
Week 10
Lecture
Lab session
Writing methods and results
TUTORIAL: Preparing for Blog 2 and
laboratory report. Please see your
lecturer for details of the location.
Week 11
Lecture
Lab session
Writing a discussion and Introduction
TUTORIAL: Working on your laboratory
report. Please see your lecturer for
details of the location.
Week 12
Lecture
Lab session
Composing your laboratory report
TUTORIAL: Working on your laboratory
report. Please see your lecturer for
details of the location.
TEP025 Bioscience
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Appendix 1: Drawings and Diagrams
Jones, A., Reed, R. and Weyers, J (1998) Practical Skills in Biology Addison Wesley Longman Ltd,
Essex. pages 44-49
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