Biochemistry+Labs

3 Chemistry of Life - 3.1 Chemical elements and water - 3.2 Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids - 3.3 DNA structure - 3.4 DNA replication - 3.5 Transcription and translation - 3.6 Enzymes - 3.7 Cell respiration - 3.8 Photosynthesis - Biochemistry Labs - DNA Labs

Biochemistry Labs

 * Water **

Thank you to Mr Edwards for this discovery lab on the properties of water media type="custom" key="23829600"


 * Carbohydrates, proteins and lipids**

Compare the amount of sugar found in different soft drinks media type="custom" key="23829602" After completing the lab and reflecting on it don't forget about it. There's lots of possibilities here for designing your own lab whether you are focusing on carbs, lipids or proteins. Remember if you do decide to design your own lab you either have to significantly change or add to the method given to gain credit.

Here's another from [|SAPS] which can be used either as a lab in itself or as a basis for preliminary experiments and designing a full (D, DCP and CE) lab

This catalase lab should be familiar to GCSE students. Read through the outline, maybe carry out a preliminary practical. Think about the limitations of this method and how it could be improved. As a class (or in groups) redesign the lab to use better more sophisticated equipment before carrying it out. This is a practise lab so you may collaborate on D and DCP, but CE should be your own work. media type="custom" key="23829604"
 * Enzymes**

This Catalase Lab from Access Excellence has good ideas for both creating different enzyme concentration and how to the measure the dependent variable.

Simulations such as this one on [|Catalase Activity] are a good introduction and will help you formulate effective research questions and hypotheses. This simulation has one flaw - the chemical equation makes it look like the catalase is a reactant. You should be able to write this equation in a more appropriate way.

How does substrate concentration affect the action of enzymes? Use this simulated lab from Glencoe to find out.

Invertase is an enzyme present in yeast, amongst other organisms, this simple protocol (source unknown - please contact if you do know) serves as a preliminary lab and hence as a basis for full (D, DCP and CE) investigations.

The one enzyme that plays a part in browning reaction in fruit and vegetables that occurs when they are bruised and damaged is catecholase. This simple lab outline using potatoes as a source of catecholase can be used by itself or as a basis for full (D, DCP and CE) investigations.

This is a simple outline for reporting DCP and CE. There's lots of opportunity for valuable qualitative observations and for possible improvements. I strongly suggest formulating a hypothesis as it will inform both your data processing and your conclusion and evaluation. media type="custom" key="23829606"

This Protocol develops a quick and easy to setup respirometer for yeast. It can be used for DCP and CE as written or as a basis for designing your own lab (remember when designing your own lab you get credit for the extensions/changes you make to an existing method, restating existing points, though necessary does not gain credit). media type="custom" key="23829608"
 * Respiration**

Lab bench has a good simulation to show a [|simple respirometer]. You can use this as a basis before designing your own lab.

Students can use the [|Microrespirometer] protocol as a basis for developing a full lab on respiration


 * Photosynthesis**

Chromatography and the separation of the photosynthetic pigments, the [|SAPS protocol] a is very good comprehensive outline (this second [|diagrammatic link] can be used to help if the written method is not clear, the steps are different, but the process is the same). In the absence of solvents or TLC media [|lab bench] is a good alternative.

This is a simplified method based on the SAPS protocol that I have found to be successful with students. All the safety and teacher/technician guidance stills applies.

Investigate stomatal density. Use the [|Biology corner outline] as a basis for a design or simply follow the method and collect data for processing.

Simulated labs for photosynthesis are a quick easy way of examining different methods of collecting data:
 * [|Measuring the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea (Uni of Reading)] looks at bubble (of oxygen) generation
 * [|Lab bench uses DCPIP to look at the importance of chloroplasts to the light reaction]
 * [|Biology corner simulated lab] looking at different factors including light intensity

[|The Floating Leaf Disk Assay for Investigating Photosynthesis] ( if you can't access it directly) is a novel technique which works very well with spinach leaves and requires relatively little specialised equipment. Carry out the method for yourself. Now reflect upon your initial trial of the method and design a lab to investigate how a given factor influences the rate of photosynthesis. Suggested factors are:
 * Light intensity
 * Wave length of light
 * Concentration of CO2
 * Temperature

This video shows the procedure being carried out media type="custom" key="23829614"