BIOLOGY COURSEWORK - plez help

Hello,

Im currently tryin 2 do my planning exercise to compare the rate of utilisation of food reserves in germinating seeds of 2 diff species and to determine any possible reasons for these differences.
Im finding it quite hard 2 know where 2 start so if anyboby has ideas or help it would b gratefully received!

Please help!

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OP

I am currently doing this one too, and am also a little puzzled about it. Haven't actually got my question paper with me today but I think you'd have to dry the seeds out in an oven, weighing them every 24 hrs or so until they didn't get any lighter to ensure all the water had been taken out. Damn I can't remember the rest of it but I'll try and give you a hand, if you and any others can give me a hand too. Email me if you like and I'll try to help. catzeyezuk at hotmail.com

Carla

OP

Cheers carla,
yep i think u have 2 find the dry mass of the seeds and then by working out the differences between them u can find their rate of utilisation, but precisely how u work it out and the reasons for the different rates that occur i dnt no. ne ideas?

OP

HEEEEEEEEEEEEELLP!

someone must know what to do!

OP

I don't know what to do!! We know it involved the RQ...and cellular resp. etc, but i dont get the drying out bit!! someone plz help us!!!

OP

yeah ur all about right. we r making them germinate by placing them on cotton wool until the shoot comes throuhg as it has to be able to respire. The have a large amount of seeds, and every day for a week, put 3 seeds in the oven until they are dried out. After 7 days you should have all your results, and then by using the equation rate equals mass loss over time, you should fin the RQ i think..if u wana chat email me at heyeasytiger at hot mail dot com!!

OP

I have a practical coming up about seed germination and am completely boggled by it too.

The exam sheet states:

You are required to plan an investigation:

- to compare the rate of utilisation of food reserves during the germination of seeds of two different species;

- to determine a possible reason for any differences that occur in the rates of utilisation.

Is this the same practical you have to do?

I can't work out whether this is to do with respiratory quotients or what.

It also says that part of your plan should be based on a method for determining the progressive decrease in dry mass of the seeds/seedlings.

So I assume I must measure dry mass before and after germination. But how does anyone know how you do this? Do you dry them out in an oven and then weigh them? I don't know what sort of instrument would be sensitive enough to weigh a seed?

Basically I haven't got a clue! lol

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks to previous posters for help, at least it has given me a bit of an idea of what I have to do. Glad I came across this forum because I couldn't find Jack with search engines. You lot must be doing the same practical exam as me, OCR?

OP

If you have an 'Advanced Biology Book' by Jones and Jones, look on page 413..it has some info that might help with your intro etc!!
The whole concept of the experiment is slowly coming to me..hope everyone is doing ok, and ur welcome to email me at heyeasytiger at hotmail dot com

OP

Well, I'm not really sure you should be speaking about this to others!

OP

hi, Molly I'm kinda stuck on the coursework to! if u've done anything can u help me, i'd really appreciate it! thanks luv! my e-mail add. is [email protected]

OP

Umm,

Why not speak about the 2nd year biology practical to others?

Thanks but I haven't got 'advanced biology book' :frown:

:frown:

OP

greetings and salutations,

come on guys lets all work out how to do this coursework together! or you do it and i'll copy (oops did i just say that out loud?)

OP

ur as cold as ice leading to sacrifice....sorry just thought id change d mood

Hey fellow panic-stricken A-level kids.

If ANYONE has any idea if & why there would be any differences in utilisation in the dry masses of the two seeds, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me know & soon as my bio tutor is having a bit of a fest. (Tutor: "I have a life too outside of college & I dont want to spend all my time marking & correcting your mistakes." blaa blaa blaa! Typical aint it?!?)

Cheers all.

Remember to smile, the a-levels aren't gonna last forever! (3 weeks... wahoo!) N :-> Hey fellow panic-stricken A-level kids.

OP

i want to cry

OP

this coursework is really getting in my nerves. not long to go and am still trying to figure out exactly what i have to do. Nobody i ask can help me. Any of you guys perhaps? Pls reply as soon as possible

OP

hallo,
I'm stuck on the same planning as well! have u got any idea do we need to plant the seed in no light condition? also i'm not sure how to work out the RQ either!
helppppppppppppppp!!!

OP

The planning isnt that difficult. The seeds use their energy stores before they can photosynthesis, hence they lose weight due to the fact that they are respiring and loosing co2.......the rest is just common sence!

OP

i think it is a good idea to metion that cloned seeds would be the best to use but they are hard to get hold of.
Has anyone chosen the seeds they are going to work with?
I think the oven method is the best way to go about it but i am not completly sure how to go about it. any ideas anyone?

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