Biology Required Practical: Plant Responses

GCSE Biology Required Practical - Plant Responses

Investigate the effect of light or gravity on the growth of germinating seeds. Record results as both length measurements and as careful, labelled biological drawings to show the effects.

1. Set up three petri dishes with cotton wool soaked in equal amounts of water.
2. Place ten mustard seeds in each petri dish.
3. Place the petri dishes in a warm place where they will not be disturbed or moved.
4. Allow the mustard seeds to germinate, adding more water if the cotton wool gets dry (equal amounts to each dish).
5. Once the mustard seeds have germinated, make sure that the number of seedlings in each dish is the same. Remove excess seedlings from any dish that has too many. For example, one dish has eight seedlings which is the fewest compared to the other petri dishes. Therefore remove seedlings from the other dishes so that each dish has eight.
6. Move the petri dishes into position. One should be placed on a windowsill in full sunlight. One should be placed in a dark cupboard. The third should be placed in partial light.
7. Every day, for at least a week, measure the height of each seedling and record in a table. You will need one table for full sunlight, one for partial light and one for darkness.
8. Calculate the mean height of the seedlings each day.
9. Compare the mean heights in full sunlight, partial light and darkness by drawing a graph of ‘mean height’ against ‘time’ for each.

Plant Responses to Light - GCSE Biology Required Practical

• Investigates the effect of light on the growth and germination of cress seeds.
• Goes through all the major aspects of the practical and gives you hints and tips for exam questions.

Required Practical - Plant Responses

• How to perform the experiment?
• The science underpinning it
• How to process the results?
• What the results actually mean?

• Show Video

Required Practical: Plant Responses (Triple)
Describe how to investigate the effect of light or gravity on the growth of newly germinated seedlings.

• Show Video

Try the free Mathway calculator and problem solver below to practice various math topics. Try the given examples, or type in your own problem and check your answer with the step-by-step explanations.

We welcome your feedback, comments and questions about this site or page. Please submit your feedback or enquiries via our Feedback page.