A student investigates the effect of different colored light on the growth rate of E. coli bacteria. They grow the bacteria in petri dishes under red, green, and blue light, ensuring each dish receives the same light intensity. The student measures the area covered by the bacteria each day for 5 days.
Which of the following is the MOST appropriate control variable for this experiment?
The color of the light used.
The initial number of E. coli bacteria in each petri dish.
The area covered by the bacteria after 5 days.
The type of petri dish used.
Marking your answer...
This may take a few seconds
Sign up for free to see your full marking breakdown and personalised study recommendations.
Create Free Account Log inThis is a free VCE Units 3 & 4 Biology practice question worth 1 mark, testing your understanding of Method & variable choices. It falls under How is scientific inquiry used to investigate cellular processes and/or biological change? in Unit 4: How does life change and respond to challenges?. Submit your answer above to receive instant AI-powered marking and personalised feedback.
In this unit students consider the continual change and challenges to which life on Earth has been, and continues to be, subjected. They study the human immune system and the interactions between its components to provide immunity to a specific pathogen. Students consider how the application of biological knowledge can be used to respond to bioethical issues and challenges related to disease. Students consider how evolutionary biology is based on the accumulation of evidence over time. They investigate the impact of various change events on a population’s gene pool and the biological consequences of changes in allele frequencies. Students examine the evidence for relatedness between species and change in life forms over time using evidence from paleontology, structural morphology, molecular homology and comparative genomics. Students examine the evidence for structural trends in the human fossil record, recognising that interpretations can be contested, refined or replaced when challenged by new evidence. Students demonstrate and apply their knowledge of how life changes and responds to challenges through investigation of a selected case study, data analysis and/or bioethical issue. Examples of investigation topics include, but are not limited to: deviant cell behaviour and links to disease; autoimmune diseases; allergic reactions; development of immunotherapy strategies; use and application of bacteriophage therapy; prevention and eradication of disease; vaccinations; bioprospecting for new medical treatments; trends, patterns and evidence for evolutionary relationships; population and species changes over time in non-animal communities such as forests and microbiota; monitoring of gene pools for conservation planning; role of selective breeding programs in conservation of endangered species; or impact of new technologies on the study of evolutionary biology. A student-designed scientific investigation involving the generation of primary data related to cellular processes and/or how life changes and responds to challenges is undertaken in either Unit 3 or Unit 4, or across both Units 3 and 4, and is assessed in this unit, Outcome 3. The design, analysis and findings of the investigation are presented in a scientific poster format as outlined in the study design.
Students undertake a student-designed scientific investigation in either Unit 3 or Unit 4, or across both Units 3 and 4. The investigation involves the generation of primary data relating to cellular processes and/or how life changes and responds to challenges. The investigation draws on knowledge and related key science skills developed across Units 3 and 4 and is undertaken by students in the laboratory and/or in the field. When undertaking the investigation students are required to apply the key science skills to develop a question, state an aim, formulate a hypothesis and plan a course of action to answer the question, while complying with safety and ethical guidelines. Students then undertake an investigation to generate primary quantitative data, analyse and evaluate the data, identify limitations of data and methods, link experimental results to scientific ideas, discuss implications of the results, and draw a conclusion in response to the question. The presentation format for the investigation is a scientific poster constructed according to the structure outlined in the study design. A logbook is maintained by students for record, assessment and authentication purposes.
characteristics of the selected scientific methodology and method, and appropriateness of the use of independent, dependent and controlled variables in the selected scientific investigation
All free, all instant AI marking.
A student is designing an experiment to investigate the effect of different concentrations of salt solution on the growth of _Lemna minor_ (…
A group of Year 12 Biology students investigated the effect of different coloured light filters on the growth rate of _Zostera marina_ (eelg…
A student is investigating the effect of different colored cellophane filters on the rate of photosynthesis in _Elodea_ (an aquatic plant).…
A student is investigating the effect of different colored lights on the rate of photosynthesis in _Elodea_. They measure the amount of oxyg…
A student is investigating the effect of different colored lights on the growth of _E. coli_ bacteria in a petri dish. They place different…
A student is investigating the effect of different colored light on the rate of photosynthesis in algae. They use red, green, and blue light…
StudyPulse has thousands of VCE Biology questions with full AI feedback, mark breakdowns, progress tracking, and study notes across every Key Knowledge point including Method & variable choices.
