Practical questions
You will complete eight required practical activities if you are studying GCSE Biology and sixteen if you are studying GCSE Combined Science. You could be asked questions about the methods, safety precautions you might take, results and conclusions of these experiments.
These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Describe a method that could be used to investigate the speed of reaction times. [4 marks]
Four from:
- Person A holds out their hand with a gap between their thumb and first finger.
- Person B holds the ruler with the zero at the top of Person A's thumb.
- Person B drops the ruler without telling Person A and Person A must catch it.
- The number level with the top of Person A's thumb is recorded in a suitable table. Repeat this ten times.
- You can use the conversion table to help convert your ruler measurements into reaction time or just record the catch distance in cm.
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Describe how you could adjust this method to show the effect of stimulants in reaction times. [2 marks]
Two from:
- The person drinks a caffeinated drink after they have measured their reaction times.
- Wait a few minutes for the caffeine to have an effect on the nervous system.
- Repeat the above experiment and compare the results.
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
Identify the anomalous result in the table below and explain what the students doing the investigation should now do. [3 marks]
| Attempt | Distance without caffeine (cm) | Distance with caffeine (cm) |
| 1 | 32 | 19 |
| 2 | 40 | 13 |
| 3 | 33 | 15 |
| 4 | 15 | 16 |
| Mean | 31.5 | 15.75 |
| Attempt | 1 |
|---|---|
| Distance without caffeine (cm) | 32 |
| Distance with caffeine (cm) | 19 |
| Attempt | 2 |
|---|---|
| Distance without caffeine (cm) | 40 |
| Distance with caffeine (cm) | 13 |
| Attempt | 3 |
|---|---|
| Distance without caffeine (cm) | 33 |
| Distance with caffeine (cm) | 15 |
| Attempt | 4 |
|---|---|
| Distance without caffeine (cm) | 15 |
| Distance with caffeine (cm) | 16 |
| Attempt | Mean |
|---|---|
| Distance without caffeine (cm) | 31.5 |
| Distance with caffeine (cm) | 15.75 |
- The anomalous result is the fourth reading without caffeine (15 cm).
- The students should ignore this value.
- Ideally they will repeat it.
- If they cannot they will calculate their mean without using this number.
Sample question 4 - Higher
Question
This table shows how catch distances (centimetres) on the ruler drop test and reaction times (milliseconds) are related.
| Catch distance (cm) | Reaction time (ms) |
| 1 | 50 |
| 5 | 90 |
| 10 | 140 |
| 15 | 170 |
| 20 | 200 |
| 25 | 230 |
| 30 | 250 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 1 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 50 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 5 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 90 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 10 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 140 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 15 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 170 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 20 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 200 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 25 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 230 |
| Catch distance (cm) | 30 |
|---|---|
| Reaction time (ms) | 250 |
Using blank graph paper draw a graph of catch distance against reaction time. [5 marks]
- Line graph not bar chart.
- Correctly plotted points (2 marks).
- Catch distance on x axis and reaction time on y axis.
- Suitable linear scales both starting at zero.
- Labelled axes with titles and units.