What we want to achieve:

1. Revisit the Core Pracs in each Science an identify missing or

difficult
ideas.
2. Remember the scientific skills we need to demonstrate.
3. Practice some Core Prac exam questions
Activities
Session 1 Session 2
Revisiting the Core Pracs A test of skills. (inc. graphs)
The science behind the Exam practice
practicals
Equipment challenge! The big fat core prac quiz
Edexcel GCSE 9-1 Science
Biology Practicals
Investigate biological specimens using microscopes including
Looking at cells magnification calculations.
pH and enzyme Investigate the effect of pH on enzyme activity using amylase (in
activity solutions of different pH) to break down starch.
Food tests Investigate the use of chemical reagents to identify starch,
(Separate Only) reducing sugars, proteins and fats.
Osmosis in potato Investigate osmosis in potatoes in different strength sugar
strips solutions.
Investigate the effects of antiseptics, antibiotics or plant extracts
Microbial cultures
on microbial cultures using paper discs of the chemical on a
(Separate Only) bacterial plate.
Investigate the effect of light intensity on the rate of
Photosynthesis photosynthesis using pondweed.
Respiration Investigate the rate of respiration in living organisms using
woodlice.
Investigate the relationship between organisms and their
Fieldwork environment using field-work techniques, including quadrats and
belt transects.
 Edexcel GCSE 9-1 Science
Chemistry Practicals
Chromatography Separating the different coloured dyes in an ink.
Investigate what happens to pH of hydrochloric acid when calcium hydroxide
Neutralisation
(a base) is added.
Preparing a salt Make copper sulphate crystals using copper oxide and sulfuric acid.
Electrolysis Electrolyse a solution of copper sulphate to produce copper.
Titration (Separate To find the volume of hydrochloric acid needed to neutralise 25.0 cm3 of 0.10
Only)
mol dm−3 sodium hydroxide solution.

Investigate the effect of surface area on rate of reaction using different sized
Rates of reaction marble chips.

Determine the metal hydroxide precipitate colours for different metals. Use
Ion Tests(Separate chemical tests to identify halide ions (Cl- Br- or I- or carbonate ions CO32– in
Only)
known solutions

Combustion of Alcohol
(Separate Only) Investigate temperature rise of water by combustion of different alcohols.
 Edexcel GCSE 9-1 Science
Physics Practicals

Acceleration Investigate the effect of mass on the acceleration of a trolley

Measure the speed, frequency and wavelength of waves using a
Waves
ripple tank.

Refraction Investigate how light is affected when it travels from air into glass.

investigate the effect of different coloured surfaces on the amount

Thermal Radiation of energy transferred by radiation from a boiling tube of hot water.
Investigate the relationship between potential difference, current
Investigating Resistance
and resistance for a resistor and a filament lamp.

Densities Compare the densities of different solids.

Find the specific heat capacity of water. (amount of heat needed

Specific Heat Capacity
to raise the temperature of one kilogram of mass by 1 degree. )
Investigate the extension and work done when applying forces to
Extension of a spring
a spring
Task 1: Revisiting the Core Practicals. What did
we do?
6 Biology 5 Chemistry 8 Physics

1. Around the room are summaries of each practical.

2. Your group needs to split up. Each group member will visit 2 or 3 of the
summary sheets.
3. Talk to other students not from your group about the summary you visit
4. Return to your group. Each group member shares what they discussed about
each practical. Try to remind each other what we did in each practical.
Remember some people may have been absent.
5. You will probably find a practical that none of your group know/remember
much about. This is ok but please feedback to your teacher which practical this
is.
Task 2: What is the idea
behind the practical?
This is a team challenge. You have a whiteboard and a marker and books for
reference.

One of the science practicals will appear on the board. You have 1 minute to
write what you think the scientific idea behind the practical is.

Example: If “Respiration” appears you would need to write something like…

Living organisms have chemical reaction in their cells to produce energy to
stay alive. It uses glucose and oxygen and produces carbon dioxide and water.

Note to teacher: This is where you use the Core Prac Generator PPT.
ENTER will start the cycle, P will pause it.
Task 2: Which of these are required GCSE scientific skills to demonstrate in the exam?

Identify variables
Write a method Explain the underpinning
science to an investigation

Say how to reduce a risk Say why we do repeats

Calculate an average

Choose suitable apparatus

for a job Improve a method by changing a Identify a risk
step or piece of equipment

Calculate percentage
change in mass

Explain how a piece of

Present data in a pie chart Identify and deal with an
apparatus works
anomaly
Answer:
All of them except for

Explain how a piece of

apparatus works

You don’t need to say how a thermometer works for example. Only what
it is used for.

So we have quite a few skills to practice.

 Biology Chemistry Physics
1. The magnification equation. What is it? 1. Label how to calculate an Rf value on this chromatogram 1. What scientific idea underpin the Refraction
practical? (Why does light bend?)
Core Prac Skills Practice

2. Give a risk from the extracting DNA prac and say how to
control it.
2. Suggest a range of independent variable
values for the Spring Extension practical.

3. Osmosis in potatoes. How do you calculate percentage

increase and why?
How: 3. What is the best equipment for timing the
cars in the acceleration practical and why?

2. When preparing copper sulfate, can you unscramble the

anagrams of techniques used.
Why:
a) Nilfartoit :___________________________________

b) Ravepotionoa:________________________________
4. Respiration. What are the dependent and independent 4. In the Waves practical,what equipment:
variables?
Dependent= c) Slingdosiv: ____________________________________
a) Generated waves?
Independent = b) Measured frequency of wave in solid metal
bar?
3. Investiigating how surface area affects rate of reaction
between marble chips and acid we change the chip size.
5. What control variables should you use for the Give 3 control variables:
Photosynthesis prac.
5. Give 2 control variables for the thermal
Name:

i)
- radiation practical.
ii)
- -
iii)
- -
The right science apparatus for the job. Do you know what they do and when we
should use them?

Iodine
Apparatus Practical Use Apparatus Practical Use
Shows the presence of starch to Shows the presence of starch to
see if an _______has worked. see if an _______has worked.
Water bath Respiration Water bath Respiration
(Biology (Biology
Ethanol Precipitates ______ out of Ethanol Precipitates ______ out of
solution so we can see and solution so we can see and
extract it. extract it.
Resistance Measures voltage and current so Resistance Measures voltage and current so
(Physics) we can calculate resistance (Physics) we can calculate resistance
Preparing a salt Preparing a salt
(Chemistry) (Chemistry)
Density (Physics) Density (Physics)

Mass balance Osmosis Mass balance Osmosis

(Biology) (Biology)
Used to separate out copper from Used to separate out copper from
__________ solution using electricity. __________ solution using electricity.
(Chemistry) (Chemistry)
Data Logger Data Logger
(with light ____________ (with light ____________
gates) (Physics) gates) (Physics)
White tile and __________ White tile and __________
UI solution (Chemistry) UI solution (Chemistry)
Biology Paper 4 -
Foundation

Which equipment? Confusing huh? They already have a

boiling tube in the picture. But something else would be
better. Which one?

Describe the effect means “describe what the results are
doing”. The left hand column increases by 5. The right hand
column goes 1,2,4,5,6,6,6. Hmmmmm. 2 marks?
These numbers go up but then stay the same so….
The volume of gas increases as more sodium
hydrogen carbonate is added however this increase
stops if more than 20cm3 of sodium hydrogen
carbonate solution is used. (If I was asked I would
say that 20cm3 is the volume that gives the most
gas without wasting any solution.)
 Chemistry Paper 5
Foundation
2b.Answer:
2a. Select the equipment and say
 use a thermometer (1)
how to measure
to measure atemperature
initial and final change in (1)
temperature.
Lots of students did not describe step 2 and dropped a
mark. Ask yourself, “have I said how to use it”?

2d. Answer: Any two suggestions from the following:

2d. Control
(same) volume ofvariables
water (1)
 (same) mass of solid (1)
 (same rate of) stirring (1)

In an experiment we choose one variable to change

(independent)
We measure another variable (dependent) and we keep all
other variables the same to make it fair. (Control variables).
 Physics Paper 3- Higher
How do we, “improve the method of
analysing”?

The current method is to take

pictures every 0.1 seconds. (this is
your clue)

 take pictures more frequently (1)

 inBetter analysisexact
order to determine would
time ofbe
theto
release. (1)
____________________________
Other suitable responses would get marks i.e. video the
sosothat
action you an______________________
stop it and see the throw at any time.

EXPLAIN! To get second mark

The Super Awesome Amazing Core
Practical…
The

round
Question 1: Which three letters would you
find in the magnification equation?

A: M G and H

B: M F and A

C: M A and I

D: M S and D
Answer: C: M A and I
Question 2: Which word is NOT part of
enzyme lock and key theory

A: substrate

B: complex

C: active site

D: nucleotide
Answer: D: nucleotide

• This refers to a single piece of a DNA molecule

Question 3: A potato chip is put in pure
water. Will it…

A: stay the same mass.

B: decrease in mass.

C: increase then decrease in mass.

D: increase in mass.
Answer: D: increase in mass

Water diffuses from a high to a low

concentration gradient through a semi-
permeable membrane
Question 4: Which of the following are
ALL limiting factors of photosynthesis
A: light, carbon dioxide, water

B: light, oxygen, water

C: temperature, oxygen, water

D: temperature, carbon dioxide, light.

Answer: D: temperature, carbon dioxide,
light
You may have said water is a limiting factor but it is needed in such
small amounts that we generally don’t consider it to be one.
Question 5: A potato chips has a mass of 22g. After being in a
solution it has a mass of 35g. What is it’s percentage increase in
mass?

A: - 10%

B: + 63%

C: + 100%

D: - 48%
The

round
Question 6: What is the formula for an Rf
value in chromatography?

A: distance moved by compound x volume of compound used.

B: solvent front distance x number of dyes

C: distance moved by the solvent x distance moved by the compound

D: distance moved by the compound ÷ distance moved by the solvent

Answer: D: distance moved by the compound ÷ distance moved by the
solvent
Question 7: What happens to pH of hydrochloric
acid when calcium hydroxide (a base) is added.

A: it increases

B: it decreases

C: it stays the same

D: it doubles
Answer: A: it increases

An strong acid is pH 1 or 2 and this will increase towards 7 (neutral) if a

base (alkali) is added.
Question 8: In industry, electrolysis is
used to extract which metals

A: Iron and gold

B: Iron and potassium

C: Copper and aluminium

D: Aluminium and magnesium

Answer: D: Aluminium and magnesium

Gold, silver and platinum are found as

metals in the Earth’s crust so don’t need
extracting.

Anything else below carbon can be

extracted in a furnace using carbon to
displace it from it’s ore.

Aluminium and magnesium are more

reactive than carbon so require electrolysis
to extract them from their ore.
Question 9: When electrolysing copper sulfate. What
are the correct charges and names of the 2 electrodes?

A: Anode - Cathode +

B: Cathode - Anode +

C: Diode - Anode +

D: Positrode + Negatrode -
Answer: B: Cathode - Anode +
Question 10: Which factors ALL affect the rate of a chemical
reaction by increasing or decreasing the number of collisions
between particles.

A: Light, temperature, concentration and pressure

B: Surface area, pressure, temperature, concentration

C: catalyst, light, concentration and surface area

D: temperature, pH, concentration and pressure.

Answer: B: Surface area, pressure, temperature, concentration

Hopefully you spotted CATALYST in answer C. This also affects reaction

rate but “light” was in answer C and light doesn’t affect most reactions.
The

round
Question 11: The units of wave speed,
frequency and wavelength are…

A: m/s, Fz cm

B: mph, Hz, mm

C: m/s, Hz, m

D: m/s2, Hz, km
Answer: C: m/s, Hz, m

Speed in meters per second

Frequency in hertz (remember one full wave cycle per second is 1 Hz)
Question 12: When light passes from one
material to another it refracts (bends
because)
A: different atoms change it’s wavelength

B: a different density changes the speed of the wave

C: the new material temperature changes the wave

amplitude

D: different atoms change the waves frequency.

Answer: B: a different density changes the speed of the wave

The wave I bent on one side first by more or less tightly packed atoms
in a new material.

If a light wave passes from air into glass then the glass is more dense.
IT is harder for the wave to travel through it so it gets slowed down as it
enters the glass. This makes the wave bend.
Question 13: What is the relationship
between current and resistance in a
filament lamp?
A: more current means less resistance

B: more current means more resistance

C: more current doesn’t affect resistance

D: less current means more resistance

Answer: B: more current means more resistance

Resistance is the word used for

when the big metal atoms get
in the way of the electrons.

If there are more electrons

flowing then they will bump
into the big atoms more.

This generates heat.

Question 14: What is the correct definition
of specific heat capacity?
A: the amount of water needed to absorb 100J of energy

B: the amount of energy needed to boil 1kg of water

C: the amount of energy needed to change the temperature

of 1 kg of the substance by 1°C

D: the amount of energy a litre of water can hold.

Answer: C: the amount of energy needed to change the
temperature of 1 kg of the substance by 1°C

Remember, different liquids can hold different amounts of heat. They

have a different capacity.

If a liquid can hold more heat then it will require more energy to heat
up the same volume of liquid.
Question 15: When investigating the extension of
a spring, what would be suitable control
variables?
A: same spring, same pointer position.

B: same spring, same mass.

C: same mass, same person measuring

D: same mass, same ruler

Answer: A: same spring, same pointer position.

You should be changing the mass on the spring to B,C and D are all
wrong.

Sticking your pointer to the spring was fiddly so it was important to

check the pointer didn’t move and always pointed to 0 to begin.