Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level

BIOLOGY 9700/34
Paper 3 Advanced Practical Skills 2 May/June 2017
CONFIDENTIAL INSTRUCTIONS
Great care should be taken to ensure that any confidential information given, including the identity
of material on microscope slides where appropriate, does not reach the candidates either directly or
* 5 4 7 2 7 5 6 7 6 8 *

indirectly.

If you have any queries regarding these Confidential Instructions, please contact Cambridge stating the
Centre number, the nature of the query and the syllabus number quoted above.

email [email protected]
phone +44 1223 553554
fax +44 1223 553558

This document consists of 9 printed pages and 3 blank pages.

DC (ST/SG) 124658/3
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Instructions for preparing apparatus

These instructions give details of the apparatus required by each candidate for each experiment in
this paper. A summary of the questions that will be presented to the candidates is included, where
appropriate, to allow the biology teacher to test the apparatus appropriately.
No access to the Question Paper is permitted in advance of the examination.
Candidates must be provided with a microscope with:
• eyepiece lens, ×10 (equal to 16 mm or 23″)
• low-power objective lens, ×10 (equal to 16 mm or 23″)
• high-power objective lens, ×40 (equal to 4 mm or 16″)
• eyepiece graticule fitted within the eyepiece and visible in focus at the same time as the
specimen.
To avoid confusion, only the lenses specified above should be fitted in the microscopes to be used in
the examination. Any lenses which are not ×10 or ×40 should be removed or replaced.
Each candidate must have uninterrupted use of the microscope for at least one hour.
Supervisors are advised to remind candidates that all substances in the examination should be treated
with caution. Pipette fillers and suitable eye protection should be used where necessary.
In accordance with the COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations, operative in
the UK, a hazard appraisal of the examination has been carried out.
The following codes are used where relevant.
C corrosive MH moderate hazard
HH health hazard T acutely toxic
F flammable O oxidising
N hazardous to the aquatic environment

internal diameter

When small test-tubes are provided, it is expected

that these are approximately 150 mm in height.
height
If other dimensions of apparatus are required, these
will be specified.

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Confidential Instructions

In advance of the examination:

At least a week before the examination, prepare the plant extract (10M) and carry out the test for
its activity.
See Preparation of materials

For both Questions

Each candidate will require:

• ruler, marked in mm (note: for Question 2 this must be a clear plastic ruler)
• clean and dry apparatus, e.g. glassware and syringes (without a needle)
• solutions supplied in a suitable beaker, or container, for removal of the solutions using a syringe
• fresh solutions, materials and rinsing water where appropriate.

More of the solutions should be available if requested by candidates.

If a candidate breaks any of the apparatus or loses any of the materials supplied, the matter should be
rectified and a note made in the Supervisor’s Report.

Solutions should be disposed of in accordance with local safety regulations.

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Question 1

Each candidate will require:

materials and apparatus for each candidate quantity 3

Plant extract solution in a beaker or container, labelled 10M, provided at room at least
temperature (see Preparation of materials) 100 cm3
Distilled water in a beaker or container, labelled W, provided at room temperature at least
100 cm3
50% plant extract solution in a beaker or container, labelled U, provided at room at least
temperature (see Preparation of materials) 40 cm3
[MH] 1 mol dm–3 sulfuric acid in a beaker or container, labelled A, provided at at least
room temperature (see Preparation of materials) 20 cm3
Potassium manganate(VII) solution in a beaker or container, labelled K, at least
provided at room temperature (see Preparation of materials) 20 cm3
10 cm3 syringes, with the means to wash them out 2
2 cm3 or 3 cm3 syringes, with the means to wash them out 2
Beakers or containers, maximum capacity 100 cm3 5
Test-tubes – small, maximum capacity 15 cm3 6
Test-tube rack(s) to hold 6 small test-tubes 1

White paper or card, approximately 10 cm × 10 cm 1

Container with tap water (capacity approximately 200 cm3), labelled For 1
washing
Container (capacity approximately 400 cm3), labelled For waste 1
Paper towels 8
Glass marker pen 1
Stop-clock or timer showing seconds 1
Suitable eye protection 1

It is advisable to wear suitable eye protection when handling chemicals.

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Preparation of materials

(i) 10M, plant extract

This is prepared from approximately 15 g of spinach. Tear the leaves into small pieces
and put them into a beaker (approximate capacity 400 cm3). Add boiling distilled water to
half fill the beaker. Stir well and allow to cool.

Pour off the liquid into a beaker and test this extract.

Test:
Put 1 cm3 of 1 mol dm–3 sulfuric acid (A) and 1 cm3 of 0.01% potassium manganate(VII)
solution (K) into a test-tube. Mix well. Add 1 cm3 of 10M and time how long it takes for the
mixture to turn from pink to colourless.

The time taken should be between 8 and 15 seconds.

If it takes less time than 8 seconds then dilute the plant extract.

If it takes longer than 15 seconds, then increase the number of leaves used to make
the plant extract.

10M can be prepared the day before the examination. It should be stored in a covered
container in a refrigerator.

10M should be at room temperature for the examination.

Please note the Question paper will state that 10M is a 10% solution.

(ii) U, 50% plant extract solution

This is prepared by putting 50 cm3 of 10M into a beaker and making up to 100 cm3 with
distilled water.

Please note the Question paper will state that U is an unknown concentration.

[MH] (iii) A, 1.0 mol dm–3 sulfuric acid

This is prepared from (98%) sulfuric acid, by adding 55 cm3 of this sulfuric acid to 500 cm3
of distilled water and making up to 1 dm3 with distilled water.

This is an exothermic reaction, so add the acid to the water.

(iv) K, 0.01% potassium manganate(VII) solution

This is prepared by putting 1.0 g of potassium manganate(VII) into a beaker and making
up to 100 cm3 with distilled water. This makes a 1.0% solution.

Then put 1 cm3 of this 1.0% solution into a beaker and make up to 100 cm3 with distilled
water. This makes the 0.01% potassium manganate(VII) solution.

This solution must be made up immediately before the start of the examination and kept
out of direct sunlight.

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Question 2

Each candidate will require:

(i) Microscope with an eyepiece graticule fitted into the eyepiece lens (as described on
page 2)

For each candidate:

• the microscope must be set up on low power
• no slide must be left on the stage of the microscope.

(ii) Slide N1

On receipt of the slides, please check that they are labelled N1 and that no slides are
broken. The material is confidential (so must not be disclosed to candidates) and the
slides should not be viewed in advance of the examination.

The number of slides supplied by Cambridge will be equal to half the candidate entry.

Therefore, half the candidates should start on Question 2 and the other candidates
should start on Question 1.

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SUPERVISOR’S REPORT

The Supervisor’s Report is essential in order to allow the Examiners to assess all candidates as fairly
as possible and should always be completed by every Centre.

During the examination, the Supervisor or other competent biologist (not the Invigilator), should follow
the steps in Question 1, in order to obtain results for 1(a)(ii) and 1(a)(iii).

The Supervisor should use the same solutions as those provided to the candidates and work out of
the sight of the candidates.

These results should be written in the Supervisor’s Report, not on a spare Question Paper.

SEATING PLAN

Provide a seating plan of work benches, on separate paper, giving details of the places occupied by
the candidates for each question using each candidate’s number.

The Supervisor’s Report and the candidates’ seating plan should be enclosed with each packet of
scripts.

MATERIALS TO BE SUPPLIED BY CAMBRIDGE

• Slide N1

RETURN OF EXAMINATION MATERIALS TO CAMBRIDGE

Immediately after the examination the microscope slides must be:

• returned to Cambridge in the containers in which they were received, using the self-adhesive
label. The slides must not be included in the packet of scripts.

or

• purchased using the order form enclosed with the slides, which should be completed and returned
to Cambridge. The order form must not be included in the packet of scripts.

Slides and boxes will be charged at the rate of £3 per slide plus £1 per box.
If the items are not returned or purchased by the deadline stated on the order form, they will be charged
at £3.50 per slide plus £1 per box.

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Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every
reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the
publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity.

To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge International
Examinations Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download at www.cie.org.uk after
the live examination series.

Cambridge International Examinations is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of University of Cambridge Local
Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is itself a department of the University of Cambridge.

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9700/34

This form should be completed and sent with the scripts.

SUPERVISOR’S REPORT

May/June 2017

The Supervisor or Teacher responsible for the subject should provide the following information.

1 Was any difficulty experienced in providing the necessary materials? If so, give brief details.

2 Give details of any difficulties experienced by particular candidates, giving names and candidate
numbers. Reference should be made to:

(a) difficulties arising from faulty specimens or microscopes;

(b) accidents to apparatus or materials;

(c) assistance provided in case of colour blindness;

(d) any other information that is likely to assist the Examiner, especially if this cannot be
discovered from the scripts.

All other cases of individual hardship, e.g. illness or disability, should be reported direct to Cambridge
on the normal ‘Special Consideration Form’ as detailed in the Handbook for Centres.

3 During the examination the Supervisor (or other competent biologist) should follow the steps in
Question 1 in order to obtain results for 1(a)(ii) and 1(a)(iii). The Supervisor should use the same
solutions as those provided to the candidates, and work out of the sight of the candidates.
These results should be written on page 12, which should be enclosed with the candidates’
scripts. If the scripts are in several packets, please ensure that a copy of the Supervisor’s Report
is enclosed with each packet of scripts.

4 Enclosed a seating plan of work benches with the scripts, giving details of the candidate numbers
for the places occupied by the candidates for each question.

Declaration (to be signed by the Supervisor)

The preparation of this practical examination has been carried out so as to maintain the security of the
examination.
Signed .....................................................................................................................................................

Name (in block capitals) ..........................................................................................................................

Centre number (of enclosed scripts) .......................................................................................................

Centre name ............................................................................................................................................

If scripts are despatched in more than one envelope, it is essential that each envelope includes a
copy of the:
• relevant Supervisor’s Report
• appropriate seating plan(s).
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Temperature of examination room ......................... °C

Results for Question 1(a)(ii) and 1(a)(iii)

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