North Star Academy College Preparatory High School

Name: ______________________________ Team_____________________

EDUCATION IS FREEDOM! Date__________/Mr. McIntire

Honors Biology

Graphing in Biology

1. What is the purpose of graphing data in biology?

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2. Examine the graphs below. Identify what’s wrong with each graph.

a.

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b.

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c.

I Do – Modeling Lines Graphs in Honors/AP Biology

Problem 1

Temperatures were obtained in November in a fairly arid area of Nevada. At two different sites, temperature readings were taken at a number of heights above and below the soil surface. One site was shaded by a juniper (a plant) whereas the other was not.

Condition Height from Soil Surface (cm)

Temp Beneath Forest Cover (°C)

Temp in Un-Shaded Field (°C)

Air 150 18 20Air 90 18 21Air 60 18 20Air 30 18 21Soil Surface 0 16 33Humus -6 12 19Mineral -15 9 15Mineral -30 7 12

Graph these data on the axes provided.

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Steps to Constructing a Line Graph

Step 1: ____________________

Step 2: ____________________

Step 3: ____________________

Step 4: ____________________

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Step 5: ____________________

Step 6: ____________________

Step 7: ____________________

Questions

We Do – Let’s Practice Graphing in Honors/AP Biology

Problem 2

Ethylene is a plant hormone that causes fruit to mature. The data above concerns the amount of time it takes for fruit to mature from the time of the first application of ethylene by spraying a field of trees.

Amount of Ethylene (ml/m2)

Wine Sap Apples (Days to Maturity)

Golden Apples (Days to Maturity)

Gala Apples (Days to Maturity)

10 14 14 1515 12 12 1320 11 9 1025 10 7 930 8 7 835 8 7 7

Graph these data on the axes provided.

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Steps to Constructing a Line Graph

Step 1: ____________________

Step 2: ____________________

Step 3: ____________________

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Step 4: ____________________

Step 5: ____________________

Step 6: ____________________

Step 7: ____________________

Questions

Independent Practice

Problem 3

The thickness of the annual rings indicate what type of environmental situation was occurring at the time of its development. A thin ring usually indicates a rough period of development. Lack of water, forest fires, or a major insect infestation. On other hand, a thick ring indicates just the opposite.

Age of the Tree (yearsFOREST A

Average Thickness of the Annual Rings (cm)

FOREST BAverage Thickness of the

Annual Rings (cm)10 2.0 2.220 2.2 2.530 3.5 3.640 3.0 3.850 4.5 4.060 4.3 4.5

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Graph these data on the axes provided.

Steps to Constructing a Line Graph

Step 1: ____________________

Step 2: ____________________

Step 3: ____________________

Step 4: ____________________

Step 5: ____________________

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Step 6: ____________________

Step 7: ____________________

Questions

Push Yourself1. What was the average thickness of the annual rings of 40 year-old trees in “Forest A”?

2. Calculate the average growth rate between 10-50 years for trees in Forest A and B.

3. Based on this data, what can you conclude about Forest A and Forest B?

Problem 4

A team of scientists wanted to test the effects of temperature on the germination rate of pinto beans. They placed three sets of 100 pinto bean seeds in temperature controlled chambers: Chamber A was set at 15o C, chamber B at 20oC, and chamber C at 25oC. Their results are shown in Table 4 below.

Day % Germination (15°C)

% Germination (20°C)

% Germination (25°C)

0 0 0 02 2 10 104 10 30 506 20 40 808 20 60 90

10 35 70 90

Graph these data on the axes provided.

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Steps to Constructing a Line Graph

Step 1: ____________________

Step 2: ____________________

Step 3: ____________________

Step 4: ____________________

Step 5: ____________________

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North Star Academy College Preparatory High School

Step 6: ____________________

Step 7: ____________________

Questions

Push Yourself1. Based on this data, what can you conclude about the germination rate?

2. What data do you have to support your hypothesis?

3. Provide the biological explanation to support this conclusion?

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