Tag: IB DP

IBDP IA: Effect of Substrate Concentration on Catalase Activity: Michaelis-Menten Kinetics

IBDP IA: Effect of Substrate Concentration on Catalase Activity: Michaelis-Menten Kinetics

Catalase is one of the most efficient enzymes known, breaking down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen at rates of up to 40 million reactions per second. In this investigation, you will measure how the rate of catalase activity changes as substrate concentration increases, generating a Michaelis-Menten curve and allowing calculation of the maximum reaction velocity (Vₘₐˣ) and the Michaelis constant (Kₘ). This is a fully quantitative IB Biology HL Internal Assessment investigation. This practical is suitable for IB Diploma Biology HL and Edexcel IGCSE Biology.

IBDP IA: Simple Pendulum: Length vs Period and Determination of g

IBDP IA: Simple Pendulum: Length vs Period and Determination of g

The simple pendulum is one of the most studied systems in classical mechanics. By measuring how the period of oscillation changes with pendulum length, you can determine the local gravitational field strength g with remarkable precision from a school laboratory. The relationship T² ∝ L produces a clean linear graph whose gradient directly yields g, making this an ideal IB Physics IA for demonstrating rigorous uncertainty analysis. This practical is suitable for IB Diploma Physics HL and SL and Edexcel IGCSE Physics.

IBDP IA: Capacitor Discharge: Time Constant vs Resistance and Measurement of Capacitance

IBDP IA: Capacitor Discharge: Time Constant vs Resistance and Measurement of Capacitance

When a charged capacitor discharges through a resistor, the voltage decays exponentially with time. The time constant τ = RC determines how quickly this happens. By measuring τ for different resistance values, you can verify the linear relationship τ = RC and calculate the capacitance of the capacitor. A data logger makes this investigation particularly powerful, generating rich continuous voltage-time data for each resistance. This is an outstanding IB Diploma Physics HL Internal Assessment topic.

IBDP IA Idea: Effect of Light Wavelength on Photosynthesis Rate: Constructing an Action Spectrum

IBDP IA Idea: Effect of Light Wavelength on Photosynthesis Rate: Constructing an Action Spectrum

Different wavelengths of light are absorbed differently by photosynthetic pigments. By measuring the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea (Canadian pondweed) under light of different wavelengths, you can construct an action spectrum — a graph showing photosynthetic rate against wavelength — and compare it to the known absorption spectra of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. This is an elegant and visually striking IB Biology IA.

IBDP IA: Effect of Ligand Concentration on Absorbance: Copper-Ammonia Complex Formation

IBDP IA: Effect of Ligand Concentration on Absorbance: Copper-Ammonia Complex Formation

When ammonia is added to a copper(II) sulfate solution, the pale blue Cu²⁺(aq) ion is progressively replaced by the deep blue tetraamminecopper(II) complex [Cu(NH₃)₄]²⁺. The intensity of this colour change can be measured precisely using a colorimeter, and the relationship between ammonia concentration and absorbance reveals the stepwise nature of complex ion formation. This makes it a visually dramatic and analytically rich IB Chemistry HL IA. This practical is suitable for IB Diploma Chemistry HL.

IDBP IA: Electrochemical Cell EMF vs Concentration: Verifying the Nernst Equation

IDBP IA: Electrochemical Cell EMF vs Concentration: Verifying the Nernst Equation

In this investigation, you will measure the electromotive force (EMF) of a simple electrochemical cell as you systematically vary the concentration of one electrolyte. By applying the Nernst equation, you can derive a linear relationship between EMF and the logarithm of concentration, allowing you to calculate fundamental thermodynamic quantities. This is one of the most analytically powerful IB Chemistry HL Internal Assessment topics available.