Biology- Project Work

Std X (Year: 2025-26)

Instructions to prepare the project:
Students must complete this project work by 13th June, 2025. The date of
submission of the same will be informed in due course.
As per the ICSE syllabus, 14 projects are to be completed in std. 10.
1. Write the projects in the interleaved project book for Biology project (200
pages).
2. Start the project book from the first page where the index is to be made.
3. The format for the index is as follows:

S.No. Date Experiment Topic Teachers

No. Signature
1. 1 Diffusion
2. 2 Osmosis using thistle
funnel and hypertonic
solution
3. 3 Osmosis using Potato
Osmoscope

4. Do not write the date. Instructions for the same will be given later.
5. Start writing the experiments from the next page.
6. Aim of the experiment, materials required, procedure and observations
should be written on the ruled sheet.
7. The diagram of the experiment is to be drawn on the blank side facing the
procedure and observations.
8. The diagrams should be neatly and proportionately drawn with a pencil.
9. Use a black ink pen to write the experiments.

Experiment 1
AIM:
To demonstrate diffusion in liquids / fluids
REQUIREMENTS:

Water, beaker, potassium permanganate crystals.

PRINCIPLE:

Diffusion is required for the movement of molecules of gases from one cell to
another or from external to internal environment.

PROCEDURE:

Take a beaker. Fill it half with water. Add a few crystals of KMnO4 in it. Keep
the beaker undisturbed for a few hours.

OBSERVATION:
The molecules of the KMnO4 crystals of move away from their higher
concentration and uniformly distribute in the water. The water becomes pink. It
shows the process of diffusion.

INFERENCE:

The even distribution of KMnO4 crystals and the colour change of the liquid
confirms diffusion.
 Experiment 2

AIM:
To demonstrate osmosis.

REQUIREMENTS:

Thistle funnel, Parchment paper/ Egg membrane/ Cellophane/ goat’s bladder,

retort stand, 20%sucrose solution, water, beaker, wax.

PRINCIPLE:

Osmosis is required for the absorption of water by root hair. A semi – permeable
membrane which allows only water particles to pass is required for osmosis.
E.g. goat’s bladder.

PROCEDURE:

1. Set up an apparatus as shown in the diagram.

2. 20% sucrose solution is taken in the thistle funnel.
3. Fill the beaker with water.
4. Close the wide open end of the thistle funnel by using the Parchment paper/
cellophane paper/ goat’s bladder.
5. Seal it with wax.
6. Mark the initial level of the solution in the funnel.
7. Keep the apparatus undisturbed for some time.

OBSERVATION:
After some time it is seen that the level of sucrose solution in the funnel has
risen.

INFERENCE:

Osmosis is confirmed due to the movement of water from the beaker (hypotonic
solution) to the thistle funnel (hypertonic solution) through the parchment
paper/ cellophane paper/ goat’s bladder (semi – permeable membrane).

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Initial and final level of liquid should be noted clearly.

2. Goat’s bladder/ parchment paper/ cellophane paper, should be placed
carefully on the thistle funnel.
 Experiment 3

AIM:
To demonstrate osmosis by using a potato osmoscope.

REQUIREMENTS:
A peeled potato, water beaker, sucrose solution, pins.

PROCEDURE:
1. Scoop a cavity in the peeled potato.
2. Ensure that its bottom is flat and even.
3. Keep it in a beaker containing water.
4. Arrange it in such a way that half of the potato is immersed in water.
5. Fill the cavity of the potato with 25% sucrose solution.
6. Mark its level with a pin.
7. Keep the apparatus undisturbed for some time.

OBSERVATION:
The level of sucrose solution in the potato rises.

INFERENCE:
Osmosis is confirmed as the water molecules move into the potato from the
beaker (endosmosis)

PRECAUTION:
Remove the peel carefully.
 Experiment 4
AIM:
To demonstrate the process of transpiration using a bell jar.
Materials Required:
Bell jar, well-watered potted plant, rubber sheet, glass plate, Vaseline.
PROCEDURE:
1. Take a well-watered, healthy potted plant.
2. Cover the pot with a rubber sheet.
3. Keep the potted plant and cover it with a bell jar.
4. Apply vaseline at the base of the bell jar.
5. Keep the apparatus in light for some time.
6. Take control set up in the same way except that the pot should be without a
plant.

OBSERVATION:
Water drops are seen inside the wall of the bell jar containing a potted plant
while there are no drops of water in the bell
jar without the plant.
CONCLUSION:
The water drops appear in the set up as the plant transpires. In the second set up
used as a control, there is no plant so
transpiration does not occur.
PRECAUTIONS:
1. The plant should be well watered and healthy.
2. Uncover the aerial parts of the plant.
3. Keep the apparatus in light.
4. Apply Vaseline to prevent the entry of air into bell jar

Experiment 5
AIM
To compare the rate of transpiration from the upper and lower surface of a leaf
using cobalt chloride paper.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Filter paper, cobalt chloride (CoCl2) solution, glass slides, rubber bands,
desiccator, a potted plant.
PROCEDURE
1. Dissolve 5g cobalt chloride in 100 ml water to make 5% cobalt chloride
solution.
2. Cut thin strips of filter paper and dip them in CoCI2 solution.
3. Dry the cobalt chloride paper strips thoroughly in a desiccator.
4. The pink colour strips become blue when dried in a desiccator.
5. Two strips are taken and they are fixed on the lower and upper surface of
a leaf with the help of glass slides and rubber bands.
6. Observe the time taken by each of the strips in changing its colour from
blue to pink.
OBSERVATION:
It is observed that the strip fixed on the lower surface of the leaf turns pink
earlier as compared to the strip attached to
the upper surface.
CONCLUSION
The strips changed colour from blue to pink because of the water vapours
released from the leaf due to transpiration.
Since more stomata are present in the lower surface, the strip fixed to the lower
surface turned pink quickly.
PRECAUTIONS
1. The cobalt chloride strips should be dried completely.
2. The cobalt chloride strips should not be handled with wet hands.
3. The strips should be completely covered with the glass slides and the
rubber bands should be fixed properly.

Experiment 6
AIM
To measure the water taken in by a plant because of transpiration, with the help
of Ganong's Potometer.
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Ganong's Potometer, twig of a plant like Coleus, water, beaker, colouring agent
(eosin-pink coloured).
PROCEDURE
1. The twig of a plant taken.
2. The graduated capillary tube of Ganong's Potometer is filled with water.
3. The twig is cut with a sharp knife and fitted into the upper wide tube at
one end of the graduated capillary tube.
4. The other end of the tube is made to dip in a beaker containing coloured
water.
5. An air bubble is introduced into the horizontal graduated capillary tube
by first lifting the bent capillary tube
6. above the coloured water in the beaker. Then again putting it into the
coloured water.
7. As the process of transpiration takes place from the twig, the bubble
moves forward. This is because of the
8. suction force which pulls the water from the beaker.
9. Since the capillary tube is graduated the reading would give an idea about
the volume of water lost.
10. The air bubble can again be brought into the capillary tube by releasing
some water from the beaker.

OBSERVATION
As the process of transpiration takes place from the leaves of the twig the
bubble moves forward. This is because of the
suction force created due to loss of water by transpiration, which pulls the
coloured water from the beaker. Since the
capillary tube is graduated the reading would give an idea about the volume of
water lost.
CONCLUSION
Transpiration takes place from the leaves and results in absorption of water by
the roots. The water then moves up to
the leaves through the stem.
PRECAUTIONS
1. The entire apparatus should be filled with water. There should be no air
spaces.
2. The air bubble should be carefully introduced.

LIMITATIONS OF A POTOMETER
1. A Potometer is a device which is used to measure the rate of water uptake
by a shoot cut from a plant. It does not measure the transpiration rate
directly.
2. The processes of transpiration and absorption are interrelated and so the
rate of absorption is measured and transpiration rate is assessed.
3. It is a difficult process and requires accurate observation hence it is often
not used.
4. In this process, some water is used by the plant for metabolic activities.
The rate at which this water is used is not shown by the Potometer.
5. The cobalt chloride paper strip experiment is simpler and it directly helps
in comparing the rate of transpiration.

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