Question 66
This project shows how scientists work together and share their ideas.
You can only use the information available and make deductions – just like research scientists. As you share your ideas, you will think about the information in different ways and then develop a theory and suggest more investigations.
Background
Professor Sneeze has been working on a new medicine that will protect people from coughs and colds. If this medicine works it will save a lot of people from feeling ill and taking time off work or school. It will also make him famous and make a lot of money for his university.
Unfortunately, news that he has produced the medicine has reached some people who want to steal the formula, sell it to a company that will make the medicine and make themselves rich.
While he is working in his laboratory, a note is delivered to Professor Sneeze. The note asks him to meet Professor Clean in her laboratory at 11.00 am as she has an interesting experiment that she wants to show him. Just before 11.00 am he goes to Professor Clean’s laboratory. When he arrives, Professor Clean is pleased to see him but has no idea why he has come. She did not send the note.
Dear Professor Sneeze,
I have an experiment due to finish today. I think you will be very interested to see the results as they may help you to improve the way your new medicine can be produced. Please come to my laboratory at 11.00 am when the experiment will have finished and we can discuss the results.
Best wishes,
Professor Clean
By the time Professor Sneeze gets back to his laboratory, his equipment has been damaged and the medicine formula has been stolen.
Your task
Your group is going to help the professor try to find out who wrote the note. Ink from the note has been dissolved in water and given to you as a solution. Choose the equipment you will need and produce a chromatogram to show the different components in the ink.
The professor has borrowed pens from the four most likely suspects. Doctor Price: pen A; Doctor May: pen B; Doctor Burns: pen C and Professor Green: pen D.
Your job is to test the ink from all four pens to identify which pen was used to write the note.
In your group, discuss these questions.
What precautions must you take?
You can only use the information available and make deductions – just like research scientists. As you share your ideas, you will think about the information in different ways and then develop a theory and suggest more investigations.
Background
Professor Sneeze has been working on a new medicine that will protect people from coughs and colds. If this medicine works it will save a lot of people from feeling ill and taking time off work or school. It will also make him famous and make a lot of money for his university.
Unfortunately, news that he has produced the medicine has reached some people who want to steal the formula, sell it to a company that will make the medicine and make themselves rich.
While he is working in his laboratory, a note is delivered to Professor Sneeze. The note asks him to meet Professor Clean in her laboratory at 11.00 am as she has an interesting experiment that she wants to show him. Just before 11.00 am he goes to Professor Clean’s laboratory. When he arrives, Professor Clean is pleased to see him but has no idea why he has come. She did not send the note.
Dear Professor Sneeze,
I have an experiment due to finish today. I think you will be very interested to see the results as they may help you to improve the way your new medicine can be produced. Please come to my laboratory at 11.00 am when the experiment will have finished and we can discuss the results.
Best wishes,
Professor Clean
By the time Professor Sneeze gets back to his laboratory, his equipment has been damaged and the medicine formula has been stolen.
Your task
Your group is going to help the professor try to find out who wrote the note. Ink from the note has been dissolved in water and given to you as a solution. Choose the equipment you will need and produce a chromatogram to show the different components in the ink.
The professor has borrowed pens from the four most likely suspects. Doctor Price: pen A; Doctor May: pen B; Doctor Burns: pen C and Professor Green: pen D.
Your job is to test the ink from all four pens to identify which pen was used to write the note.
In your group, discuss these questions.
What precautions must you take?
