UA&P EnvSci Summer 08-09 Lab Exam Pointers

The following are possible items for the lab practical exams

Each item should be completed within 10 min.

1. Calculate molarity, ppm, required grams, or required volumes.
2. Prepare, focus a slide to reveal gridlines, count cells. Count no less than 100 cells.
3. Create a carrying capacity model on Excel, with a given initial algae count, birthrate, deathrate, and carrying capacity. Time step = 0.1
4. Estimate birthrate of an actual culture by fitting the data to a (ready-made) carrying capacity model. Use the method of least squares to fit theoretical and actual counts.
5. Determine wind direction, temperature, relative humidity and CO2 concentration.
6. Plot (ready-made) lettuce and onion toxicity data, insert a regression line, and calculate the median inhibitory concentration from the equation of the line.

This is how the group will be graded.

1. Each member will draw an item at random and proceed to do the exercise within the allotted time.
2. For each item, you either get a perfect 1 or a 0. For person#1 the personal grade = p1.
3. Adding the items will give a group grade. Thus group grade, g = p1+p2+p3+p4+p5+p6
4. The INDIVIDUAL GRADE will be calculated as follows:

final personal grade of person#1= ((6*p1) + g)*100/12

If a group member is absent, his p1 = 0, and the group grade will include that number.

One group has only 5 members. The calculation is therefore,

final personal grade = ((5*p1) + g)*100/10

5. Notebooks will be collected just before you take the exam.

6. Group 1 will take the exam first, Group 6 last. While a group is taking an exam the others wait.

Arrange with me if you need to practice.

Good luck!