IB MYP Integrated Sciences : Data-based question Practice Question
Question (20 marks)
Topic: Relationships (Scientific Investigation)
Two MYP students, Alberto and Betty, investigate the science of cooking by examining how temperature affects egg cooking time.
Question a (1 mark)
Topic: Scientific Method
Alberto and Betty find a recipe for frying the perfect egg. The recipe is a series of steps which a person follows in order to make a meal. They notice this is very similar to something they see in science class. Select the part of a lab report the recipe is most similar to.
✔ Select: Hypothesis, Method, Conclusion
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
Method
Explanation:
A recipe’s step-by-step instructions are analogous to the Method section in a lab report, which details the procedure for conducting an experiment.
Question b (2 marks)
Topic: Processing Data
Alberto and Betty record different cooking times (00:10 vs 02:41) for the same egg.
Suggest why they recorded different times.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
• Difficult to judge when egg is cooked
• Alberto stopped timing when mostly cooked while Betty waited until fully cooked
Explanation:
The difference arises from subjective interpretation of “perfectly cooked” – without operational definitions, individuals may judge doneness differently.
Question c (2 marks)
Topic: Laboratory Safety
State and justify one safety precaution which Alberto and Betty should take.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
• Use oven mitts/hot pad (precaution)
• To prevent burns from hot pan (justification)
Explanation:
When working with heat sources, protection from thermal hazards is essential. The justification explicitly links the precaution to burn prevention.
Question d (3 marks)
Topic: Scientific Inquiry
Alberto and Betty decide to investigate cooking eggs using different temperatures. Suggest a research question for this investigation.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
“How does the temperature of the hob affect the time it takes to cook an egg?”
Explanation:
A proper research question should include both the independent variable (hob temperature) and dependent variable (cooking time), showing their relationship.
Question e (2 marks)
Topic: Experimental Design
Identify two control variables for this investigation.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
Any two of:
• Size of egg
• Amount of oil
• Type of pan
• Starting temperature of egg
Explanation:
Control variables are factors kept constant to ensure only the independent variable (temperature) affects the results.
Question f (4 marks)
Topic: Data Presentation
Plot the data from the table on the graph below and label the x-axis. Add a line of best fit.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
• Points plotted correctly
• x-axis labeled “Cooking temperature (°C)”
• Appropriate line of best fit added
Explanation:
The graph should show cooking time decreasing as temperature increases, with proper scaling and labeling for clear data interpretation.
Question g (1 mark)
Topic: Data Interpretation
Use your graph to predict cooking time at 150°C.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
320-330 seconds
Explanation:
This is determined by interpolating the line of best fit between the 140°C and 160°C data points.
Question h (2 marks)
Topic: Particles and Kinetic Theory
Explain why increased temperature decreases cooking time using kinetic theory.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
• Higher temperature increases particle kinetic energy
• More energy transferred to egg molecules faster
Explanation:
Increased thermal energy causes more vigorous particle collisions, accelerating the denaturation of egg proteins during cooking.
Question i (3 marks)
Topic: Experimental Reliability
Describe how to increase the reliability of their data.
▶️Answer/Explanation
Answer:
• Repeat experiments
• Calculate averages
• Reduces random errors for more accurate results
Explanation:
Replication and averaging help minimize the impact of random variations, increasing confidence in the results’ reliability.