Required Practical 5 - dissection

Question 1

Describe precautions that should be followed when performing a dissection

Answer 1

● Cover any cuts with a waterproof dressing

● When using a scalpel ,cut away from body onto a hard surface

● When using a scalpel, use a sharp blade

● When using a scalpel, carry with blade protected/ pointing down

● Wear disposable gloves and disinfect hands/ wash with soap

● Disinfect surfaces/equipment#

● Safe disposal-put gloves/ paper towels/organ in a separate bag/bin to dispose

● If poisonous chemicals/ toxins involved ,work in a well ventilated environment

Question 2

Suggest an ethical consideration when dissecting animals

Answer 2

● Morally wrong to kill animals just for dissection

● So use animals for dissection that have already been killed (humanely) for meat

Question 3

Describe how you could prepare a temporary mount of a piece of plant tissue for observation with an optical microscope

Answer 3

1. Add a drop of water to glass slide
2. Obtain a thin section of specimen and place on slide
3. Stain (eg. with iodine/potassium iodide to view starch)
4. Lower cover slip at angle using mounted needle without trapping air bubbles

Question 4

What are the rules of scientific drawing?

Answer 4

• Look similar to specimen/image-draw parts to the same scale/relative size
• No sketching-only clear, continuous lines

-No shading/hatching

• Include a magnification scale(eg.x400)
• Label with straight, uncrossed lines