Essay: Photosynthesis Lab

Abstract:
Plants are essential organisms in the environment, using the sun and CO2 to produce oxygen. This is the process of photosynthesis. Plants are producers, meaning they are able to provide themselves with the nutrition they need to thrive. When plants have an abundance of carbon dioxide, they thrive in performing light reactions and the Calvin Cycle.
Introduction:
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants produce their own food to survive. Light energy is captured by the chloroplasts of the plant and is converted into sugars that the plant can break down and use. The reactants in this process are light energy, water, and carbon dioxide. As a result, the plant releases oxygen and constructs glucose to provide the organism with energy. Since plants do not need other organisms to feed and rely on the sun, they are called photoautotrophs. Other organisms that are incapable of producing their own energy are called heterotrophs (Khan Academy, 2017).
In a plant organism, the leaves are the active site of photosynthesis. Stomata are small pores on the surface of leaves, allowing carbon dioxide and oxygen to travel through the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are the organelles in a plant cell that carry out the photosynthetic reactions. The Granum is a stack of thylakoids that carry out the light reactions. The Stroma of the plant cell is a fluid where the Calvin Cycle takes place and energy is transferred.
The light reactions that occur in the thylakoid membrane absorbs light energy and is converted into energy forming ATP and NADPH. Water molecules are taken, broken down, and released as oxygen. The Calvin cycle occurring in the Stroma uses ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. NADPH and ATP are converted into NADP and ADP through the transfer of energy, creating a transport chain (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). Carbon is first fixed to create a 2 molecules of a three carbon compound, then ATP and NADPH are reduced and electrons are transferred, and finally regeneration occurs, which recycles the molecules to begin the process all over again. (Campbell, 2011)
Carbon dioxide is a required reactant in photosynthesis, and the more it is available, the faster the plant is able to perform this process. In this lab, the presence of carbon is being tested to prove the significance of it in this process. It can be hypothesized that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution will perform the photosynthetic reaction at a faster rate than the beaker with just plain water. After removing all oxygen from the leaves, the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate will have all leaves floating first due to the carbon dioxide availability.
Materials:
2 beakers
Sodium Bicarbonate
Soap
2 syringes
2 spinach leaves
Hole punch
Lamp
Timer
Methods:
Fill one beaker with water and the other with the sodium bicarbonate mixed with water. Add one drop of soap to both beakers to remove the waxy layer on the spinach leaves. Obtain both spinach leaves and hole punch 20 disks out of them. Take one syringe and fill it with water from the beaker and 10 spinach disks. Take the other syringe and fill it with the water and sodium bicarbonate solution from the other beaker, along with 10 spinach disks. For both syringes, pump them back in forth while holding a finger over the front hole to remove all oxygen from the spinach disks. When all oxygen is out of the spinach disks, they should have sunken to the bottom of the syringe, instead of floating. When all disks have sank, open the syringe and put the disks in the corresponding beaker with their original solution. Place both beakers under the lamp and record the time for each beaker, to see how long it takes for the disks to float.
Results:
(How long the disks took to float again)
Time (mins)
Analysis:
According to the data, the beaker containing the sodium bicarbonate solution made the spinach disks float much faster than the beaker with just plain water. The beaker with just water took an extra 31 minutes for all of the leaf disks to float in comparison to the beaker with sodium bicarbonate. This shows that when plants have carbon dioxide readily available, the photosynthetic process occurs at a much faster rate.
Discussion:
My hypothesis was correct because I predicted that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution would cause the leaf disks to float faster. After removing the oxygen from the leaves, the plant had to undergo photosynthesis to produce more. The sinking and floating of the leaf disks prove that when carbon dioxide is readily available, the rate of photosynthesis is much faster. Carbon dioxide is a reactant in photosynthesis, so the more available, the more product will be produced.
Experimental Design:
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to measure the rate of photosynthesis in the dark.
Materials:
2 clear cups
Lamp
Sodium bicarbonate
Water
2 Syringes
Spinach leaves
Hole punch
Timer
Soap
Empty box
Pipette
Procedure: Take both cups and fill it with the sodium bicarbonate solution. Add a drop of soap to each cup. Punch 20 disks out of the leaves. Take a syringe and fill it with the solution along with the leaf disks and pump it so that all disks sink to the bottom, meaning all oxygen has been removed. Then unplug the syringe and distribute 10 disks to each cup. Place one cup in the light, and place one cup in the dark box. Set the timer and record the number of leaves floating until all of them are.
Hypothesis: If photosynthesis needs light energy to produce glucose and oxygen, the rate of photosynthesis will be faster in the beaker set in the light.
References
Lambers, Hans, and James Alan Bassham. “Photosynthesis.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 7 Dec. 2017, http://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis.
“Photosynthesis | Biology | Science.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/photosynthesis-in-plants.
Reece, Jane B. Campbell biology, AP edition. Pearson Education/Benjamin Cummings, 2011.
John Cardone
Period F
Photosynthesis Lab
Partners: Zhaklina Dibra, Janine Kim, Christina Lino,
Stephanie Kanellopolous
Abstract:
Plants are essential organisms in the environment, using the sun and CO2 to produce oxygen. This is the process of photosynthesis. Plants are producers, meaning they are able to provide themselves with the nutrition they need to thrive. When plants have an abundance of carbon dioxide, they thrive in performing light reactions and the Calvin Cycle.
Introduction:
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants produce their own food to survive. Light energy is captured by the chloroplasts of the plant and is converted into sugars that the plant can break down and use. The reactants in this process are light energy, water, and carbon dioxide. As a result, the plant releases oxygen and constructs glucose to provide the organism with energy. Since plants do not need other organisms to feed and rely on the sun, they are called photoautotrophs. Other organisms that are incapable of producing their own energy are called heterotrophs (Khan Academy, 2017).
In a plant organism, the leaves are the active site of photosynthesis. Stomata are small pores on the surface of leaves, allowing carbon dioxide and oxygen to travel through the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are the organelles in a plant cell that carry out the photosynthetic reactions. The Granum is a stack of thylakoids that carry out the light reactions. The Stroma of the plant cell is a fluid where the Calvin Cycle takes place and energy is transferred.
The light reactions that occur in the thylakoid membrane absorbs light energy and is converted into energy forming ATP and NADPH. Water molecules are taken, broken down, and released as oxygen. The Calvin cycle occurring in the Stroma uses ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. NADPH and ATP are converted into NADP and ADP through the transfer of energy, creating a transport chain (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). Carbon is first fixed to create a 2 molecules of a three carbon compound, then ATP and NADPH are reduced and electrons are transferred, and finally regeneration occurs, which recycles the molecules to begin the process all over again. (Campbell, 2011)
Carbon dioxide is a required reactant in photosynthesis, and the more it is available, the faster the plant is able to perform this process. In this lab, the presence of carbon is being tested to prove the significance of it in this process. It can be hypothesized that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution will perform the photosynthetic reaction at a faster rate than the beaker with just plain water. After removing all oxygen from the leaves, the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate will have all leaves floating first due to the carbon dioxide availability.
Materials:
2 beakers
Sodium Bicarbonate
Soap
2 syringes
2 spinach leaves
Hole punch
Lamp
Timer
Methods:
Fill one beaker with water and the other with the sodium bicarbonate mixed with water. Add one drop of soap to both beakers to remove the waxy layer on the spinach leaves. Obtain both spinach leaves and hole punch 20 disks out of them. Take one syringe and fill it with water from the beaker and 10 spinach disks. Take the other syringe and fill it with the water and sodium bicarbonate solution from the other beaker, along with 10 spinach disks. For both syringes, pump them back in forth while holding a finger over the front hole to remove all oxygen from the spinach disks. When all oxygen is out of the spinach disks, they should have sunken to the bottom of the syringe, instead of floating. When all disks have sank, open the syringe and put the disks in the corresponding beaker with their original solution. Place both beakers under the lamp and record the time for each beaker, to see how long it takes for the disks to float.
Results:
(How long the disks took to float again)
Time (mins)
Analysis:
According to the data, the beaker containing the sodium bicarbonate solution made the spinach disks float much faster than the beaker with just plain water. The beaker with just water took an extra 31 minutes for all of the leaf disks to float in comparison to the beaker with sodium bicarbonate. This shows that when plants have carbon dioxide readily available, the photosynthetic process occurs at a much faster rate.
Discussion:
My hypothesis was correct because I predicted that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution would cause the leaf disks to float faster. After removing the oxygen from the leaves, the plant had to undergo photosynthesis to produce more. The sinking and floating of the leaf disks prove that when carbon dioxide is readily available, the rate of photosynthesis is much faster. Carbon dioxide is a reactant in photosynthesis, so the more available, the more product will be produced.
Experimental Design:
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to measure the rate of photosynthesis in the dark.
Materials:
2 clear cups
Lamp
Sodium bicarbonate
Water
2 Syringes
Spinach leaves
Hole punch
Timer
Soap
Empty box
Pipette
Procedure: Take both cups and fill it with the sodium bicarbonate solution. Add a drop of soap to each cup. Punch 20 disks out of the leaves. Take a syringe and fill it with the solution along with the leaf disks and pump it so that all disks sink to the bottom, meaning all oxygen has been removed. Then unplug the syringe and distribute 10 disks to each cup. Place one cup in the light, and place one cup in the dark box. Set the timer and record the number of leaves floating until all of them are.
Hypothesis: If photosynthesis needs light energy to produce glucose and oxygen, the rate of photosynthesis will be faster in the beaker set in the light.
References
Lambers, Hans, and James Alan Bassham. “Photosynthesis.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 7 Dec. 2017, http://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis.
“Photosynthesis | Biology | Science.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/photosynthesis-in-plants.
Reece, Jane B. Campbell biology, AP edition. Pearson Education/Benjamin Cummings, 2011.
John Cardone
Period F
Photosynthesis Lab
Partners: Zhaklina Dibra, Janine Kim, Christina Lino,
Stephanie Kanellopolous
Abstract:
Plants are essential organisms in the environment, using the sun and CO2 to produce oxygen. This is the process of photosynthesis. Plants are producers, meaning they are able to provide themselves with the nutrition they need to thrive. When plants have an abundance of carbon dioxide, they thrive in performing light reactions and the Calvin Cycle.
Introduction:
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants produce their own food to survive. Light energy is captured by the chloroplasts of the plant and is converted into sugars that the plant can break down and use. The reactants in this process are light energy, water, and carbon dioxide. As a result, the plant releases oxygen and constructs glucose to provide the organism with energy. Since plants do not need other organisms to feed and rely on the sun, they are called photoautotrophs. Other organisms that are incapable of producing their own energy are called heterotrophs (Khan Academy, 2017).
In a plant organism, the leaves are the active site of photosynthesis. Stomata are small pores on the surface of leaves, allowing carbon dioxide and oxygen to travel through the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are the organelles in a plant cell that carry out the photosynthetic reactions. The Granum is a stack of thylakoids that carry out the light reactions. The Stroma of the plant cell is a fluid where the Calvin Cycle takes place and energy is transferred.
The light reactions that occur in the thylakoid membrane absorbs light energy and is converted into energy forming ATP and NADPH. Water molecules are taken, broken down, and released as oxygen. The Calvin cycle occurring in the Stroma uses ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. NADPH and ATP are converted into NADP and ADP through the transfer of energy, creating a transport chain (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). Carbon is first fixed to create a 2 molecules of a three carbon compound, then ATP and NADPH are reduced and electrons are transferred, and finally regeneration occurs, which recycles the molecules to begin the process all over again. (Campbell, 2011)
Carbon dioxide is a required reactant in photosynthesis, and the more it is available, the faster the plant is able to perform this process. In this lab, the presence of carbon is being tested to prove the significance of it in this process. It can be hypothesized that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution will perform the photosynthetic reaction at a faster rate than the beaker with just plain water. After removing all oxygen from the leaves, the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate will have all leaves floating first due to the carbon dioxide availability.
Materials:
2 beakers
Sodium Bicarbonate
Soap
2 syringes
2 spinach leaves
Hole punch
Lamp
Timer
Methods:
Fill one beaker with water and the other with the sodium bicarbonate mixed with water. Add one drop of soap to both beakers to remove the waxy layer on the spinach leaves. Obtain both spinach leaves and hole punch 20 disks out of them. Take one syringe and fill it with water from the beaker and 10 spinach disks. Take the other syringe and fill it with the water and sodium bicarbonate solution from the other beaker, along with 10 spinach disks. For both syringes, pump them back in forth while holding a finger over the front hole to remove all oxygen from the spinach disks. When all oxygen is out of the spinach disks, they should have sunken to the bottom of the syringe, instead of floating. When all disks have sank, open the syringe and put the disks in the corresponding beaker with their original solution. Place both beakers under the lamp and record the time for each beaker, to see how long it takes for the disks to float.
Results:
(How long the disks took to float again)
Time (mins)
Analysis:
According to the data, the beaker containing the sodium bicarbonate solution made the spinach disks float much faster than the beaker with just plain water. The beaker with just water took an extra 31 minutes for all of the leaf disks to float in comparison to the beaker with sodium bicarbonate. This shows that when plants have carbon dioxide readily available, the photosynthetic process occurs at a much faster rate.
Discussion:
My hypothesis was correct because I predicted that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution would cause the leaf disks to float faster. After removing the oxygen from the leaves, the plant had to undergo photosynthesis to produce more. The sinking and floating of the leaf disks prove that when carbon dioxide is readily available, the rate of photosynthesis is much faster. Carbon dioxide is a reactant in photosynthesis, so the more available, the more product will be produced.
Experimental Design:
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to measure the rate of photosynthesis in the dark.
Materials:
2 clear cups
Lamp
Sodium bicarbonate
Water
2 Syringes
Spinach leaves
Hole punch
Timer
Soap
Empty box
Pipette
Procedure: Take both cups and fill it with the sodium bicarbonate solution. Add a drop of soap to each cup. Punch 20 disks out of the leaves. Take a syringe and fill it with the solution along with the leaf disks and pump it so that all disks sink to the bottom, meaning all oxygen has been removed. Then unplug the syringe and distribute 10 disks to each cup. Place one cup in the light, and place one cup in the dark box. Set the timer and record the number of leaves floating until all of them are.
Hypothesis: If photosynthesis needs light energy to produce glucose and oxygen, the rate of photosynthesis will be faster in the beaker set in the light.
References
Lambers, Hans, and James Alan Bassham. “Photosynthesis.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 7 Dec. 2017, http://www.britannica.com/science/photosynthesis.
“Photosynthesis | Biology | Science.” Khan Academy, Khan Academy, http://www.khanacademy.org/science/biology/photosynthesis-in-plants.
Reece, Jane B. Campbell biology, AP edition. Pearson Education/Benjamin Cummings, 2011.
John Cardone
Period F
Photosynthesis Lab
Partners: Zhaklina Dibra, Janine Kim, Christina Lino,
Stephanie Kanellopolous
Abstract:
Plants are essential organisms in the environment, using the sun and CO2 to produce oxygen. This is the process of photosynthesis. Plants are producers, meaning they are able to provide themselves with the nutrition they need to thrive. When plants have an abundance of carbon dioxide, they thrive in performing light reactions and the Calvin Cycle.
Introduction:
Photosynthesis is the process in which plants produce their own food to survive. Light energy is captured by the chloroplasts of the plant and is converted into sugars that the plant can break down and use. The reactants in this process are light energy, water, and carbon dioxide. As a result, the plant releases oxygen and constructs glucose to provide the organism with energy. Since plants do not need other organisms to feed and rely on the sun, they are called photoautotrophs. Other organisms that are incapable of producing their own energy are called heterotrophs (Khan Academy, 2017).
In a plant organism, the leaves are the active site of photosynthesis. Stomata are small pores on the surface of leaves, allowing carbon dioxide and oxygen to travel through the mesophyll. Chloroplasts are the organelles in a plant cell that carry out the photosynthetic reactions. The Granum is a stack of thylakoids that carry out the light reactions. The Stroma of the plant cell is a fluid where the Calvin Cycle takes place and energy is transferred.
The light reactions that occur in the thylakoid membrane absorbs light energy and is converted into energy forming ATP and NADPH. Water molecules are taken, broken down, and released as oxygen. The Calvin cycle occurring in the Stroma uses ATP and NADPH to produce glucose. NADPH and ATP are converted into NADP and ADP through the transfer of energy, creating a transport chain (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2017). Carbon is first fixed to create a 2 molecules of a three carbon compound, then ATP and NADPH are reduced and electrons are transferred, and finally regeneration occurs, which recycles the molecules to begin the process all over again. (Campbell, 2011)
Carbon dioxide is a required reactant in photosynthesis, and the more it is available, the faster the plant is able to perform this process. In this lab, the presence of carbon is being tested to prove the significance of it in this process. It can be hypothesized that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution will perform the photosynthetic reaction at a faster rate than the beaker with just plain water. After removing all oxygen from the leaves, the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate will have all leaves floating first due to the carbon dioxide availability.
Materials:
2 beakers
Sodium Bicarbonate
Soap
2 syringes
2 spinach leaves
Hole punch
Lamp
Timer
Methods:
Fill one beaker with water and the other with the sodium bicarbonate mixed with water. Add one drop of soap to both beakers to remove the waxy layer on the spinach leaves. Obtain both spinach leaves and hole punch 20 disks out of them. Take one syringe and fill it with water from the beaker and 10 spinach disks. Take the other syringe and fill it with the water and sodium bicarbonate solution from the other beaker, along with 10 spinach disks. For both syringes, pump them back in forth while holding a finger over the front hole to remove all oxygen from the spinach disks. When all oxygen is out of the spinach disks, they should have sunken to the bottom of the syringe, instead of floating. When all disks have sank, open the syringe and put the disks in the corresponding beaker with their original solution. Place both beakers under the lamp and record the time for each beaker, to see how long it takes for the disks to float.
Results:
(How long the disks took to float again)
Time (mins)
Analysis:
According to the data, the beaker containing the sodium bicarbonate solution made the spinach disks float much faster than the beaker with just plain water. The beaker with just water took an extra 31 minutes for all of the leaf disks to float in comparison to the beaker with sodium bicarbonate. This shows that when plants have carbon dioxide readily available, the photosynthetic process occurs at a much faster rate.
Discussion:
My hypothesis was correct because I predicted that the beaker with the sodium bicarbonate solution would cause the leaf disks to float faster. After removing the oxygen from the leaves, the plant had to undergo photosynthesis to produce more. The sinking and floating of the leaf disks prove that when carbon dioxide is readily available, the rate of photosynthesis is much faster. Carbon dioxide is a reactant in photosynthesis, so the more available, the more product will be produced.
Experimental Design:
Purpose: The purpose of this experiment is to measure the rate of photosynthesis in the dark.
Materials:
2 clear cups
Lamp
Sodium bicarbonate
Water
2 Syringes
Spinach leaves
Hole punch
Timer
Soap
Empty box
Pipette
Procedure: Take both cups and fill it with the sodium bicarbonate solution. Add a drop of soap to each cup. Punch 20 disks out of the leaves. Take a syringe and fill it with the solution along with the leaf disks and pump it so that all disks sink to the bottom, meaning all oxygen has been removed. Then unplug the syringe and distribute 10 disks to each cup. Place one cup in the light, and place one cup in the dark box. Set the timer and record the number of leaves floating until all of them are.
Hypothesis: If photosynthesis needs light energy to produce glucose and oxygen, the rate of photosynthesis will be faster in the beaker set in the light.