Plants & photosynthesis

• CHLOROPHYLL IS NEEDED FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS

  • Plants that have green & white are variegated
  • Only the green part of the leaf contain starch and so will turn blue/black
  • The white part will have no starch and will turn orange/brown
• CARBON DIOXIDE IS NEEDED FOR PHOTOSYNTHESIS

  • Sodium hydroxide is used to absorb CO2 (carbon dioxide)
  • No CO2 (Carbon dioxide) means there is no photosynthesis
  • Therefore starch is not produced
  • When tested with iodine the leaf turns orange/brown
  • Other flask are used only to compare results
• SUNLIGHT IS NEEDED FOR PHOTOYNTHEISIS

  • If a leaf is cover in black/tin foil, light cannot get the chlorophyll - photosynthesis cannot occur
  • Starch will not be present, so it will orange/brown
  • The plant will be able to photosynthesis anywhere where the light reaches these will turn blue/black
• MEASURING RATE OH PHOTOSYNTHEISIS

  • Photosynthesis produces oxygen
  • To measure the rate you count the bubbles of O2 in 1 minute
  • You can also use a datalogger to increase the accuracy to measure the volume of O2 per minute
  • The closer the light is the faster photosynthesis occurs and vice versa
• When comparing results experiments must be left for 5 minutes before counting bubbles so it can equilibrate/adjust
• USING THE PRODUCTS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

  • Glucose can be used or converted into other products such as: Cellulose (for the cell wall), chlorophyll & protein (for growth)
• MINERALS

  • Plants also need: Nitrates is required to make amino acids/protein, Calcium is required to make a cellulose cell wall & Magnesium is required to make chlorophyll (if absent the plant turns yellow)
• TEMPERATURE

  • Paraffin heater can increase both temperature and carbon dioxide
• CO2

  • Carbon dioxide can be pumped into grennhouse
• WATER

  • Water sprinkling system and artificial lights are used to increase the water supply and light intensity
• TEMPERATURE

  Windows can be opened if the temperature becomes to high(cannot use a fan)