Biology lab - testing the effects of light intensity on photosynthesis.

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12.12.11

Aleksandra Katarzyna Rosiczka

I High School im. Stanisława Staszica w Lublinie

Lab report no.1

Elodea Lab-Photosynthesis


Candidate’s number 002094- 023 Aleksandra Katarzyna Rosiczka ________________________________________________________________

TITLE

Determine the affects of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis in plants- research based on process of photosynthesis in elodea.

BACKGROUND

 is the process by which plants, some bacteria, and some protistans use the energy from sunlight to produce sugar (glucose), which  converts into , the "fuel" used by all living things. The conversion of unusable sunlight energy into usable chemical energy, is associated with the actions of the green pigment . Most of the time, the photosynthetic process uses water and releases the oxygen that organisms absolutely must have to stay alive. The equation of photosynthesis:

6 H2O + 6 CO2  + energy      C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Photosynthesis uses only light energy and simple inorganic substances, and involves                      many stages controlled by enzymes. Since photosynthesis is a light dependent reaction,
the intensity of light should affect the rate of photosynthesis. As one of the products
of photosynthesis is oxygen, therefore the oxygen  concentration will be measured to show the effects of photosynthesis.

The process of photosynthesis is undoubtedly affected by light intensity. At low to medium light intensities the rate of photosynthesis is directly proportional to light intensity. At high light intensities the rate of photosynthesis reaches a plateau.

This experiment is to determine the affects of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis
in the underwater plant elodea. The influence of light intensity on photosynthesis will
be measured by counting the number of oxygen bubbles during the process after 10, 20 and 30 minutes. When the plant placed closer to the light source in a given time it generated more bubbles than when it was placed farther away from the light source.
Elodea is a common water plant used in aquariums and for certain biological studies.

Candidate’s number 002094- 023 Aleksandra Katarzyna Rosiczka ________________________________________________________________

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RESEARCH QUESTION

How does controlled light intensity and sodium affect the rate of increase in the excess of oxygen  created by the elodea plant undergoing photosynthesis?

Four parts of elodea will be used to see how the light intensity have the influence on the process of photosynthesis. The change of photosynthesis will be measured by the amount of oxygen bubbles.

HYPOTHESIS

If the light intensity decreases, then the rate of photosynthesis should also decrease.

Plants receiving the most intense light would produce oxygen faster or in a higher quantity compared to the plants receiving plain room light and no ...

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