Objective: improving skills in using the microscope, preparing temporary mounts, observing characteristics of plant cells, testing for starch, osmosis and turgidity within plant cells.



Materials Required:

  1. Red Pepper
  2. Green pepper
  3. Tomato
  4. Potato
  5. Banana
  6. Radish
  7. Moss leaves
  8. Iodine solution
  9. 20% sucrose solution
  10. Droppers
  11. 7 Glass slides
  12. 7 cover slips
  13. Razor
  14. Light Microscope



Method:

  1. Observe tissues from plant material under high power (x 400)
  2. Draw individual cells showing starch grains, chloroplasts, chromoplasts, anthyocyanins (vacuolar pigments)
  3. Measure the size of 3 cells of your choice
  4. Add sucrose solution to radish to compare plasmolysis and turgidity in plant tissues



Table 1: Plant Tissues Observed at 400 x

Plant Tissue

Mountant Medium

Green Pepper

Water

Red Pepper

Water

Moss Leaves

Water

Banana

Iodine Solution

Potato

Iodine Solution

Radish

Water

Radish

20% sucrose solution

Observations:

It is quite evident that the Red Pepper and the Green Pepper have cells very similar to each other. The eccentric shape of the cells, the numerous chromoplasts that dot the cytoplasm and even how they encircle the nucleus make the two tissues alike on a cellular level. The biggest difference between the two cells was the colors. The red pepper is red in color and this is due to the chromoplasts in the cytoplasm. The green pepper is light green because, although chromoplasts are present, the chloroplasts have a dominating green color.

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When observing the Radish cells in both water and sucrose media, they were notable similarities and differences. Both had a deep red color which could be assumed to be the cytoplasm and both preserved their hexagon

 shape regardless of the medium. The main difference between the two was noticing that the radish cells in sucrose had red and clear patches while the radish in water turned out to have a uniform, velvet color. This is due to the fact that when radish cells are put in sucrose, their inner-environment, in terms of sugar, is hypertonic ...

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