Grade 11A1

Name & Surname: Murad Eyvazli

Date: 27.09.2024

Lab work
Photosynthesis.
(Adapted from SPARKvue)

Introduction: (What is the photosynthesis process? What is its importance for autotrophs
(photosynthetic organisms) and heterotrophs? Write the equation of the process. What is the
importance of green pigment for plants? What are the limiting factors of the process? How do
they affect the rate of the process? How can the effect of light on the photosynthesis process be
determined in terms of CO2 consumption and O2 release in a closed container? What will three
groups of variables in these experiments be? What safety measurements you should undertake?)

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants manufacture carbohydrates from raw

materials using energy from light. Photosynthesis allows autotrophs to generate their
own energy by producing glucose, which they use for growth, reproduction, and
metabolism. Since heterotrophs cannot make their own food, they depend on
autotrophs for energy, either by directly consuming plants or by eating animals that
rely on plants.

Chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green color, is vital in capturing light
energy, and reflects green light, making plants appear green. Limiting factors of
photosynthesis are light intensity, carbon dioxide amount, and temperature. Limiting
factors like light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, and temperature influence
the rate of photosynthesis by either accelerating or slowing down the process. Light
provides the energy needed for photosynthesis, so its absence limits the reaction.
Carbon dioxide, as a raw material, is essential for producing glucose, and its
availability affects the process. Temperature impacts the enzymes involved; too low
slows them down, while too high can denature them. In a closed container, the effect of
light on photosynthesis can be observed by measuring CO₂ consumption and O₂
release, which indicate the rate of the process. The experiment will involve
manipulating light intensity (independent variable), measuring CO₂ and O₂ levels
(dependent variables), and a controlling factor like temperature. Safety measures
include careful handling of light sources to prevent overheating and using CO₂ and O₂
sensors correctly.
Aim:

To investigate the effect of light on the rate of photosynthesis in plant leaves by

measuring changes in oxygen and carbon dioxide concentrations using sensors.

Hypothesis:

If the leaves are exposed to light, then the rate of photosynthesis will increase, leading
to a higher oxygen concentration and lower carbon dioxide concentration in the bottle.
In contrast, leaves kept in darkness will have little or no photosynthesis, resulting in
higher carbon dioxide levels and lower oxygen levels due to respiration.

Materials:

1.​ Oxygen and carbon dioxide gas sensors.

2.​ Sample bottles.
3.​ SPARKvue software.
4.​ Leaves of a plant.
5.​ Aluminum foil.
6.​ A light source.

Procedure:

1.​ Connect the sensor (carbon dioxide or oxygen).

2.​ Calibrate the sensor.
3.​ Place leaves into the bottle (make sure they overlap as little as possible).
4.​ Seal the bottle with the sensor. Place the bottle on the desk and position the light
source directly above the bottle.
5.​ Wait 60 sec and start recording data. Data collection automatically lasts for 7
min.
6.​ Repeat steps 4 & 5 having an aluminum foil placed under the bottle.
7.​ Wrap aluminum foil around the bottle to prevent light from entering. Repeat
steps 4 & 5.

Method (Write up the experiment you have conducted)

1)​ The oxygen and carbon dioxide gas sensors were calibrated before the
experiment started.
 2)​ The leaves were placed into the sample bottle, ensuring minimal overlap for even
exposure to light.

3)​ The bottle was sealed with the sensor attached and placed on the desk with the
light source positioned directly above.

4)​ After a 60-second wait to allow the environment inside the bottle to stabilize,
data were recorded for seven minutes.

5)​ The same process was then repeated, but with a layer of aluminum foil placed
under the bottle.

6)​ In the final step, the entire bottle was wrapped in aluminum foil to block light
completely, and data was recorded again for seven minutes.

7)​ Data on carbon dioxide and oxygen levels were automatically recorded
throughout each trial, and the results from the different setups were later
compared.

Results and discussion. (Share your group experimental data with other groups for the
comprehensive discussion of the results)

a.​ Describe how the concentration of CO2 /O2 level has changed over time during the
experiment?

As an overall trend for 3 experiments, the concentration of CO2 has increased.

In the 1st experiment, the CO2 concentration was initially 432 pm. It increased
and reached its peak (440 ppm) after 75 sec and then started decreasing. It
increased again and reached the final concentration of 436 ppm. In the 2nd
experiment, it was generally increasing from the initial concentration of 426 pm
to 444 pm(peak). In the 3rd experiment, the initial CO2 concentration was 384
pm. It decreased to 330 pm (the lowest concentration) and then increased
significantly until it reached its peak of 396 ppm (final concentration).

b.​ Did photosynthesis take place? Explain your answer.

Yes, photosynthesis took place. Even though the general trend for CO2
concentration was its increase, at some time periods It was decreasing. This
means that photosynthesis took place, but it's rate was slower than the rate of
respiration at some intervals, which caused CO2 concentration to rise.

c.​ Why was it important for the leaves to be flat and the bottle to be arranged on its
side?

Placing leaves flat and the bottle on its side is important for letting the maximum
amount of light enter. Laying leaves flat gives a bigger surface area so more light
reaches the chloroplasts, thus, increasing the rate of photosynthesis.
 d.​ When in total darkness, what happened to the oxygen and carbon dioxide
concentrations?

In the 3rd experiment, foil was wrapped around the bottle to prevent any light
from entering. Here, the CO2 concentration decreased from 384 to 380 ppm for
5 sec and created a plateau for 50 sec. After that, the CO2 concentration
significantly increased up to 396 ppm, meaning that the process of
photosynthesis slowed down and the rate of respiration was more than the rate
of photosynthesis.

e.​ Carbon fixation is one of the steps of photosynthesis. How does it relate to the
data for the leaves exposed to light?

Carbon fixation is the process of conversion of inorganic Co, into organic

molecules. It is directly related to the data for the leaves exposed to light because
as light intensity increases the rate of photosynthesis increases as well. Thus
more CO2 is consumed, and it is converted into organic molecules faster in the
carbon fixation process of light-independent reactions of photosynthesis.

f.​ What process(es) – photosynthesis and/or respiration – do plants carry out? How
do the obtained results support the answer to this question?

Plants carry out both photosynthesis and respiration. The constant fluctuations
in CO2 concentration justify that both processes took place since CO2 is
consumed during photosynthesis, which should decrease CO2 concentration,
and CO2 is produced during respiration, increasing its concentration. At
different time intervals the rates of photosynthesis and respiration were
different, and this explains the fluctuations in the CO2 concentration.

Evaluation. (Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the method you have used. How
could the experiment be re-designed to get more valid and reliable results?)

The method used in our experiments was not completely right and appropriate for
collecting precise data. During our 1st experiment we failed to manage time correctly,
which led to an error. We had to restart the experiment and recheck the equipment. In
our next attempts we were more attentive and tried avoiding errors. However, the
collected data was still not very accurate. To make the experiment more valid some
changes should happen. First, more time should be allocated for each experiment in
order to observe the reaction at different time intervals. Secondly, the light intensity
should be increased to increase the rate of photosynthesis and obtain reliable more
results. Finally, each of the 3 experiments could be repeated to avoid random errors.