Termite Report
IS PHOTOSYNTHESIS WAVELEGNTH DEPENDENT? THE EFFECT of different COLOR FILTERS ON The rate of photosynthesis in english ivy leaves author: Cherylle chapman partners: sharif alston, ALEX SAFAVOV & EDuardo vie (Group 3)
OBSERVATIONS & HYPOTHESIS
In the lab, we observed green plant leaves convert light energy into chemical energy by using photosynthesis. The species of green plant leaves that were used in this experiment were Hedera helix, commonly known as English Ivy. These plant leaves have both mitochondria and chloroplasts. The process of photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts and aerobic respiration is carried out in the mitochondria, these reactions may occur simultaneously. To determine the rate of photosynthesis, we estimate the changes in the amount of oxygen produced in leaf disks. To do this, we first vacuum infiltrate the leaf disks to displace oxygen with water, this will make the leaf disks sink. Then, when we were ready to let photosynthesis begin, we exposed the leaf disks to light and they began to float, because the production of oxygen displaced the liquid. There is an inverse relationship between the time it takes the disks to float and the rate of photosynthesis; a slow rate of photosynthesis means leaf disks will float less quick. When we did this first experiment, we observed that light is needed for photosynthesis to occur, and in the presence of light leaf disks floats because of photosynthesis. This supports the fact that photosynthesis is light dependent.
To take this experiment a step further, we wanted to test the effect of different color filters (red and blue) on the rate of photosynthesis in English Ivy leaves. Since we already know that photosynthesis is light dependent, we wanted to see what would happen at different light waves. The justification for this comes from the fact that photosynthesis depends on the absorption of light by the pigments in plant leaves, called chlorophylls. We know that chlorophyll absorbs the most
OBSERVATIONS & HYPOTHESIS
In the lab, we observed green plant leaves convert light energy into chemical energy by using photosynthesis. The species of green plant leaves that were used in this experiment were Hedera helix, commonly known as English Ivy. These plant leaves have both mitochondria and chloroplasts. The process of photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts and aerobic respiration is carried out in the mitochondria, these reactions may occur simultaneously. To determine the rate of photosynthesis, we estimate the changes in the amount of oxygen produced in leaf disks. To do this, we first vacuum infiltrate the leaf disks to displace oxygen with water, this will make the leaf disks sink. Then, when we were ready to let photosynthesis begin, we exposed the leaf disks to light and they began to float, because the production of oxygen displaced the liquid. There is an inverse relationship between the time it takes the disks to float and the rate of photosynthesis; a slow rate of photosynthesis means leaf disks will float less quick. When we did this first experiment, we observed that light is needed for photosynthesis to occur, and in the presence of light leaf disks floats because of photosynthesis. This supports the fact that photosynthesis is light dependent.
To take this experiment a step further, we wanted to test the effect of different color filters (red and blue) on the rate of photosynthesis in English Ivy leaves. Since we already know that photosynthesis is light dependent, we wanted to see what would happen at different light waves. The justification for this comes from the fact that photosynthesis depends on the absorption of light by the pigments in plant leaves, called chlorophylls. We know that chlorophyll absorbs the most