The Effect of Temperature on Photosynthesis
02 December 2012
1. Title and Author
1. The Effect of Extreme Temperatures on the Rate of Photosynthesis
2. Jeffrey Xia
2. Abstract
A previous lab in which we conducted, tested whether or not the light intensity had an effect on the rate of photosynthesis. We concluded that light intensity did possess an effect on the rate of photosynthesis – the closer the experimental plant units were to the light source, the more experimental plant units exhibited the effect of gas exchange in photosynthesis.
Therefore, in this lab, we desired to test another possible factor on the rate of photosynthesis, temperature. Our apparatus consisted of three beakers. Each beaker possessed a different temperature of NaHCO3 solution. Room temperature solution was used as the control to compare results with. For the experimental plant units, we hole punched a spinach leaf to yield identically shaped leaf disks. The leaf disks are then subjected to a vacuum done by a large syringe to remove the oxygen already present in the leaf disks (therefore the leaf disks will sink). If photosynthesis occurs, the leaf disks will utilize the carbon source in the NaHCO3 solution, the light from the light source, and water from the solution to create G3P and oxygen gas. For this experiment, we will utilize the byproduct of oxygen gas (which will eventually float the lead disk) to track the rates of photosynthesis. A simple time plot described how many leaf disks were floating per minute.
The results showed that hot temperatures portrayed no rate of photosynthesis, while cold temperatures exhibited a slower rate of photosynthesis than room temperature. Disclaimer: Since we only tested three temperatures, we did not entirely test the gamut of temperatures and the photosynthetic rates of each temperature. However, some conclusions were drawn with the current data.
3. Introduction
1. Do extremely hot and cold conditions affect the rate of photosynthesis?
2. H0: If the temperature of the
1. Title and Author
1. The Effect of Extreme Temperatures on the Rate of Photosynthesis
2. Jeffrey Xia
2. Abstract
A previous lab in which we conducted, tested whether or not the light intensity had an effect on the rate of photosynthesis. We concluded that light intensity did possess an effect on the rate of photosynthesis – the closer the experimental plant units were to the light source, the more experimental plant units exhibited the effect of gas exchange in photosynthesis.
Therefore, in this lab, we desired to test another possible factor on the rate of photosynthesis, temperature. Our apparatus consisted of three beakers. Each beaker possessed a different temperature of NaHCO3 solution. Room temperature solution was used as the control to compare results with. For the experimental plant units, we hole punched a spinach leaf to yield identically shaped leaf disks. The leaf disks are then subjected to a vacuum done by a large syringe to remove the oxygen already present in the leaf disks (therefore the leaf disks will sink). If photosynthesis occurs, the leaf disks will utilize the carbon source in the NaHCO3 solution, the light from the light source, and water from the solution to create G3P and oxygen gas. For this experiment, we will utilize the byproduct of oxygen gas (which will eventually float the lead disk) to track the rates of photosynthesis. A simple time plot described how many leaf disks were floating per minute.
The results showed that hot temperatures portrayed no rate of photosynthesis, while cold temperatures exhibited a slower rate of photosynthesis than room temperature. Disclaimer: Since we only tested three temperatures, we did not entirely test the gamut of temperatures and the photosynthetic rates of each temperature. However, some conclusions were drawn with the current data.
3. Introduction
1. Do extremely hot and cold conditions affect the rate of photosynthesis?
2. H0: If the temperature of the