Determining Photosynthetic Activity in Plants Using Different Wavelengths of Light and Pigmentation Essay Example
Determining Photosynthetic Activity in Plants Using Different Wavelengths of Light and Pigmentation
Abstract The roles played by light and pigmentation in photosynthesis were examined in the geranium and Coleus plant. In addition, the separation of certain pigments based on their molecular structure was also examined, with the use of paper chromatography. When different leaves of the geranium plant which were exposed to different wavelengths of light, photosynthesis proved to be most actively present in those exposed to blue and red wavelengths of light. These wavelengths aid in the production of starch in the leaves which is an essential indicator of photosynthetic activity, hence, the use of the I2KI solution to test for the presence of starch in the leaves. With the use of paper chromatography, the results showed that the most polar molecule or pigment was chlorophyll b since it traveled the least up the polar paper since it was so attracted to it. The least polar pigment was Carotene which traveled the farthest up the paper since it was most attracted to the non polar solvent. When the multicolored Coleus leaf was tested for starch using the I2KI solution, the data suggested that the areas which had most chlorophyll, contained the most starch therefore, also having the most photosynthetic activity.
Introduction In plants, light energy is converted to chemical energy that is stored in sugar and other organic molecules in a process known as photosynthesis. (Campbell, 2009) Compounds such as water and carbon dioxide go through a series of steps to be converted into glucose (which is the main source of energy for all cells) and the oxygen that we breathe. Photosynthesis can be summarized into this basic chemical equation:
6H2O (water) + 6CO (carbon dioxide) 6O2 (oxygen) + C6H12O6 (glucose) + H2O
In plants, chlorophyll is a pigment that absorbs light energy and also give plants their green color. In photosynthesis, the colors that are transmitted by
Abstract The roles played by light and pigmentation in photosynthesis were examined in the geranium and Coleus plant. In addition, the separation of certain pigments based on their molecular structure was also examined, with the use of paper chromatography. When different leaves of the geranium plant which were exposed to different wavelengths of light, photosynthesis proved to be most actively present in those exposed to blue and red wavelengths of light. These wavelengths aid in the production of starch in the leaves which is an essential indicator of photosynthetic activity, hence, the use of the I2KI solution to test for the presence of starch in the leaves. With the use of paper chromatography, the results showed that the most polar molecule or pigment was chlorophyll b since it traveled the least up the polar paper since it was so attracted to it. The least polar pigment was Carotene which traveled the farthest up the paper since it was most attracted to the non polar solvent. When the multicolored Coleus leaf was tested for starch using the I2KI solution, the data suggested that the areas which had most chlorophyll, contained the most starch therefore, also having the most photosynthetic activity.
Introduction In plants, light energy is converted to chemical energy that is stored in sugar and other organic molecules in a process known as photosynthesis. (Campbell, 2009) Compounds such as water and carbon dioxide go through a series of steps to be converted into glucose (which is the main source of energy for all cells) and the oxygen that we breathe. Photosynthesis can be summarized into this basic chemical equation:
6H2O (water) + 6CO (carbon dioxide) 6O2 (oxygen) + C6H12O6 (glucose) + H2O
In plants, chlorophyll is a pigment that absorbs light energy and also give plants their green color. In photosynthesis, the colors that are transmitted by