Photosynthesis Lab

The spinach plants were hole punched, mixed with 0.2% NaOH and dish detergent, placed in a syringe with the solution to have the oxygen

The vials were placed in the water and the oxygen levels were read every 5 minutes until 30 minutes was reached. As the oxygen levels were collected they were put into a table that had all three tubes labeled at each 5-minute increment. After 30 minutes the experiment was completed and the clean up process could begin.

The purpose of this lab is to observe the effect of white, green, and dark light on a photosynthetic plant using a volumeter and followed by the calculation of the net oxygen production using different wavelengths color of white and green light, and also the calculation of oxygen consumption under a dark environment, and finally the calculation of the gross oxygen production.

I filled three clear cups, the first one with dH2O, the second with 0.1% NaHCO3 solution (equal parts 0.2% NaHCO3 and dH2O), and the third with 0.2% NaHCO3 solution. The control of the experiment is the cup with dH2O. The independent variable is time and the dependent variable is the number of disks floating in the solution. We separated the 30 disks into three groups of 10, placed them in syringes filled with a corresponding solution (either dH2O, 0.1% NaHCO3, or 0.2% NaHCO3), and removed all air from the syringe. This causes photosynthesis to stop in the disks, which then causes the disks to not float any longer. The three groups of disks were placed in each cup filled with 100mL corresponding to the solution, then placed under a light source and started a timer. For each minute in 15 minutes, data regarding the number of disks that floated to the top of each

There are many procedures during this lab and many materials needed for an accurate analysis of data. First, fill a 100 mL graduated cylinder with 50 mL of water. Add 25 germinating peas and determine the amount of water that is displaced. Record this volume of the 25 germinating peas, then remove the peas and put those peas on a paper towel. They will be used for the first respirometer. Next, refill the graduated cylinder with 50 mL of water and add 25 non-germinating peas to it. Add glass beads to the graduated cylinder until the volume is the same to that of germinating peas. Remove the beads and peas and put on a paper towel. They will be used in respirometer 2. Now, the graduated cylinder was filled once again, determine how many glass beads will be require to reach the same volume of the germinating peas. Remove the beads and they will be used in respirometer 3. Then repeat the procedures used above to prepare a second set of germinating peas, dry peas and beads, and beads to be used in respirometers 4,5,and 6, the only difference is the temperature of the water.

In the beginning of this experiment, our TA added water, salt, and 75/25 hexane/acetone to spinach leaves to a blender and blended the mixture to assume equal amounts for each group and to avoid erros if each student had to do the blending. The addition of the water to the mixture allowed the it to separate into a distinct organic layer after being run in a centrifuge, which was available to be collected at the top of the centrifuge. Salt reduces solubility, which will force the organic parts of the mixture (the desired pigments for example) to separate into the organic layer at the top. Lastly, 75/25 hexane/acetone is added because this is a moderately polar solvent and will useful for both the non-polar and polar pigments present within the spinach leaves. A mixed solution of hexanes and acetone must be used because acetone is very polar, while hexane in very non-polar, and the spinach leaves contain both non-polar and polar pigments in them that are important in the extraction and for further analysis. The mixture was placed in the centrifuge so the solids in the mixture (mostly cellulose) could be separated from the liquids into separate distinct layers for further extraction and testing. In the tube, the organic substances separated into the top layer, whereas the water layer remains at the bottom of the tube below the solid layer made up of mainly cellulose.

The process of photosynthesis, by which light energy is used to convert inorganic compounds into organic substances with the release of oxygen, may be the most important biological event sustaining life (Keir et al. 2017). In the light-dependent reactions, the chloroplasts of a plant use the pigment chlorophyll to convert light energy into chemical energy. This energy is used to split water and produce oxygen (Eller et al. 2015). The energy is later used in the light independent reactions, where carbon dioxide (CO2) undergoes carbon fixation with the aid of enzyme rubisco, because it catalyses both carboxylation and oxygenation reactions and most of responses of photosynthesis to light, CO2, and temperature (John Evans 2013).

Abstract: The purpose of this lab is to separate and identify pigments and other molecules within plant cells by a process called chromatography. We will also be measuring the rate of photosynthesis in isolated chloroplasts. Beta carotene, the most abundant carotene in plants, is carried along near the solvent front because it is very soluble in the solvent being used and because it forms no hydrogen bonds with cellulose. Xanthophyll is found further from the solvent font because it is less soluble in the solvent and has been slowed down by hydrogen bonding to the cellulose. Chlorophylls contain oxygen and nitrogen and are bound more tightly to the paper than the other pigments.

At the end of each minute, record the number of floating disks. Then swirl the disks to dislodge any that stuck against the side of the beakers. Continue until all of the disks are floating. Create a graph of floating chads vs. time and analyze whether the green or reddish-purple leaves photosynthesized at a faster rate.  Results

However one beaker received 100 mL of Deionized water with a molarity of 0.0. Afterwards a cork borer was pushed through the potato and was twisted back and forth. Once the borer was filled it was removed from the potato. Pushing the potato cylinder out of the borer, this this step was repeated six more times in order to get seven undamaged potato cylinders. Using a sharp razor blade, the potato cylinders were both cut to a uniform length of about 5cm, and were removed of their potato skins. The potato pieces were also cut in half to give the cells a greater surface area in which it was easier to absorb the solution. After the cylinders were weighed on a balance and the data was recorded in Table 4. Using the razor blade each potato was cut lengthwise into two long halves. Then the potato pieces were transferred to the water beaker and the time they were submerged was recorded. This step was repeated for all potato cylinders in which the pieces were placed in solutions 0.1 to 0.6 M. The potatoes were incubated for ninety minutes. At the end of the incubation period the time was recorded. Then the potato piece was removed form the first sample. Next potato pieces were weighed the and the final weight was recorded in Table 4. This procedure was repeated until all samples had been weighed and recorded in the chronological order they were initially placed in the test solution. Afterwards the table was completed by recording the

After wearing the gloves we obtained a chromatography vial from professor and label it with my and my peer initials. We dried up the chromatography vial in fume hood and added 1 ml of chromatography solvent to the vial. Then we took a chromatography strip and measure it 1.5 cm with ruler from one end of the strip and drew a line with pencil we cut two small pieces below the pencil line to form a pointed end. We applied spinach on the strip using quarter to rub the spinach leaf on the line that we drew on the strip and put it into the chromatography vial and placed that in fume hood. We observed as the solvent was moving up the chromatography strip by capillary action. When the solvent was reached approximately 1 cm from the top of the strip then we removed the cap from the vial. We took out the strip from the vial using forceps and marked up the location of the solvent front because it evaporates quickly. We measure out the distance as well as the pigment in order to find out the rf value. Moreover we compared rf values to the one in reference list in order to identify the

Life on Earth is dependent entirely on the energy from the Sun, not only to keep the planet at a suitable temperature but also to provide the energy required to sustain life. The energy of the Sun, in the form of photons, is actively captured by chlorophyll and related pigments present in photosynthetic organisms, like plants and algae. This captured energy is used to convert carbon dioxide into complex energy-rich molecules that can be used by themselves

Photosynthesis is a vital process that autotrophs use to transfer light energy into chemical energy. Photosynthesis ultimately produces O2 and glucose. It, like many other biological processes, can be affected by environmental variables. The variable that we altered in the following experiment are intensity, light wavelengths, and pigment types. In order to do this, we conducted three experiments. In the first experiment, we examined the effect of light intensity by placing vials with chloroplasts with DPIP at different light distances in which the results varied. Initially, 30cm away was the most effective for photosynthesis. Then 24cm appeared to be the most effective. Followed by 49cm at minutes 25 and 30. In the second experiment, we

The next step was to place the strip of chromatography paper on a paper towel. Then dip a capillary tube into the plant pigment extract (spinach pigment extract) provided by the teacher. The tube will fill on its own. We applied the extract to the pencil line on the paper, blew the strip dry, and repeated it three to four times until the line on the paper is a dark

Then, each group of students received the necessary materials to complete the experiment. When the students received the cups, they labeled cups to distinguish between the salt solution, distilled water, and control group. After weighing the cups and finding the mass of the cucumbers, the students poured 50 ml of water in one cup, 50 ml of salt solution in the other, and left the control cup empty. Then, the students placed the cucumbers into the cups and waited 30 minutes for the results. After the 30 minutes, the students removed the cucumbers from each solution and dried the cucumbers with paper towels. The students then weighed the cucumbers again and recorded their results. Lastly, the students found the difference from the original mass of the cucumbers and recorded their results.