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The Rate Of Photosynthesis For Egeria Densa

Satisfactory Essays

Hypothesis
I predict that if I decrease the pH of the water, then the rate of photosynthesis for Egeria densa will decrease because the lower the pH, the lower the oxygen content of the water and the lower the oxygen content the lower the rate of photosynthesis. As mentioned earlier, photosynthesis is the process in which organisms convert water and carbon dioxide into oxygen, and since it has been proven that the lower the pH the lower the oxygen content of the water, this leads me to believe that the rate of photosynthesis of the plants will decrease since they will produce less oxygen due to the lower pH.
Materials
• Safety goggles
• An apron
• Gloves
• Five 1,500 mL Tupperware containers
• Fifteen 30 cm sprigs of Egeria densa
• At least 5 L of distilled water
• A sun lamp with a 50 Watt light bulb
• 0.5 molar Hydrochloric acid to raise/lower the pH of the water
• A Vernier brand dissolved oxygen probe
Procedure
1. Affix the sun lamp 45 centimeters up on the ring stand and turn it on
2. Add 1,000 mL of distilled water to each Tupperware container
3. Alter the pH of the water in the containers as needed using the 0.5 molar Hydrochloric acid (7.7, 6.0, 5.5, 4.4, and 3.5)
4. Place the container under the sun lamp
5. Add one sprig of Egeria densa into the container
6. Place the dissolved oxygen probe in the water to record the rate of photosynthesis for the plant for exactly 1 minute
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 for each pH level, making sure to use a new sprig of Egeria

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