To Investigate the Effects of One Variable of Heartbeats

Research Question: What is the effect of light intensity on the pressure of

oxygen produced, due to photosynthesis, on the pressure sensor in pond-weed
(elodea)?
Hypothesis: I predict that the shorter the distance between the plant and the
light source, the greater the rate of photosynthesis will be. Since photosynthesis
is the conversion of light energy into chemical energy, the higher the intensity of
light the faster the rate of photosynthesis would be. The farther away the plant is
from the light source, the less light will reach the plant, resulting in the rate of
photosynthesis being slower.
Variables:
1. Independent Variable The independent variable is the variable that will
be changed. In this experiment, we will be changing the distance of the
light source from the plant, measured using a meter ruler.
2. Dependent Variable The dependent variable is the one that is affected
by the change that takes place. In this experiment, the change that takes
place is the rate of photosynthesis, which is calculated by measuring the
pressure exerted by the oxygen inside the test tube using a pressure
sensor.
3. Constant Variable The constant variable in this case is the volume of
sodium bicarbonate water used and the type and length of the plant used.
The temperature of the room is also kept at a constant.
Materials Required:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Pond Weed (Elodea)

Sodium Bicarbonate Water
Clamp Stand
Pressure Sensor
Lamp
Beaker
Meter Ruler
Test Tube
Measuring Cylinder

Uncertainties for Materials

1. Measuring Cylinder
2. Meter Ruler
3. Pressure Sensor 0.0005 kPa

Method/ Procedure:
1. Arrange the clamp stand so that it holds the test tube in such a way that it
is just touching the ground.
2. In the measuring cylinder, measure out 10ml of Sodium Bicarbonate
water and pour this into the test tube.
3. Cut 5cm of pond-weed and add this to the test tube.
4. Attaching the lamp to an electricity source, keep the lamp on standby.
5. Attaching the pressure sensor to the laptop, open DataStudio and create a
new experiment.
6. For the first run, the lamp is placed directly in front of the test tube and
turned on.
7. The pressure exerted is measured for 3 minutes on data studio.
8. The lamp is then turned off. This is repeated five times for each distance.
9. For the second run, the distance is measured out to be 10cm, and the
lamp is turned on.
10. This is done for all of the runs.

Data Collection and Processing

The raw data that we have collected by doing the experiment has been stated
below. With the help of Microsoft Excel the average and the standard deviation
of each of the samples for each temperature has been stated in tables below.
The average has been calculated as followsType in =AVERAGE() in a cell of excel. You can then select the numbers of which
you want to take an average for.
The standard deviation has been calculated in the same way, except the formula
would be =STDEV().

Distance 0cm

Time
(s)
0.5

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180

Run #1

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Average

Standard
Deviation

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

5.368
5.381
5.390
5.399
5.420
5.438
5.454
5.469
5.479
5.482
5.488
5.496
5.503
5.508
5.515
5.521
5.527
5.553
5.583
5.607
5.621
5.629
5.630
5.632
5.635
5.639
5.650
5.657
5.662
5.663
5.665
5.668
5.676
5.690
5.703
5.727
5.745

5.751
5.759
5.768
5.778
5.788
5.797
5.808
5.818
5.831
5.846
5.865
5.878
5.887
5.897
5.911
5.928
5.943
5.954
5.967
5.981
5.997
6.008
6.015
6.021
6.023
6.029
6.034
6.038
6.048
6.054
6.067
6.084
6.097
6.107
6.114
6.120
6.130

6.140
6.170
6.176
6.179
6.189
6.201
6.211
6.233
6.247
6.265
6.279
6.304
6.325
6.333
6.350
6.362
6.378
6.391
6.400
6.419
6.439
6.451
6.458
6.470
6.475
6.482
6.491
6.507
6.524
6.541
6.570
6.586
6.598
6.606
6.612
6.618
6.623

6.624
6.623
6.623
6.627
6.633
6.638
6.656
6.660
6.667
6.676
6.683
6.689
6.701
6.715
6.720
6.722
6.727
6.741
6.746
6.743
6.738
6.740
6.754
6.756
6.764
6.769
6.772
6.776
6.785
6.789
6.803
6.825
6.827
6.822
6.818
6.816
6.817

5.971
5.983
5.989
5.996
6.007
6.018
6.032
6.045
6.056
6.067
6.079
6.091
6.104
6.113
6.124
6.133
6.144
6.160
6.174
6.188
6.199
6.207
6.214
6.220
6.224
6.230
6.237
6.245
6.255
6.262
6.276
6.291
6.299
6.306
6.312
6.320
6.329

0.537
0.535
0.530
0.528
0.522
0.517
0.518
0.515
0.514
0.517
0.517
0.517
0.521
0.524
0.524
0.521
0.521
0.517
0.507
0.497
0.491
0.489
0.494
0.495
0.497
0.498
0.495
0.496
0.499
0.503
0.510
0.517
0.516
0.509
0.502
0.492
0.485

7
6.8
6.6
6.4
6.2
6
5.8
5.6
5.4
5.2
5
Time (s)
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180

Absolute Pressure of Oxygen

(kPa)

Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light Intensity

at 0cm

Time (s)

The graph shows that the Absolute Pressure of O2 lies in the same range for all
the tests taken. This means that the data is highly reliable.
The average of the absolute pressure runs taken can be taken by using the
equations given above.

6.600
6.500
6.400
6.300
6.200
6.100
6.000
5.900
5.800
5.700
5.600
5
15
25
35
45
55
65
75
85
95
105
115
125
135
145
155
165
175

Average Absolute Pressure of Oxygen

(kPa)

Average Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light

Intensity 0cm

Time (s)

The average absolute pressure of oxygen is rising steadily and there are no
sudden drops or rises suggesting that this data is highly reliable.

Rate of Change of Pressure

Rate of Change of Pressure =

=

= 0.00199 kPa/s

Distance 10cm
Time
(s)
0.5

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180

Run #1

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Run #5

Average

Standard
Deviation

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

6.122
6.096
6.081
6.069
6.061
6.057
6.051
6.048
6.046
6.045
6.045
6.045
6.048
6.051
6.057
6.063
6.069
6.074
6.079
6.085
6.085
6.086
6.089
6.095
6.101
6.109
6.117
6.122
6.128
6.136
6.140
6.153
6.159
6.160
6.162
6.167
6.174

6.175
6.182
6.188
6.192
6.197
6.203
6.207
6.216
6.221
6.224
6.227
6.233
6.239
6.243
6.248
6.253
6.259
6.261
6.272
6.282
6.291
6.297
6.304
6.312
6.320
6.329
6.338
6.348
6.357
6.365
6.372
6.382
6.392
6.396
6.405
6.412
6.417

6.416
6.416
6.419
6.421
6.422
6.428
6.433
6.436
6.445
6.452
6.454
6.456
6.461
6.467
6.476
6.483
6.490
6.500
6.502
6.504
6.509
6.517
6.519
6.526
6.533
6.542
6.550
6.556
6.562
6.570
6.576
6.581
6.585
6.592
6.596
6.601
6.608

6.613
6.623
6.631
6.637
6.639
6.640
6.643
6.646
6.651
6.656
6.663
6.669
6.673
6.678
6.683
6.689
6.694
6.698
6.704
6.708
6.714
6.722
6.730
6.733
6.737
6.740
6.743
6.751
6.757
6.764
6.770
6.773
6.779
6.785
6.788
6.793
6.799

6.799
6.804
6.808
6.811
6.814
6.819
6.825
6.828
6.830
6.836
6.842
6.842
6.848
6.852
6.858
6.865
6.871
6.874
6.876
6.877
6.884
6.888
6.893
6.897
6.904
6.912
6.915
6.923
6.924
6.926
6.929
6.929
6.932
6.931
6.933
6.934
6.932

6.425
6.424
6.425
6.426
6.427
6.429
6.432
6.435
6.438
6.443
6.446
6.449
6.453
6.458
6.464
6.471
6.476
6.481
6.486
6.491
6.497
6.502
6.507
6.513
6.519
6.526
6.532
6.540
6.546
6.552
6.557
6.564
6.569
6.573
6.577
6.581
6.586

0.287
0.296
0.302
0.306
0.309
0.311
0.314
0.315
0.316
0.319
0.321
0.321
0.322
0.322
0.323
0.323
0.323
0.322
0.321
0.318
0.320
0.321
0.322
0.321
0.320
0.319
0.317
0.317
0.315
0.314
0.313
0.308
0.307
0.306
0.306
0.304
0.302

180

170

160

150

140

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

7.200
7.000
6.800
6.600
6.400
6.200
6.000
5.800
5.600
10

Absolute Pressure of Oxygen

(kPa)

Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light Intensity

at 10cm

Time (s)

The graph shows that the Absolute Pressure of O2 lies in the same range for all
the tests taken. The incline of each of the runs are also similar except for one of
the runs. This means that the data is highly reliable. In the run that dips below, a
possible explanation would be that for a certain amount of time instead of
photosynthesis, respiration was occurring.
The average of the absolute pressure runs taken can be taken by using the
equations given above.

6.600
6.550
6.500
6.450
6.400
6.350
6.300
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180

Average Absolute Pressure of

Oxygen (kPa)

Average Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light

Intensity 10cm

Time (s)

The average absolute pressure of oxygen is rising steadily and there are no
sudden drops or rises suggesting that this data is highly reliable. There is a slight
dip between 6.6 and 6.5 kPa, but that indicates the runs where respiration was
taking place instead of photosynthesis.

Rate of Change of Pressure

Rate of Change of Pressure =

=

= 0.000894 kPa/s

Distance 20cm
Time
(s)
0.5

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180

Run #1

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Run #5

Average

Standard
Deviation

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

4.917
4.912
4.913
4.914
4.915
4.920
4.925
4.930
4.935
4.939
4.946
4.951
4.957
4.963
4.968
4.975
4.983
4.986
4.991
5.001
5.010
5.018
5.028
5.037
5.046
5.057
5.063
5.067
5.068
5.071
5.078
5.087
5.094
5.101
5.111
5.117
5.122

5.123
5.130
5.135
5.142
5.148
5.155
5.166
5.170
5.174
5.178
5.186
5.192
5.202
5.209
5.216
5.220
5.225
5.231
5.237
5.246
5.252
5.255
5.261
5.267
5.274
5.279
5.286
5.288
5.292
5.294
5.295
5.298
5.304
5.309
5.314
5.316
5.324

5.326
5.333
5.336
5.340
5.345
5.350
5.358
5.361
5.368
5.374
5.382
5.387
5.394
5.401
5.407
5.410
5.415
5.419
5.425
5.425
5.431
5.438
5.444
5.447
5.451
5.458
5.464
5.468
5.474
5.480
5.492
5.496
5.501
5.505
5.508
5.512
5.512

5.513
5.513
5.519
5.524
5.530
5.533
5.541
5.541
5.545
5.549
5.551
5.554
5.559
5.563
5.568
5.576
5.581
5.587
5.590
5.599
5.603
5.608
5.610
5.611
5.614
5.621
5.626
5.630
5.639
5.647
5.654
5.658
5.664
5.669
5.676
5.681
5.686

5.686
5.691
5.695
5.699
5.702
5.705
5.711
5.716
5.721
5.730
5.737
5.738
5.748
5.760
5.768
5.776
5.784
5.789
5.793
5.800
5.805
5.811
5.815
5.818
5.820
5.819
5.819
5.821
5.828
5.833
5.836
5.842
5.847
5.849
5.850
5.853
5.856

5.313
5.316
5.320
5.324
5.328
5.333
5.340
5.343
5.348
5.354
5.360
5.364
5.372
5.379
5.385
5.391
5.397
5.402
5.407
5.414
5.420
5.426
5.432
5.436
5.441
5.447
5.451
5.455
5.460
5.465
5.471
5.476
5.482
5.486
5.492
5.496
5.500

0.305
0.307
0.309
0.309
0.310
0.309
0.309
0.308
0.308
0.310
0.309
0.307
0.308
0.309
0.309
0.310
0.310
0.311
0.310
0.309
0.307
0.307
0.304
0.302
0.299
0.296
0.293
0.293
0.295
0.297
0.297
0.296
0.295
0.294
0.291
0.290
0.290

180

170

160

150

140

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

6.000
5.800
5.600
5.400
5.200
5.000
4.800
4.600
4.400
0

Absolute Pressure of Oxygen

(kPa)

Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light Intensity

at 20cm

Time (s)

The graph shows that the Absolute Pressure of O2 lies in the same range for all
the tests taken. The incline of each of the runs are also similar. This means that
the data is highly reliable.
The average of the absolute pressure runs taken can be taken by using the
equations given above.

5.550
5.500
5.450
5.400
5.350
5.300
5.250
5.200
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180

Average Absolute Pressure of

Oxygen (kPa)

Average Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light

Intensity 20cm

Time (s)

The average absolute pressure of oxygen is rising steadily and there are no
sudden drops or rises suggesting that this data is highly reliable.
Rate of Change of Pressure

Rate of Change of Pressure =

=

= 0.000894 kPa/s

Distance 30cm
Time
(s)
0.5

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180

Run #1

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Run #5

Average

Standard
Deviation

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

4.337
4.332
4.332
4.332
4.335
4.338
4.342
4.350
4.353
4.355
4.360
4.368
4.369
4.373
4.380
4.387
4.394
4.406
4.417
4.427
4.441
4.459
4.473
4.485
4.498
4.511
4.527
4.537
4.547
4.558
4.565
4.569
4.572
4.573
4.581
4.588
4.591

4.593
4.593
4.600
4.609
4.620
4.625
4.631
4.640
4.648
4.655
4.658
4.668
4.680
4.687
4.699
4.712
4.721
4.730
4.736
4.745
4.746
4.750
4.755
4.764
4.767
4.771
4.779
4.782
4.780
4.780
4.785
4.795
4.804
4.809
4.810
4.810
4.817

4.820
4.826
4.835
4.843
4.856
4.859
4.870
4.875
4.882
4.888
4.891
4.896
4.900
4.904
4.905
4.917
4.922
4.924
4.923
4.920
4.921
4.921
4.918
4.924
4.929
4.931
4.929
4.936
4.943
4.948
4.953
4.960
4.969
4.978
4.987
4.992
4.996

4.997
5.001
5.003
5.009
5.018
5.032
5.037
5.038
5.038
5.034
5.032
5.031
5.035
5.041
5.045
5.045
5.053
5.062
5.068
5.068
5.069
5.072
5.079
5.084
5.089
5.093
5.098
5.100
5.101
5.101
5.099
5.099
5.105
5.108
5.111
5.111
5.119

5.122
5.132
5.135
5.144
5.150
5.155
5.162
5.168
5.174
5.178
5.178
5.174
5.170
5.178
5.172
5.174
5.180
5.183
5.187
5.191
5.194
5.201
5.209
5.210
5.208
5.206
5.200
5.197
5.199
5.213
5.223
5.229
5.235
5.245
5.253
5.260
5.261

4.774
4.777
4.781
4.788
4.796
4.802
4.808
4.814
4.819
4.822
4.824
4.827
4.831
4.837
4.840
4.847
4.854
4.861
4.866
4.870
4.874
4.880
4.887
4.893
4.898
4.902
4.907
4.911
4.914
4.920
4.925
4.930
4.937
4.943
4.948
4.952
4.957

0.315
0.320
0.321
0.323
0.325
0.327
0.328
0.326
0.326
0.325
0.322
0.317
0.315
0.316
0.312
0.309
0.308
0.305
0.302
0.299
0.294
0.290
0.287
0.283
0.279
0.274
0.266
0.262
0.260
0.260
0.259
0.259
0.259
0.262
0.262
0.262
0.261

Absolute Pressure of Oxygen (kPa)

Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light Intensity at 30cm

5.400
5.200
5.000
4.800
4.600
4.400
4.200
4.000
0

10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180

Time (s)

The graph shows that the Absolute Pressure of O2 lies in the same range for all
the tests taken. The incline of each of the runs are also similar. This means that
the data is highly reliable.
The average of the absolute pressure runs taken can be taken by using the
equations given above.

5.000
4.950
4.900
4.850
4.800
4.750
4.700
4.650
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180

Average Absolute Pressure of

Oxygen (kPa)

Average Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light

Intensity 30cm

Time (s)

The average absolute pressure of oxygen is rising steadily and there are no
sudden drops or rises suggesting that this data is highly reliable.
Rate of Change of Pressure

Rate of Change of Pressure =

=

= 0.00102 kPa/s

Distance 40cm
Time
(s)
0.5

0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
90
95
100
105
110
115
120
125
130
135
140
145
150
155
160
165
170
175
180

Run #1

Run #2

Run #3

Run #4

Run #5

Average

Standard
Deviation

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

Pressure
(kPa)
0.0005

4.705
4.664
4.637
4.619
4.598
4.581
4.565
4.549
4.538
4.531
4.529
4.521
4.514
4.505
4.503
4.504
4.505
4.506
4.500
4.501
4.504
4.507
4.507
4.509
4.516
4.523
4.525
4.528
4.532
4.533
4.533
4.532
4.534
4.537
4.543
4.549
4.555

4.556
4.552
4.549
4.545
4.543
4.547
4.549
4.554
4.556
4.561
4.568
4.571
4.574
4.582
4.586
4.588
4.590
4.597
4.601
4.605
4.607
4.612
4.614
4.617
4.621
4.620
4.622
4.623
4.622
4.617
4.618
4.617
4.617
4.618
4.619
4.617
4.618

4.620
4.624
4.627
4.634
4.643
4.647
4.652
4.658
4.661
4.662
4.661
4.660
4.663
4.668
4.677
4.677
4.673
4.679
4.686
4.694
4.702
4.709
4.713
4.719
4.719
4.722
4.727
4.733
4.740
4.743
4.745
4.747
4.751
4.752
4.753
4.756
4.759

4.759
4.764
4.765
4.765
4.763
4.759
4.759
4.764
4.771
4.778
4.786
4.791
4.797
4.802
4.809
4.809
4.813
4.814
4.814
4.813
4.815
4.817
4.815
4.814
4.817
4.820
4.822
4.828
4.825
4.826
4.820
4.822
4.824
4.825
4.822
4.821
4.821

4.822
4.823
4.825
4.824
4.822
4.819
4.819
4.816
4.820
4.819
4.817
4.814
4.817
4.815
4.814
4.813
4.813
4.808
4.809
4.809
4.810
4.808
4.807
4.805
4.803
4.800
4.798
4.796
4.794
4.794
4.794
4.794
4.796
4.797
4.799
4.801
4.801

4.692
4.685
4.681
4.677
4.674
4.671
4.669
4.668
4.669
4.670
4.672
4.671
4.673
4.675
4.678
4.678
4.679
4.681
4.682
4.684
4.688
4.691
4.691
4.693
4.695
4.697
4.699
4.702
4.703
4.703
4.702
4.702
4.704
4.706
4.707
4.709
4.711

0.106
0.108
0.112
0.114
0.116
0.116
0.118
0.121
0.126
0.128
0.128
0.130
0.134
0.135
0.136
0.136
0.136
0.134
0.135
0.134
0.134
0.132
0.131
0.130
0.127
0.125
0.124
0.125
0.123
0.124
0.122
0.123
0.124
0.123
0.121
0.120
0.118

Absolute Pressure of Oxygen (kPa)

Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light Intensity at

40cm
4.900
4.800
4.700
4.600
4.500
4.400
4.300
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100110120130140150160170180

Time (s)

The graph shows that the range of the Absolute Pressure of O2 lie differently in
each case. The incline of each of the runs are not similar. This was expected
because the light intensity is further away predicting that photosynthesis might
not have taken place in some cases at all. This means that the data is highly
reliable.
The average of the absolute pressure runs taken can be taken by using the
equations given above.

4.720
4.710
4.700
4.690
4.680
4.670
4.660
4.650
4.640
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180

Average Absolute Pressure of

Oxygen (kPa)

Average Absolute Pressure Runs of Oxygen at Light

Intensity 40cm

Time (s)

The average absolute pressure of oxygen is rising steadily after it dips down to
4.670 kPa. The reason for the sudden dip is the distance between the light source
nd the plant, which is larger than before, indicating that at some points instead of
photosynthesis, respiration was taking place.

Rate of Change of Pressure

Rate of Change of Pressure =

=

= 0.000105 kPa/s

Conclusion The results that we have recorded during this experiment show us
that our predictions in the hypothesis were correct. As the distance between the
light source and the plant increases, it is observed that the rate of oxygen
produced decreases. The rate of oxygen produced increases as the distance
decreases and this was observed in all the runs except run 1 of the experiment
where the light source was 10 cm away from the plant. The rate of change of
pressure can be also observed to reduce from 0.00199 kPa/s to 0.000105 kPa/s
as the distance between the light source and the plant increases, except in the
case of where light intensity is at 10 cm where the rate of change of pressure is
greater than the previous one. In this case, it can be concluded that instead of the
plant undergoing photosynthesis, the plant was undergoing the process of
respiration, reducing the pressure of the oxygen produced.
Evaluation
The results of the experiment were reliable except for the results with light
intensity at 40cm. Here are some of the ways in which we couldve assured to get
better results are
1. The measured time couldve been 5 minutes instead of 3 minutes to
ensure that the results are accurate.
2. The sodium bicarbonate water couldve been changed after each run to
ensure that it was a constant factor throughout.
3. The pressure couldve been released after each run so that the
comparison of the initial and final pressures wouldve been easier.