Aim(s): To investigate the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis To investigate the presence of starch in leaves

Introduction: Photosynthesis is a redox reaction which requires carbon dioxide, water and light to produce water and a 6-carbon sugar. During this reaction H2O is oxidized and CO2 is reduced. The process of photosynthesis consists of 2 parts which is a light reaction and a light-independent reaction. The method of changing light energy into chemical energy for the formation of NADPH and ATP is done through the light reactions. Light independent reactions use carbon dioxide and the products of light reactions (ATP and NADPH) to form compounds such as glucose (Sheena Mago, 2013).1 The rate of photosynthesis was measured by counting the amount of oxygen, a product of photosynthesis, generated by the plant. When the plant placed closer to the light source in a given time it generated more bubbles than when it was placed farther away from the light source. Photosynthesis can be described by the following chemical reaction: Light + 6CO2 + 6H2O Glucose + 6O2

The sugar or glucose (C6H12O6) is then changed to starch (C6H10O6) and stored temporarily in the leaf. Respiration is the process by which a carbohydrate is broken down by oxygen to produce energy, carbon dioxide and water. The net chemical reaction is the reverse of the photosynthetic reaction. Respiration occurs in plants all the time (day and night). It is slower 09than photosynthesis, so photosynthesis is the main reaction in the daytime. At night respiration is the only reaction; photosynthesis is not possible in the dark. (R. H. B. Exell, 2001).

Materials and methods: Refer to MFHS 201 BIOLOGY 2

Shena Mago 2013, The effect of wavelength and light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis

Results: A Light intensity 10cm 20cm 30cm 40cm 50cm

Distance from the light sources Number of bubbles released in a minute

58

50

38

27

20

Table 1: The numbers of bubbles release in a minute with differences distance the light sources and the Hydrilla species. B Starch test Observation Leaf exposed to sunlight Leaf kept in the dark Blue-black No change

Table 2: the observation on the leaves when put on the differences situation Discussion: Part A: Under the given conditions, the plants being tested were able to undergo photosynthesis. This is apparent by the product created by the plants. Oxygen released by the plants showed that photosynthetic reactions had taken place. Furthermore the amount of oxygen generated indicated the rate of which photosynthesis reactions were occurring. At low light intensities, there is a shortage of the product of the light-dependent reactions. Therefore if the light intensity is high, the more oxygen products were found, so the rate of reaction will also be high. The hypothesis is that the rate of photosynthesis increases with the increasing light intensity and decrease with the decreasing light intensity. It can be measured by calculated the number of bubbles released in a minute when the green leaves were put in the boiling tube. It was difficult to count all of the bubbles generated in 1 minute. There may have been several errors in counting in the experiment because bubbles formed quickly.

Therefore we used some estimates in our calculations for number of bubbles formed per minute. Part B: In green plant cell, most of the glucose which is produced is metabolized into starch (the plant cells metabolize glucose into this polysaccharide in order to store it as an energy compound). In the absence of light no glucose can be produced and hence no starch can be metabolized from this carbohydrate. The leaf is first decolourised by treating it in 90% ethanol (alcohol) solution. It is then rinsed in hot water to remove all alcohol and to soften the tissue. The plant that has been kept in the dark did not react with the iodine which indicates that there is no starch present. This means no photosynthesis took place. While the leaf that exposed to sunlight reacted completely with the iodine giving off a blue-black colour which indicates the presence of starch. This must indicate that photosynthesis also took place. So we can conclude from our observations that photosynthesis does not take place during absence of light. Conclusion: Part A: In conclusion, the rate of photosynthesis increases with the increasing light intensity. Part B: In conclusion, the leaf turned a blue-black colour. This showed that starch was made in the presence of light. Question: 1. Part A: Light intensity Manipulated variable: distance between the source of light and the Hydrilla s.p Responding variable: number of bubbles released in a minute Controlled variable: the volume of sodium bicarbonate

Part B: Starch test Manipulated variable: the presence of light Responding variable: the colour changes on leaves when iodine is added Controlled variable: the number drops of iodine solution

2. A) Distance from the light sources Number of bubbles released in a minute d2 (cm) 1/d (cm)
2

10cm

20cm

30cm

40cm

50cm

58

50

38

27

20

100 0.01

400 2.5 x 10
-3

900 1.11 x 10
-3

1600 6.25 x 10
-4

2500 4 x 10-4

70

Graph of rate of photosynthesis against light intensity

60

50

rate of photosynthesis/min

40

30

20

10

0 0 20 40 60 80 100 120

light intensity

/cm2

B) At low light intensities, the rate of photosynthesis increases with the intensity; the rate is directly proportional to intensity (but inversely proportional to distance)

3. Significant differences between the light reaction and dark reaction. Light reaction Dark reaction

Light reaction (light dependent reaction) While dark reaction (light independent converts the sunlight into chemical reaction) does not use the sunlight energy such as ATP and NADH+H. directly but it uses the ATP and NADH+H and CO2 to produce sugars. Occurs in grana The time of the reaction is daytime Occurs in stroma The time of the reaction is daytime and night Photolysis of water is occurs Photolysis of water does not occurs

4. What is meant by the concept of limiting factor? the factors that directly affects the rate at which photosynthesis can take place masking the effects of the other factors./ Limiting factor is any factor beyond which the rate of photosynthesis cannot be increased, until the factor is dealed with. 5. The effect of these factors on the rate of photosynthesis with a graph a) Carbon dioxide concentration

An increase in the carbon dioxide concentration increases the rate at which carbon is incorporated into carbohydrate in the light-independent reaction, and so the rate of photosynthesis generally increases until limited by another factor. b) Temperature

Although the light dependent reactions of photosynthesis are not affected by changes in temperature, the light independent reactions of photosynthesis are dependent on temperature. They are reactions catalysed by enzymes. As the enzymes approach their optimum temperatures the overall rate increases. It approximately doubles for every 10 C increase in temperature. Above the optimum temperature the rate begins to decrease, as enzymes are denatured, until it stops. c) Wavelength

Wavelength of light between 400 nm and 700 nm is most effective for photosynthesis. This light is called photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). Comparatively more photosynthesis occurs is red and blue regions though others have significant net photosynthesis. Light has maximum efficiency in red and minimum in blue region. In

both these regions light is absorbed by chlorophylls. Red light favours more carbohydrate accumulation while blue light favours more protein synthesis.

References: Home Science Tools 2013. Photosynthesis: Testing for starch. [Online] Available at < http://www.hometrainingtools.com/starch-test/a/1497/> [accessed at 5 July] Marked by teachers, 2012. Biology Lab Reports: Does the light intensity affect the rate of photosynthesis. [Online] Available at < http://www.markedbyteachers.com/gcse/science/biology-lab-report-does-lightintensity-affect-the-rate-of-photosynthesis.html > [Accessed at 5 July 2013] Shena Mago, 2013. Photosynthesis: The Effect of Wavelength and Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis. [Online] Available at < https://stonybrook.digication.com/sheena_mago/Photosynthesis_Lab_Report > [Accessed at 6 July 2013] Biology Study Guides; 2013. Investigating the Effect of Light Intensity on the Rate of Photosynthesis. [Online] Available at < http://brilliantbiologystudent.weebly.com/effect-of-light-intensity.html > [Accessed at 6 July 2013] Avril Chew. A level @ your fingertips Biology. 2003. Photosynthesis.