Andrew Cunningham Period 7 11/26/13 T.

Ofinger/ Science

Summative Photosynthesis Lab PROBLEM: If you double the distance of light, will the rate of photosynthesis will decrease by half? HYPOTHESIS: If the distance of light is doubled, then the rate of photosynthesis will be 50% lower. THEORY: Photosynthesis is a process where glucose and oxygen are made from sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. This process takes place in chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, which are chloroplasts in the leaves. After the glucose and oxygen are converted they travel where through the cytoplasm, toward the mitochondria where cellular respiration is preformed. In the mitochondria cellular respiration is preformed using the products of photosynthesis. Cellular respiration converts the glucose into energy that the plant can either use now or save for late. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are considered opposites because of this. If the distance of light is doubled, then the rate of photosynthesis will be at a 50% decrease, because the light intensity will decrease as well. Because of less light the elodea wont be able to perform photosynthesis as rapidly, meaning as you could probably tell, less oxygen bubbles. Using information from last year and from research I can back up my hypothesis. In 2012, 6 out of 6 decreased by 48% leading me to believe this year will too. Also through research I discovered that the light intensity in the morning and night is very low, coincidently the photosynthesis levels were lower then too. PROCEDURE: For Light Intensity 1. Measure and cut at an angle elodea 7 to 9 cm. 2. Remove a few leaves from end of stem and slightly crush end of stem. 3. Measure mass in grams and record. 4. Put elodea stem side up in a test tube.

Andrew Cunningham Period 7 11/26/13 T. Ofinger/ Science

5. Fill test tube with water and baking soda solution (1 tsp to 100 mL of water). 6. Put tube in rack and adjust lamp 5 cm from top of test tube. 7. Turn on lamp and wait 1 minute. 8. After 1 minute, begin counting small, medium and large bubbles for 3 minutes. Record data. 9. Repeat at 10 cm with same size and mass elodea 10. Repeat for Trial 2 DATA/OBSERVATIONS: Trial 1 ___grams Small x 1 Distance 5 cm 10 cm Notes: Trial 2 _____grams Small x 1 Distance 5 cm 10 cm 1 x 11 = 11 1 x 11 = 11 Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes at 5 and 10 cm Medium x 2 8 x 2 = 16 2x2=4 Large x 3 2x3=6 0 Total 33 18 1x6=6 1 x 5= 5 Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes at 5 and 10 cm Medium x 2 2x2=4 0 Large x 3 0 0 Total 10 5

Averages for 2 Trials: TRIALS: 1

5 cm 10

10 cm 5

Andrew Cunningham Period 7 11/26/13 T. Ofinger/ Science

2 33 18 TOTAL/2 43 23 AVERAGE 43/2 = 21.5 23/2 = 11.5 Notes: There was a 45.6% decrease when the light was farther away.

2013 AVERAGE DATA IN 3 MINUTES FROM 6 DIFFERENT CLASSES Light Intensity 5cm CLASS PERIOD AVERAGES 1 2 3 4 6 7 TOTAL/6 AVERAGE 10cm % Oxygen Decrease/Increase

35 29 16.3 17 52.3 40.8 190.4/6 31.7

51.5 10 12.3 7.5 29.5 45 155.8/6 26

32%+ 66% 25%55.9% 44% 10% + 232.5/6 38.8%

Andrew Cunningham Period 7 11/26/13 T. Ofinger/ Science

# OF OXYGEN BUBBLES IN 3 MINUTES

AVERAGE RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 GROUP 7TH PERDIOD DISTANCE OF LIGHT 7TH GRADE 21.5 11.5 48.8 45 31.7 26 5 cm 10 cm

Conclusion: In this experiment we tested whether or not photosynthesis levels decreased if the distance of light was doubled. I hypothesized that when the distance of light was doubled then the rate of photosynthesis would be 50% lower. Our group showed a 45.6% decrease when the light was farther away. Compared to our class, which averaged 40.8 when the light was closer and 45 when the light was farther, we were the outliers. The 7th grade averaged a total of 31.7 when the light was closer and 26 when the light was farther. In conclusion, my hypothesis stated that if the distance of light was doubled, then the rate of photosynthesis would be 50% lower. This was correct 33.33% of the time.

Analysis: During this experiment there were a few discrepancies with in the data. Throughout the experiment I realized that when the distance was doubled, some rates were approximately 50%; for example, in our group we had an average of 21.5 in 5 cm and 11.5 in 10 cm, approximately 50%. 2/6 of the classes (or 33%) increased when the light was farther away. If we remove Periods 1 and 7, the outliers, from

Andrew Cunningham Period 7 11/26/13 T. Ofinger/ Science

the averages, the data would be more consistent. Once I removed the outliers from the averages, periods 1 and 7, the data became easier to explain. After elimination the average for 5 cm was 28.65, for 10 cm 14.825. This makes much more sense the averages are approximately 50%. I think the cause of the inconsistency was based off of opinions. My theory is that some groups clamed some bubbles to be bigger or smaller than they were. If I were to conduct a lab similar to this I would only have one group of people do the counting for all of the groups. I would also use the same light and space in the room. Hopefully this would help improve the consistency with in the data. Bibliography: Coolidge-Stolz M.D., Elizabeth, et al. Focus On Life Science. Boston, Mass: Prentice Hall, 2008. Washington State Department of Ecology. American Waterweed- A Common Native Plant. February 24, 2003. November 2013. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/native/elodea.html> Young, Paul. The Botany Coloring Book. Cambridge, New York: Harper and Row, 1982. "Elodea." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Apr. 2013. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "Native Freshwater Plants." - American Waterweed. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. "Factors Affecting the Rate of Photosynthesis." - Pass My Exams: Easy Exam Revision Notes for GSCE Biology. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013.