Name: Alex Bryce

Experiment #

Date:

Topic: Photosynthesis

Skills assessed: PD

Problem statement: Mr. Brown, a Caribbean farmer notices that his tomato plants bear more fruit
in the months of June and July compared to the months of August and September

Hypothesis: If temperature increases, the rate of photosynthesis will also increase to have a high
photosynthesis rate.

Aim: To determine the effect of temperature on the rate of photosynthesis

Apparatus: Scalpel, Cutting tile, Tomato plant, Capillary tube, Stand, Water, Lamp, 500ml
Beaker, Timer, Thermometer (0-100 degrees), Kettle Boiler, syringe

Method:

1)    Choose a branch of tomato plant and cut the stem by 5mm to ensure the xylem and phloem
vessels are not blocked.

2)    Fill a sink with water as the experiment must occur under water at all times. This is to keep
all air bubbles out of the capillary tube as to not falsify our results due to the miscounting of an
air bubble, which was not produced by photosynthesis.

3)    Use a centimeter syringe to empty the capillary tube of all air bubbles by putting it to one
end and pulling through until no gas is left. Do this under water ensuring both ends of the tube
remain under water.

4)    Attach the empty syringe to one end of the capillary tube.

5)    Put the stem of the cut tomato in the other side of the capillary tube as far in as the branches
allow. Keep it under water at all times.

6)    Fill a beaker with water and keeping the whole arrangement under water, place the cut
tomato stem inside the beaker (keeping the stem in the capillary tube).
7)    Once everything is put in place, the syringe in one end of the capillary tube and the stem of
the tomato in the other end, with the pondweed in the beaker full of water; take the whole setup
out of the water and place the capillary tube on the stand.

8)    To change the temperature take out some water from the beaker using pipettes putting it into
an empty beaker and refill the beaker with warmed up water from kettle

9)    Place the thermometer in the beaker without disturbing the tomato plant.

10) Place the lamp near the plant and watch out for any variation throughout the experiment.

11) Start a timer as soon as the water bath is filled and the correct temperature is obtained

12) Record data every minute by pulling the syringe slightly until air bubbles released by the
plant appear in the capillary tube for measurement.

13)  Repeat the reading 5 times for each of the 5 different temperatures.

Variables

Manipulated: Temperature of water bath

Controlled: Tomato stem

Responding: Bubbles given off

Expected Results:

TABLE SHOWING THE AVERAGE BUBBLES RELEASED AT VARIOUS

TEMPERATURES IN DIFFERENT TRIALS.

Photosynthetic rate (mm^3) Temperature (°C )

25  35  45  55  65 
Trial 1
Trial 2
Trial 3
Trial 4
Trial 5
Average Bubbles released
(mm^3/min
 As the temperature increases, the rate of photosynthesis will also increase. The increase of
temperature will increase the photosynthetic rate but only up to 45 °C, those increasing the
number of bubbles given off. Photosynthesis itself is a chemical reaction. According to the above
statement, the greater the temperature, the greater rate of photosynthesis, however this only will
partially apply to this experiment because after a certain temperature, the rate will begin to fall.
This is due to the use of enzymes during the reaction of photosynthesis. Enzymes are used as
catalysts. In order for them to function properly, they require a specific temperature, or optimum
temperature. If the temperature is 25°C which is the lowest, the rate of reaction will be low as
well, the enzymes will have low kinetic energy and fewer collisions may occur and fewer
bubbles will be produced. However at the optimum temperature 45°C the enzymes will have
collisions occurring more frequently and more oxygen bubbles will be given off. If the optimum
temperature is exceeded, the enzymes will be denatured and no oxygen will be produced.

The equation for photosynthesis is as follows:

Carbon dioxide + water ->glucose + oxygen

Photosynthesis is a vital process in the production of energy, occurring in the leaves of most
plants. It allows them to convert light energy into chemical energy. Chlorophyll absorbs a photon
of light energy. This sunlight energy (visible light photons) splits water (H2O) into hydrogen
ions (H+) and oxygen (O2), the oxygen gas is given out as a waste material. Hydrogen ions then
combine with carbon dioxide (CO2) to form glucose molecules (C6H12O6).Carbon dioxide then
diffuses in through the stomata of the guard cells .

Limitations: The presents of carbon dioxide was not known.

Assumption: The data collected in this experiment will support the hypothesis that if temperature
increases, the rate of photosynthesis will also increase, only partially. The temperature does
increase the rate of photosynthesis up to 45°C. After the optimum point, the rate begins to
decrease due to the denaturing of the enzymes (as they are proteins they denature in 40 °C),
causing fewer collisions between the enzyme and its substrate.

Source of error: Not accurately recording the various temperatures.