Plant Cellophane Photosynthesis

Observation

Micaela Eunice M. Viterbo

Nicolle R. Valsorable
Karl Andrei M. Antonio
G11 STEM – B2

January 14, 2022

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1
A scientific paper submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements in General Biology I laboratory
under Prof. Jessica Mae Monzon, 2nd sem., 2021-2022.
 ABSTRACT

The changes in the pigment and growth of

the plant were observed using three different
colored thin, translucent sheets made of
regenerated cellulose. The results of the
experiment revealed a substantial difference in the
pigment of the Plant not wrapped in cellophane
from the three other plants. It also revealed that
the color and height of the plants covered in red
and yellow cellophane hardly differed.

INTRODUCTION

The majority of life on Earth is dependent on photosynthesis. Plants, algae, and some bacteria
carry out the process by capturing sunlight energy and converting it into oxygen (O2) and chemical
energy stored in glucose (a sugar). Herbivores get their energy from plants, whereas predators get theirs
from herbivores.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) from the air
and soil. Water is oxidized within the plant cell, which means it loses electrons, and carbon dioxide is
reduced, which means it receives electrons. This converts water to oxygen and carbon dioxide to glucose.
The plant then returns the oxygen to the atmosphere while storing energy within the glucose molecules.

We experimented with four plants exposed to a range of light sources such as sunshine, red light, blue
light, and green light to examine the effects different forms of light had on plant growth. Plant 1 was the
control and was subjected to natural light, whereas Plant 2 was exposed to red light, Plant 3 to blue light,
and Plant 4 to yellow light. Each plant got an identical amount of water, and the growth rates and
appearance of the plants were observed over three weeks.

The purpose of this study was to see how different lighting affected the plants that were exposed to them.
The specific objectives were to:

1. Determine if the plants varied in growth;

2. Analyze the changes in plant color;
3. Determine if the plants would survive the experiment; and
4. Conclude which type of light has the greatest impact on the plants.

This study was conducted in the backyard of Micaela Eunice Viterbo’s House on November 18, 2022.
 MATERIALS AND METHODS

In conducting the experiment, the red, blue, and yellow cellophane were wrapped around
a plant individually. We used a cactus plant and found that they grew best in red light, clear
(though the red and clear were almost the same), then blue, then yellow. You may already know
that plants get their energy from sunlight and that sunlight contains all the colors. To get turn
light into energy the plant can cause, plants have a special molecule called chlorophyll. It turns
out that the molecule works best with red light, and works a little with blue light, but not very
well with yellow light. The red and blue light are absorbed by the chlorophyll and used for
energy. I would expect the plant with no cellophane to work about as well as red cellophane
since the plant with no cellophane contains lots of red light also.

Light is what the plant uses to make its food from carbon dioxide (that it gets from the
air). Plants use certain colors of light much more than others, mostly blue and some red. So
plants absorb blue and red light. That is why they look green! The cellophane we used blocks out
the color of light that it appears to be, and lets the rest through. The red cellophane blocks out red
light, and lets blue light through. The plant covered with red cellophane got the most blue light,
so that the plant had the most energy to grow. The plant with no cellophane should have gotten
about as much blue light, so it should have been nearly as big.

Maybe giving a plant ONLY blue light makes it easier for it to grow somehow. The
yellow cellophane probably blocked out some of the blue light that plants use and those plants
have the least energy to grow.
 Cacti with Red Cellophane Cacti with blue cellophane Cacti with yellow cellophane Cacti without any cellophane

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

As observed in the all four cacti, there were no drastic changes to their height with or without the
cellophane, retaining the same height throughout the experiment.

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The bar graph above displays the final height results of each of the plants that were exposed to the
various lights in the experiment. In all cases the plant exposed to the blue, red, yellow, and normal light did
grow. All were watered the same amount and received plenty amount of sunlight.

The cactus wrapped with red cellophane had a noticeable change of it developing a reddish, yellowish
pigment, altering its color due to the cellophane wrapped around it as the course of the experiment went by.
Others, such as the blue cellophane, also had a change with their color, developing reddish, yellowish pigment
same as the cactus wrapped in red cellophane.

Although the same cannot be said for the cactus wrapped in yellow cellophane, retaining its green,
natural color and having no real changes to it. They all survived throughout the experiment, and have no lasting
effects towards the cacti.
 SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

The research was conducted to determine if the color of light would affect the plant’s growth.
Using four plants, where the first three are covered in cellophane and the fourth for comparison. The data
gathered from the experiment showed difference in growth between the plants that were covered with
cellophane and to the fourth plant. And it was concluded that different colors of light do seem to lead to a
different growth rate. Plants grown under red cellophane grew taller and faster than plants grown under other
colors of cellophane. Colors are simply different wavelength of light that are needed for plant growth, so the
plant covered with cellophane grows more slowly compared to the plant without cellophane. Different colors
are associated with encouraging different parts of plants to grow. The color or wavelength of light does affect
photosynthesis, which is how plants can basically create their own food. Essentially, the reason why plants are
green is they are absorbing the other wavelengths of light but reflecting back the green. Resulting that the plants
that were covered in cellophane had a slower pace in growth and change in appearance.

Literature Cited:

Elangovan, Rahul. Analysis and Conclusion. Retrieved from https://rahulsrp.weebly.com/analysis--

conclusion.html