NAME: Vasudev Chanka

DATE: 4/2/22

TITLE: Photosynthesis

TITLE: To investigate the effect of different light intensities on the rate of photosynthesis.

MATERIALS:
Boiling tube Sodium hydrogen carbonate 1 M
300 ml Beaker Retort stand
Lamp Photosynthesis apparatus
Elodea Thermometer
Stopwatch Meter ruler
Black bristle board Soap water

DIAGRAM:

METHOD:

1. 1 M sodium hydrogen carbonate solution was placed into a boiling tube until it was ¾ filled.
It was then placed into a beaker filled with water. A thermometer was added to the beaker.
2. A shoot of elodea about 6 inches was cut off and was placed into the boiling tube. It was
ensured that the cut end was facing upwards.
3. The boiling tube was topped off with soap water. This broke the surface tension and made it
easier for the plant to produce bubbles.
4. The photosynthesis apparatus was filled with water. This was done by immersing the flared
end in the beaker of water and drawing water slowly using one of the syringes. It was ensured
that there were no bubbles.
5. The flared end of the capillary tube was placed below the solution level in the boiling tube
containing the pond weed.
5. The cut end of the plant was inserted into the flared end of the tube.
7. The beaker containing the boiling tube was covered with bristle board to block off any light.
8. The stopwatch was started. After 2 minutes, the bubbles produced (if any) were drawn slowly
and carefully into the graduated part of the tube and its length was recorded. (This was the
control)
If there were more than one bubble, the glass was gently tapped so that they joined up
together.
8. The bristle board was removed.
10. A lamp was placed 100 cm away from the plant, it lit on and the stopwatch was started.
11. After 2 minutes, the bubbles produced were drawn slowly and carefully into the graduated
part of the tube and its length was recorded.
12. The experiment was repeated for distances 80 cm, 60 cm, 40 cm and 20 cm.

RESULTS:
Title does not describe what is included in the
TABLE SHOWING THE RESULTS OBSERVED FROM THE EXPERIMENT table

Distance (cm) Light Intensity (1/d2)X1000 Length of bubble per min (cm/min)
Control 0.0 0
100 0.10 0.3
80 0.16 0.6
60 0.28 1.2
40 0.60 1.9
20 2.5 2.2
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DISCUSSION:

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight energy, water and carbon dioxide to
make glucose and oxygen.

equation: 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2.

There are two main stages involved in photosynthesis. Light dependent reaction and Light
independent reaction.The difference is that light is needed for one and light isn’t needed for the
other. Both happen during the day.It occurs in all the green parts of plants.Plants are autotrophs,
which means they produce their own food. They use the process of photosynthesis to transform
water, sunlight, and carbon dioxide into oxygen, and simple sugars that the plant uses as fuel.
These primary producers form the base of an ecosystem and fuel the next trophic levels.

In this experiment More oxygen bubbles are produced when the light is closer to the beaker. So
a greater light intensity gives a greater rate of photosynthesis.Increasing the light intensity
increases the rate of photosynthesis, until some other factor - a limiting factor - becomes in short
supply. At very high light intensities, photosynthesis is slowed and then inhibited, but these light
intensities do not occur in nature. A plateau was observed at this light intensity because at very
high light intensities, photosynthesis is slowed and then inhibited, but these light intensities do
not occur in nature.

Interpretation-

the size of the eldoa, the volume of water used and its temperature were used for the control.
The volume of water was not filled to the top and the size of the eldoa was important to fit
through the pipe in the syringe.

as the light intensity increased, so did the amount of bubbles. This is because Increasing the
light intensity increases the rate of photosynthesis, until some other factor - a limiting factor -
becomes in short supply. The main limiting factor in this experiment was that the plant was self
healing and regenerating tissues where the cutting was made. therefore the results were not
accurate.

A plateau was observed beyond a certain light intensity because at very high light intensities,
photosynthesis is slowed and then inhibited, but these light intensities do not occur in nature.

LIMITATIONS

1) One limitation is that the plant was self healing and regenerating tissues where the
cutting was made. therefore the results were not accurate.
2) Another limiting factor could be the amount of chlorophyll molecules that are absorbing
the light. at a very high intensity of light, the rate of photosynthesis would drop quickly
as the light starts to damage the plant.
SOURCES OF ERROR

1) Environmental error - external temperatures may have fluctuated between readings,

affecting the rate of photosynthesis which could have affected the results.
2) the darkness of the room. the room couldn’t have been totally dark, this therefore
affected parts of the experiment.

PRECAUTIONS

1) ensure you take all readings at eye level to avoid parallax error.
2) be careful with the lamp as the light bulb can get very hot.

CONCLUSION:

In conclusion in this experiment, the effect of different light intensities had a major impact on
the rate of photosynthesis. it was shown that with more light intensity more bubbles were
produced

ORR MM
2/2 1
3/3 1
2/3 1
4/4 1
Total 11/12 1
1
1
1
Total 8/8