Leaf Bubbles Lab

By Kato Lwebuga
This lab is designed to prove that oxygen is released by plants during photosynthesis.

1. Read the 1st photosynthesis portfolio lesson in Connexus. Here is a video from Oregon
Forests if you are a visual learner. Below is the equation for photosynthesis. Look at
the equation and draw a picture of a plant. Add labels to show the starting materials of
photosynthesis and the resulting materials. Draw arrows to show where these
substances enter, leave, or remain in the plant.

Drawing of Photosynthesis:
(Description of the photosynthesis process at bottom of project)
2. Gather Materials:
● 2 FRESH leaves (fresh leaves from a tree outside or house plant, or even blades
of grass)
● 2 clear glass cups
● Water
● Lamp or sunny window (Direct sun will give the best results!)
● Small rock or penny to keep the leaf totally submerged (optional)

3. Watch this video: Video 1. Read the background information below.

Background information: To observe oxygen being formed during photosynthesis

and to measure it’s rate of production, leaves can be submerged in water. Bubbles of
oxygen are produced over time in the presence of light. By counting the number of
bubbles that are released per hour, the rate of oxygen production during
photosynthesis can be measured.

4. Plan an investigation to show that plants release oxygen. Part of 7th grade science is
to design your own experiment. Use the videos in the lesson and well as the one linked
here and the background information above to do your own experiment. There are SO
MANY ways to do this lab, please explore and have fun. I’m grading for effort here!
Things go wrong, and that’s okay too-- just document what happens below.

Procedure
Write what you did STEP BY STEP.
Include measurements and details. Someone should be able to follow these, just like
a recipe.
1. I went to a nature park and picked 6 leaves from one plant.
2. I went home and did day one of my experiment, which is to see how
many bubbles are produced by fresh leaves, one day old leaves, and 2
day old leaves.
3. Day one: The first attempt didn’t produce that many bubbles.
4. Day two: The second attempt produced more bubbles
5. Day three: The third attempt produced the most bubbles!
6. Each day I recorded the information.

Day One Data table

 Minutes (you choose the time intervals) Number of bubbles produced

+5 min a FEW tiny bubbles.

+5 min 10 minutes in and a few hundred tiny

bubbles

+5 min still about the same amount.

+5 min approximately 10-20 more bubbles.

Day Two Data table

Minutes (you choose the time intervals) Number of bubbles produced

+5 min About 50-60 bubbles in large clumps.

+5 min 10-20 more bubbles.

+5 min A few hundred bubbles.

+5 min 40-70 more bubbles.

Day Three Data table

Minutes (you choose the time intervals) Number of bubbles produced

+5 min A FEW hundred bubbles!

+5 min several hundred more.

+5 min 10-20 bubbles on the glass.

+5 min 40-50 more.

Videos of the three days of experiments:

Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UB2Jmb7OgJsxjhGgoMjvkj_Mp4_zGTyj/view?us
p=drivesdk
How did you make sure this was a fair experiment? In other words, did you use
a control? Video help
I had all the same factors for each experiment. Same place, same leaves, the only
difference was I used different bottles.

What did you learn from this experiment? Why are there only bubbles on the
bottom side of the leaf?

If something went wrong and you did not get the results you wanted, explain what
you think happened.
The bubbles are only on the bottom side due to the oxygen in the bubbles is trapped
from coming up.

Explain what happens in photosynthesis. What gases are exchanged?

In photosynthesis plants consume carbon dioxide and water. Inside the plant cell the
water is combined with oxygen and therefore loses electrons this is happening whilst
the carbon dioxide goes down which creates more electrons. The carbon dioxide
then becomes glucose and the water into oxygen.