ACITYA GRADE 7

Sach’s Experiment
Testing a leaf for starch
Learning outcomes
After completing this activity, you should be able to:
1. use a given method to carry out the starch test on the leaf
2. describe the ways plants makes use of glucose.

Background
Biologists need to be able to test for a range of biological molecules. It is possible
to test leaves for starch. If photosynthesis has occurred, sugar will be produced in
leaves and converted to starch.

Safety
1. Ethanol (alcohol) is HIGHLY FLAMMABLE AND HARMFUL. Ensure that all
2. naked flames are extinguished before using it.
3. Container for waste ethanol – NOT to be disposed of in sink
4. Iodine will stain hands and clothing.
5. Use of glassware.
6. Wear eye protection.

Equipment and materials

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Method
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Results
(Embed a photo of your experiment results here !)

PHOTOSYNTHESIS 1
 ACITYA GRADE 7

Questions
1. Name the zone of your leaf that produced starch
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2. Name the process that produced the starch

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3. Some of the glucose produced in photosynthesis is converted to starch.

a. Name three other products that glucose can be converted into in a plant
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b. Explain why the plant stores glucose as starch

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4. Describe one step taken in the experiment as a safety precaution.

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5. Explain why the plant needed to be de-starched prior to the experiment being set up.
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Student follow-up
There are a number of complex steps in the method for testing a leaf for starch.
1. Explain why each of the following steps are carried out:
a. boiling the leaf in water
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b. boiling the leaf in ethanol.

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2. Explain why you can’t simply add iodine to an untreated leaf to test for starch.
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Good Luck
PHOTOSYNTHESIS 2