Light Color and Photosynthesis Rate
Introduction:
How do the wavelength of visible light affect photosynthesis? Photosynthesis, a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that can be released later to fuel the organisms’ activities, depends upon the absorption of light by pigments found in the plant leaves. Pigments, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids, absorb and reflect light based on the wavelength of light.
To be more explicit, photosynthesis is the process that transforms the energy of sunlight into chemical energy stored in the form of glucose. Plants, some bacteria and protists use glucose, converted by cellular respiration in ATP, to fuel growth, development and reproduction. The process …show more content…
Light is part of a continuum of radiation or energy waves and the relationship between light wavelength and energy is inversely proportional: the shorter the wavelength the greater the damage to living organisms caused by them (e.g. X-ray wavelength is between 0.03 and 3 nanometers while gamma rays are less than ten picometers- the diameter of an atom). However, our experiment is not going to focus on short wavelength of light, but it will analyze how photosynthesis is affected by certain light colors, light that is visible to human …show more content…
5 cm in length)
- Water
- White light
- Red and blue paper
- Tape
- 0.25% Sodium bicarbonate solution
Methods:
1. Fill the 3 test tubes with 0.25% Sodium bicarbonate. Label the tubes A, B and C.
2. Select one sprig of Elodea plant approx. 5 cm in length and place it in test tube A. Repeat for the other two test tubes.
3. While the sprigs are still under water, trim their bases.
4. Place the sprigs upside down (cut end up) in the test tubes. Note: The Elodea must be completely submerged in the sodium bicarbonate
5. Obtain a light source and place a container of water in front of the light to prevent overheating the Elodea.
6. Place the test tube A in a rack at 25 cm from the light source
7. Allow the light to shine on the test tube for 5 min to allow for bubbles to appear regularly, then count the number of bubbles produced by the Elodea every minute in a 5-minute interval and record your data in a table.
8. Place the red paper in front of the light source. Repeat steps 5-7 for test tube B.
9. Place blue paper in front of the light source. Repeat steps 5-7 for test tube C.
Introduction:
How do the wavelength of visible light affect photosynthesis? Photosynthesis, a process used by plants and other organisms to convert light energy into chemical energy that can be released later to fuel the organisms’ activities, depends upon the absorption of light by pigments found in the plant leaves. Pigments, such as chlorophyll and carotenoids, absorb and reflect light based on the wavelength of light.
To be more explicit, photosynthesis is the process that transforms the energy of sunlight into chemical energy stored in the form of glucose. Plants, some bacteria and protists use glucose, converted by cellular respiration in ATP, to fuel growth, development and reproduction. The process …show more content…
Light is part of a continuum of radiation or energy waves and the relationship between light wavelength and energy is inversely proportional: the shorter the wavelength the greater the damage to living organisms caused by them (e.g. X-ray wavelength is between 0.03 and 3 nanometers while gamma rays are less than ten picometers- the diameter of an atom). However, our experiment is not going to focus on short wavelength of light, but it will analyze how photosynthesis is affected by certain light colors, light that is visible to human …show more content…
5 cm in length)
- Water
- White light
- Red and blue paper
- Tape
- 0.25% Sodium bicarbonate solution
Methods:
1. Fill the 3 test tubes with 0.25% Sodium bicarbonate. Label the tubes A, B and C.
2. Select one sprig of Elodea plant approx. 5 cm in length and place it in test tube A. Repeat for the other two test tubes.
3. While the sprigs are still under water, trim their bases.
4. Place the sprigs upside down (cut end up) in the test tubes. Note: The Elodea must be completely submerged in the sodium bicarbonate
5. Obtain a light source and place a container of water in front of the light to prevent overheating the Elodea.
6. Place the test tube A in a rack at 25 cm from the light source
7. Allow the light to shine on the test tube for 5 min to allow for bubbles to appear regularly, then count the number of bubbles produced by the Elodea every minute in a 5-minute interval and record your data in a table.
8. Place the red paper in front of the light source. Repeat steps 5-7 for test tube B.
9. Place blue paper in front of the light source. Repeat steps 5-7 for test tube C.