Introduction: Photosynthesis is the process by which plants absorb light and turn it into chemical energy. This energy, known as ATP is then used to fix carbon into glucose and oxygen is released as a by-product in the process. This lab focuses on light-dependent reactions that occur in chloroplast where pigments absorb light through photosynthesis.
Objective: The purpose of this lab is to extract photosynthetic pigments from spinach leaves using paper chromatography. We will then measure their absorbances at different frequencies using spectrophotometry.
Hypothesis: I believe the rate of photosynthesis is controlled by the light the plant it receives and its temperature.
Experimental methods: This lab was set up into three different parts. …show more content…
Explain.
The colors and wavelengths that have the highest potential to drive photosynthesis are blue (490nm) and red (680nm). This is because chlorophyll a absorbs mostly blue light, Some red light is also absorbed.
2) Which wavelengths would you suggest have the poorest potential to drive the photosynthetic light reactions? Explain.
Green (500-570nm) has the poorest potential to drive photosynthesis because it is the least absorbed by chlorophyll during photosynthesis. If it has a low absorption rate, then it will also have a low rate of photosynthesis.
3) Marine corals are found in all tropical seas at a depth of mere inches, down to about 150 feet. They receive much of their food (carbohydrates) from the symbiotic algae that live within their tissues. These photosynthetic zooxanthellae as they are called, carry on photosynthetic light reactions while living inside the coral, and are important for coral survival. Given that water absorbs longer wavelengths of light, and tends to allow shorter wavelengths to pass thru, what would you expect the Absorbance Spectrum of zooxanthellae photosynthetic pigments to look like? Explain your
Objective: The purpose of this lab is to extract photosynthetic pigments from spinach leaves using paper chromatography. We will then measure their absorbances at different frequencies using spectrophotometry.
Hypothesis: I believe the rate of photosynthesis is controlled by the light the plant it receives and its temperature.
Experimental methods: This lab was set up into three different parts. …show more content…
Explain.
The colors and wavelengths that have the highest potential to drive photosynthesis are blue (490nm) and red (680nm). This is because chlorophyll a absorbs mostly blue light, Some red light is also absorbed.
2) Which wavelengths would you suggest have the poorest potential to drive the photosynthetic light reactions? Explain.
Green (500-570nm) has the poorest potential to drive photosynthesis because it is the least absorbed by chlorophyll during photosynthesis. If it has a low absorption rate, then it will also have a low rate of photosynthesis.
3) Marine corals are found in all tropical seas at a depth of mere inches, down to about 150 feet. They receive much of their food (carbohydrates) from the symbiotic algae that live within their tissues. These photosynthetic zooxanthellae as they are called, carry on photosynthetic light reactions while living inside the coral, and are important for coral survival. Given that water absorbs longer wavelengths of light, and tends to allow shorter wavelengths to pass thru, what would you expect the Absorbance Spectrum of zooxanthellae photosynthetic pigments to look like? Explain your