Bio Experiment

An Experiment to Show the Relation Between Light Intensity and Photosynthesis

Introduction

Photosynthesis takes places in the leaves of plants, mostly in the
palisade layer of the leaf. Photosynthesis is the plants way of
creating energy for itself(sugar), for growth, repair, storage and
energy production.
The test will be to find out the relationship between light intensity
(voltage) and the rate of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is:
Carbon dioxide + water + sunlight ---> oxygen + carbohydrate + water
Or
6CO2 + 12H2O + sunlight ---> 6O 2 + C6 H12O 6 + 6H2 O
Oxygen is a product of photosynthesis; therefore we will be measuring
the amount or rate of this product being produced.

Plan and Pulmonary test
Text Box: Prior to the official test I conducted a pulmonary test.
This was so that I could identify any initial problems and work out
how to resolve them. Some problems I encountered where; that the plant
clearly took a few minutes to adjust to its optimum rate of
photosynthesis at the specific light intensity. In order to combat
this problem in the official test I would leave the plant subjected to
the required light intensity for 3 minutes prior to measuring and
recording the volume of oxygen produced. To allow it to
photosynthesise at its optimum rate.

To make it a fair test the plant was sealed off in a box and no other
light was allowed to enter the box, as this could affect the plants
rate of photosynthesis. The wattage was controlled by a transformer
and the pond weed was placed inside the box directly under the light
bulb and surrounded by foil. To give the plant Carbon Dioxide we added
sodium hydrogen carbonate powder (this bubbles to produce Co2
bubbles).To attempt to control the temperature the test tube
containing the pond weed (Canadian) was placed in a water bath- the
water would absorb some of the heat. The plant was subjected to
different wattages of light and the amount of oxygen...