How Light Affects the Stomatal Opening in a Leaf

How Light Affects the Stomatal Opening in a Leaf

Abstract

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My aim of this investigation was to check the affect of environmental

factors affecting stomatal opening. My experiment was designed to

check the stomata opening in light. Plants move in ways that may not

seem obvious. The opening and closing of stomata is one example of

this movement.

There are a large amount of growth conditions that can affect a plant.

One of the most important of these conditions concerns the type of

availability of light present for photosynthesis. By controlling the

type of light that a plant receives, its growth can be affected. I

chose to measure this growth by observing the number of stomata

present on the underside of leaves exposed to the dark and to

sunlight. Based on the idea that there are more open stomata present

on leaves exposed to the sun, my hypothesis that 'Factors which might

affect stomatal opening' (Light) there will be more stomata on the

plants exposed to the light.

Hypothesis

==========

I believe the results of my investigations will show that the more the

light source the more the stomata will open.

Plan

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My hypothesis is to determine factors which might affect the stomatal

opening in leaves. A practical experiment can easily be set up to

determine these factors. The following procedure should be followed:

Select a plant that has been kept in the light and label the container

e.g. "LIGHT." Clip two leaves from this plant. Prepare casts of the

leaves surfaces by painting the adaxial (top surface) of one leaf and

the abaxial (bottom surface) of the other leaf with clear nail polish.

Allow the nail polish to dry for approximately 10 minutes. While the

nail polish is drying, label microscope slides as either adaxial (top

of the leaf) or abaxial (bottom of the leaf). Cut a piece of sellotape

approximately 1.5 cm in length. Fold the tape over on itself leaving

0.5 cm of sticky surface exposed.