Photosynthesis Of Sugar Plants And The Process Of Photosynthesis

1. Introduction

Photosynthesis occurs in plants and some organisms from the Kingdom Protista, such as algae. It is the process of converting light energy into chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar of the organism. This process takes place in the leaves of a plant specifically in the chloroplast and it uses chlorophyll. In order to make sugar plants require only the following: Light energy, Water, and Carbon Dioxide. Chlorophyll is made into the membranes of the thylakoids. (Clermont Staff, 2000)

Thylakoid is a membranous body fluid of the chloroplast, which contains the photosynthetic pigments and reaction centres. (Biology online, 2006)

The process of photosynthesis creates food (carbohydrate molecules) for each cell in

Place a beaker of plain water next to the Elodea tube, it will work as heat absorber.

d. Place a lamp of 150 watt next to the beaker. The plant tube, the beaker and the lamp should be as close as possible to each other.

e. Turn the lamp on and start timing it as soon as the edge of the solution starts moving. After ten minutes measure and write down in millimeters the distance the edge moved.

f. Wrap the tube containing the Elodea in aluminum foil without removing it from the instrument that is holding it straight, turn of the light and record how long it takes for the edge of the solution on the pipette to move down to 0.01ml.

g. Calculate cellular respiration by converting the measurement (from f) to ml/10min. Calculate the gross photosynthesis by adding net photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Calculate the rate of photosynthesis by multiplying gross photosynthesis by 6.

Experimenting with green light

a) Add three drops of green dye to the beaker of water used in the Experiment with white light, with the pipette absorb and expulse the water so it blends in with the water, until it turns significantly green.

b) Turn on the lamp and as soon as the substance begins to move start timing 10 min. After ten minutes measure in millimeters the distance the solution has