Sabina Bacino Science 4 11-14-13 PHOTOSYNTHESIS SUMMATIVE PROJECT PROBLEM: How does doubling the amount of carbon dioxide

from .5g of bisodium carbonate dissolved in 100mL of water to 1g. Dissolved in 100mL of water affect the rate of photosynthesis in elodea? HYPOTHESIS: If carbon dioxide (by doubling baking soda) is increased, then the rate of photosynthesis will increase at least 50%. THEORY: Photosynthesis is the process where plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods. Photosynthesis takes the reactants, carbon dioxide and water, and produce them into sugars and oxygen by using the suns energy. I usually involve a green pigment called the chlorophyll and generate oxygen as an incidental product. I believe if carbon dioxide is increased, then the rate of photosynthesis will increase by at least 50% because carbon dioxide is the basis of almost all living things on Earth. When there is more CO2 in the air, more plants grow. It is the main raw material utilized by plants to produce an organic matter out of which they construct their tissues. This has been the conclusion of hundreds of laboratory and field experiments conducted over the years. CONCLUSION: In this lab we doubled the amount of carbon dioxide in a test tube with 100ml of water to see if the rate of photosynthesis increases or decreases depending on the amount of carbon dioxide. I hypothesized that the rate of photosynthesis would increase by at least 50% if carbon dioxide were doubled. In the average amount of oxygen for 7th grade, there was a 20% increase when the carbon dioxide was doubled. In my class, 4th period, there was a 22% increase when carbon dioxide was doubled. In conclusion, my hypothesis was correct 33% or the time because it was incorrect for my group, but correct for my grade, and my class average. ANALYSIS: Looking at the 2013 data, there were some inconsistencies on the Baking Soda. One inconsistency was that 50% had more oxygen with only .5g of carbon dioxide and the other 50% had less oxygen with 1g of carbon dioxide. One reason for this inconsistency could have been an inaccurate measurement from light bulb to the test tube. Another way this could have happened is how the

bubbles were counted. In our lab we counted bubbles based on size, small, medium, and large. The students watching the bubbles could have sized them inaccurately which could then lead to the inaccurate calculation of oxygen coming out from the top of the elodea stem. Another inconsistency is how Period 7 was an outlier with a massive increase of 94.7%, while the other classes showed an increase or decrease of about 22-39%. Period 7s number is way out of line in comparison to the other 5 classes. If you eliminate period 7, overall there would be almost no change in oxygen by increasing baking soda from .5g to 1g. A reason this inconsistency might have happened could be based on how they counted the bubbles. Period 7 could have been counting all the oxygen bubbles rising from the elodea instead of just the ones coming from the top of the stem like we were instructed. Another reason for the outlier could have been simply having mathematical errors while finding the averages. They could have calculated the wrong numbers by mistake and not have been careful or double-checked their work. If I were to redo this lab, I would be much more careful. I would have at least 2 people watching the oxygen bubbles rise at all times and never take their eyes off the testing tube. I would double check measurements for example the measurement from the light to the elodea, and I would double-check all my calculations. This would make for a more accurate lab.

PROCEDURE FOR CARBON DIOXIDE (BAKING SODA) 1. Measure and cut at an angle elodea 7 to 9 cm. 2. Remove a few leaves from end of stem and slightly crush end of stem. 3. Measure mass in grams and record. 4. Put elodea stem side up in a test tube. 5. Fill test tube with water and baking soda solution (1 gram to 100 mL of water). 6. Put tube in rack and adjust lamp 5 cm from top of test tube. 7. Turn on lamp and wait 1 minute. 8. After 1 minute, begin counting small, medium and large bubbles for 3 minutes. Record data. 9. Repeat with .5 grams and 100mL of water. 10. Repeat for Trial 2 DATA/OBSERVATIONS:
Trial 1 ___grams Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with .5 g and 1 g baking soda
Small x 1 Medium x 2 Large x 3 Total

CO2 1 gram

7x1=7

0x2=0

0x3=0

.5 gram

4x1=4

4x2=8

6x3=18

30

Notes: Trial 2 _____grams Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with .5 g and 1 g baking soda
Small x 1 CO2 1 gram .5 gram 5x1=5 10x1=10 Medium x 2 1x2=2 3x2=6 Large x 3 0x0=0 4x3=12 Total 7 28

Notes: Average for Two Trials

TRIALS 1 2 TOTAL AVERAGE/2 .5g 30 28 58 29 1g 7 7 14 7

2013 AVERAGE DATA IN 3 MINUTES FROM 5 DIFFERENT CLASSES Baking Soda

.5g CLASS PERIOD AVERAGES 1 2 3 4 6 7 TOTAL/5 AVERAGE 1g % Oxygen Decrease/Increase

108 69 33.7 23.7 26.3 3.8 264.5/6 44.1

139 47 26.5 14.3 36.3 72.8 335.9/6 56

22.3% increase 31.8% decrease 21.3% decrease 39.6% decrease 27.5%increase 94.7% increase 21.25% increase

RATE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
60 AVERAGE OF OXYGEN 50 40 30 20 10 0 GROUP 4TH PERIOD 7TH GRADE DIFFERENT AVERAGES 7 29 23.7 14.3 .5g 1g 44.1 56

BIBLIOGRAPHY Coolidge-Stolz M.D., Elizabeth, et al. Focus On Life Science. Boston, Mass: Prentice Hall, 2008. Washington State Department of Ecology. American Waterweed- A Common Native Plant. February 24, 2003. November 2013. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/native/elodea.html> Young, Paul. The Botany Coloring Book. Cambridge, New York: Harper and Row, 1982. "Climate Science Glossary." Skeptical Science. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013. "CO2 and Temperature Change | Science Articles | PlanetSEED." CO2 and Temperature Change | Science Articles | PlanetSEED. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.