Damien Moreno Sci.

7 11/13/13 Photosynthesis Lab Summative Photosynthesis Lab

PROBLEM: How does the color of light (blue, red) affect the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea at a distance of 5cm from the plant? HYPOTHESIS: If the color of light is changed from red to blue, then the rate of photosynthesis in blue light will have an increase of about 5% on compared to the photosynthesis that takes place in the red light. THEORY: Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it as sugar. In order for photosynthesis to take place in the plant only needs light energy, carbon dioxide, and water to make biochemical energy. The carbon dioxide travels through the stomata and into the chloroplast, which are located in the leaves. The chloroplast then uses the energy to make glucose and oxygen. Then the glucose and oxygen are then used in cellular respiration, which takes place in the mitochondria. My background research on this experiment states that blue light is absorbed more than red light inside the substance of chlorophyll a, which is a pigment in the chloroplasts. Since the chlorophyll a absorbs more blue light making more photosynthesis for the elodea. If you compared the red light with the blue light recent data from scientist show that red light reflects more than blue light. My research also states that chlorophyll alpha absorbs all blue, violet, yellow, orange, and red light at wavelengths at 675 nanometers. Which even gives blue light even more evidence on giving plants more photosynthesis than red light because blue and red light is measured at the same wavelengths. The data that was shown in 2012 also shows the differences between the two colors of lights. I predicted that there would be a 5% increase under blue light because the main pigment of photosynthesis called chlorophyll a absorbs more blue light than red, I also based my percentage on the results of last years data.

PROCEDURE FOR COLOR OF LIGHT 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 spring water and baking soda solution (1 tsp. to 100 mL of water). 6. Put tube in rack and adjust lamp with blue light 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 red light. 10. Repeat for Trial 2 DATA/OBSERVATIONS:
Trial 1 ___grams
Color Blue

Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with blue and red light

Medium x 2 5x2=10 Large x 3 3x3=9 Total 31

Small x 1 12x1=12

Red

15x1=15

7x2=14

0x3=0

29

Notes: Trial 2 _____grams Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with blue and red light
Small x 1 Color Blue Red Medium x 2 Large x 3 Total 118 79

53x1=53 31x1=31

16x2=32 9x2=18

11x3=33 10x3=30

Averages for 2 trials TRIALS Blue 1 31 2 122 Total/2 118 Average 74.5 Notes: 27.5% decrease for our group Red 29 79 108 54

2013 AVERAGE DATA IN 3 MINUTES FROM 6 DIFFERENT CLASSES COLOR OF LIGHT

BLUE CLASS PERIOD AVERAGES RED % Oxygen Decrease/Increase

1 2 3 4 6 7 TOTAL/6 AVERAGE

58.5 63.5 39 112 102 68.5 443.5/6 73.9

70 19 24.3 85.8 45 50.8 294.9/6 49.2

16.4% Increase 70.1% Decrease 37.7% Decrease 23.3% Decrease 5.6% Decrease 25.8% Decrease 33.4 Decrease

Average Rate of Photosynthesis Measured for Red and Blue Light

Amount of Bubbles measured (3 minutes) 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 GROUP 7TH PERIOD 7TH GRADE 54 74.5 68.5 73.9

50.8

49.2 BLUE RED

Conclusion: In this lab, my group tested the rate of photosynthesis under blue and red light from a distance of 5 cm. I hypothesized that if the color of light is changed from red to blue, then the rate of photosynthesis in the blue light will have an increase of about 5%. From what my data shows, my group got an average of 74.5 bubbles that were counted for blue light and 54 bubbles average that were counted for red light. This means that my group got a 27.5% decrease from blue to red light, close to my class average of 25.8%. The 7th grade average was a 33.4% decrease from blue to red light, my period was 7.6% off of the 7th grade average. My group was 5.9% off of the 7th grade average, and 1.7% ahead of my periods average. In conclusion, my hypothesis was correct but my percentage was off by 28.4%. Analysis: In this lab I noticed that there was some discrepancys in the 2013 data for the color of light. From what I looked at the first discrepancys I saw was the ranges between the two colors of light along with the decrease and increases between the data sets. Period 6 had the biggest range amongst all six classes that were involved in this experiment. From what the data shows period 6 had a 59.8 % decrease. I have also noticed that period 1 was the class who had in increase out of all of the classes. I feel this was because from what the 2013 data shows, the blue light was very consistent in all of the classes. Even though there was consistent data that was recorded under the blue light there was still a really big range under both lights. The biggest range for the 7th grade was a 73% difference. The biggest range under the red light was a 66.8% difference. The

biggest range for a class between both blue and red light was period 6s 57% difference. If you take out period 6s data then the whole 7th grade data may be more consistent. So to see what the average will end up as without period 6s data I got an average of 62.9 bubbles under blue light and 49.98 average of bubbles under red light. Without 6th periods data their was an 20.5 % decrease from blue to red light, which is closer to my hypothesis percentage of an 5% decrease from blue to red light. BIBLIOGRAPHY "Affect of Different Colored Lights on Photosynthesis." Affect of Different Colored Lights on Photosynthesis. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2013. "Elodea AQUAPLANT." Elodea AQUAPLANT. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Dec. 2013. "Non-native Invasive Freshwater Plants." General Information about Brazilian Elodea (Egeria Densa. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2013 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>