Conclusion for the Beetroot Experiment

In conclusion, we can see that as the temperature increases, the absorption of blue/green light also
increases. Initially, the rise in absorption is gradual but the rate at which the absorption increases
becomes faster at around 40 degrees. The explanation for why the absorption increases rapidly is
because as the temperature increases, the kinetic energy of the particles also increases. This means
the phospholipids in the bilayer begin to vibrate faster and brush past each other causing the
membrane to become more fluid. When this occurs, the betalain pigment can diffuse out of the cell
faster. Between 40 and 60 degrees, there is even greater absorption of green light. This is because
after 40 degrees the proteins in the cell membrane would have started to become denatured. The
cell membrane starts to become deformed and break apart causing even more betalain to leak out.
Between 60 to 80 degrees the rate of absorption starts to plateau. This occurs because, by 80
degrees, the cell membrane would have become completely fragmented and the betalain pigment
has reached equilibrium on both sides of the cell membrane.