EXERCISE #6 – LAB SUMMARY

NAME: __________________________
LAB DAY ________ TIME: _________
TABLE 6.1 Light absorption characteristics of chlorophyll (plot your data (wavelength vs. absorbance) on the graph
paper provided on the instructor’s desk).

WAVELENGTH (nm) COLOR OF LIGHT ABSORBANCE

AT THIS WAVELENGTH

400 Violet 0.8

425 Blue/Violet 1.09

450 Blue 0.98

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475 Blue 0.53

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500 Blue/Green 0.1

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525 Green 0.08

550 Green/Yellow 0.12

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575 Yellow 0.18
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600 Yellow/Orange 0.24

625 Orange 0.6

Red 0.08
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650
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675 Violet 0.8

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Using your data and completed graph, answer the following questions:
1. Identify the colors of light and their corresponding wavelengths that showed the highest amount of absorption by the
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chlorophyll extract. (Hint: look at the two peaks on your graph)

The exact peak wavelengths may differ slightly but they should be around 430-460 nm (blue/violet) and 640 –
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670 (orange/red).

2. Identify the color(s) and their corresponding wavelength(s) that are the most capable of stimulating photosynthesis.
With regards to absorbance and transmittance, explain why these colors have the greatest influence.
These will be the same colors and wavelengths mentioned in question one. The reason these have the
greatest influence is because it is the energy from light that the plant absorbs that stimulates photosynthesis.

3. Identify the color and its corresponding wavelength that is the “least” capable of stimulating photosynthesis. Explain
why this color has little to no stimulating effect.
The lowest absorbance should be around 550 nm. Because the plant does not absorb much of this color of
light (and therefore little energy form this color of light), green light does not stimulate photosynthesis.

4. What would you expect to happen to the rate of photosynthesis if you exposed a plant to an environment in which only
green light was present? Explain your answer.
Because chlorophyll does not absorb green light, and because chlorophyll is the primary photosynthetic
pigment, the plant would not absorb enough energy to stimulate photosynthesis.
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Exercise #6 – Biology 105 Lab
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 Table 6.2: Oxygen production at 40 cm distance

Minutes →
0 5 10 15 20

Elodea (ml) 0.2 0.21 0.23 0.25 0.27

Control (ml) 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.21 0.21

Elodea – Control
(graphing data)
0 0.01 0.03 0.04 0.06

Table 6.3: Oxygen production reading at 25 cm distance

Minutes →
0 5 10 15 20

Elodea (ml) 0.2 0.22 0.24 0.28 0.31

Control (ml) 0.2 0.21 0.21 0.22 0.23

Elodea – Control

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0 0.1 0.3 0.6 0.8

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(graphing data)

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Using the above experimental data and your graph, answer the following questions:
5. At the end of the 20-minute experiment, what two gasses are present in the tube containing Elodea?

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CO2 (provided by the NaHCO3) and O2 produced by the plant
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6. If the light intensity experiment had been conducted with only the tube containing the plant, the second tube (without
plant) not included, would this experiment be valid? Why or why not? Explain.
If the experiment had been done without the control (tube without the plant) then we would not know how
much of the gas produced in the tube with the plant was oxygen (due to photosynthesis) as opposed to the
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CO2 that was in the tube from the beginning from the NaHCO3. Further the control tube also accounts for
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changes in volume due to changes in environmental factors such as temperature.

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7. Based on the data above, how does light intensity or distance from light source affect rate of oxygen production?
The rate of oxygen production is directly proportionate to light intensity; the greater the light intensity, the
more oxygen that is produced (photosynthesis).
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8. Photosynthesis involves two distinct processes: The Light Reactions are said to be light-dependent, while the Calvin
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cycle is said to be light-independent.

a. What is/are the primary product(s) of the light-dependent reaction (Light reactions)? ___O2, NADPH, ATP_____
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b. What is/are the primary product(s) of the light-independent reaction (Calvin cycle)? NADP+, ADP, G3P (2 G3P = 1
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Glucose)

c. In which of the above reactions is water split to produce oxygen? __Light-dependent (Light reactions)____

d. Write the equation (balanced) for photosynthesis:

6 _CO2__ + 6 __H2O__ → C6H12O6 (glucose) + 6 _O2__

Reactants light Products

e. What reactant(s) in photosynthesis is/are oxidized (lose electrons)? _____H2O__________________

f. What reactant(s) in photosynthesis is/are reduced (gain electrons)? _____CO2__________________

g. What subatomic particle is absorbing light energy & being stored in the chemical bonds of glucose? __Electrons_

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Exercise #6 – Biology 105 Lab
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 Chlorophyll Absorbance Spectrum

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25 cm

40 cm
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Exercise #6 – Biology 105 Lab
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