Lab #: 7

Date: May 5th, 2020

Title: PhotosyNthesis

Aim: To investigate photosynthesis in a leaf.

Apparatus: cup or mug (or any other container that can hold hot water)

metal spoon

Assortment of leaves

Water

Procedure:

1. Go out into your yard or surrounding environment, identify five different

plants with leaves that can fit in the cup or mug.

2. Take two leaves from each plant identified.

3. Assign labels to your leaves so that they can be tracked. For the five

different plants, assign labels 1 to 5 and label A and B to each leaf per

plant.

4. Heat up some water to bring it to boil.

5. When the water is boiling turn off the heat and allow the water to rest for

about 20 seconds.
 6. After this pour the hot water in the cup and then select one leaf and

submerge it in the hot water (use the spoon to do so).

7. Count the total number of bubbles released over a three minute period.

8. Repeat this for the remaining nine leaves.

9. Compile your results in an appropriate table.

Results: Tabulate the recordings in a table. Ensure that the table has an

appropriate title.

Interpretation:

1. Define photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is the process by which plants produce their own food using

carbon dioxide, water, sunlight and chlorophyll to make glucose and oxygen.

2. Write the chemical equation for photosynthesis.

6CO2 +6H2O Sunlight/ chlorophyll → C6 H12 O6 + 6O2

a. Based on the answer to (1) and (2) explain the bubbles formed

during the experiment.

Plant leaves containing oxygen gas, release it in the form of bubbles through

the stomata when placed in hot water.

3. Outline at least three sources of error.

● The experiment had been repeated since the spoon didn't su bmerge the

leaf underneath the water.

● During the experiment , I started the timer before the leaf was submerged

in the water.

● During the experiment the water began to get warmer; as a result, there

were no bubbles forming in the second set of leaves ; therefore, I had to

warm the water to redo the experiment .