Bukidnon State University “A special place

for teaching and

Secondary School Laboratory learning.”

Malaybalay City, Bukidnon

GENERAL
BIOLOGY 2
ASSIGNMENT
Submitted by: Ma. Abbygale B. Ojales

11-Integrity
A. OBJECTIVES
 To demonstrate the formation of starch as the main nutrition product of plants and
the factors that affect it.

B. MATERIALS
B.1. Apparatus/equipment
 Beaker
 Water dropper
 Test tube
 Tongs
 Tripod
 Wire gauze
 Healthy leaves of plants
 Alcohol lamp
 Petri dish
 Stirring rod
 Matches
B.2. Reagents
 Water
 Iodine
 Ethyl Alcohol
 C. PROCEDURES
Procedure/Step Observation Documentation
1. Boil water in a beaker. We observed that as the
temperature rises, the burning
continues and tiny bubble
formed from it.

2. Place a healthy green leaf We haven’t noticed anything

of a plant in the beaker with
boiling water. Let it boil for
about two minutes.
weird in this part. Because we
have not yet placed the
healthy leaf in the alcohol.
Just the water boiling, and the
leaf is still green.

3. Transfer the leaf to a This was the amazing part, as

beaker containing alcohol. we placed the leaf into the
Warm it over a water bath test tube with alcohol and
until the leaf turns white. This
continued to boil, we noticed
indicates that the chlorophyllthat it changes its color from
has been removed. green to pale one. The liquid
turned into green, notifying
us that the chlorophyll might
not be present in the leaf
anymore.
4. Wash the leaf carefully The leaf was so sensitive that
with water. Be careful not to anyone of us might crumple it
change it. with our strength. The color
of it has changed already.

5. After washing the leaf with As I poured few drops of

water, keep it in a Petri dish
and add a few drops of iodine
solution. Note the color. The
change in the leaf’s color to
bluish black shows that the
leaf contains starch.
iodine solution to the pale-
colored leaf, I noticed that the
color changes to bluish black.
And the sides are much
darker that the center part.
This indicates that we are
successful in our experiment
and that the solution
responded to the starch
quickly.
D. ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS/ANALYSIS

1. The leaf of the plant is the site of photosynthesis, how is it possible?

 It is possible because it is where the chloroplasts are located. They are the
ones who are responsible in completing the process of photosynthesis.
2. After performing step number 3 in visualizing starch in leaves, what are the
changes observed in the leaf? What is/are the indication of this/these changes?
 As we observed upon doing the 3 rd task, we noticed that the leaf inside the
test tube that contained alcohol and was boiling with water turned into a
pale version of its color. It was not exactly white, but the changes can be
observed clearly. It gave us the information that the chlorophyll, and the
chloroplasts were not present in there anymore. We also noticed that the
alcohol turned into green, which was normal as we were extracting the
color of our subject.
3. What happened to the leaf when a few drops of iodine solution were added to it?
 The color became bluish black. And the sides of the leaf were much darker
rather that the center part of it.
4. If there is/are any changes, what does it imply? Discuss the reaction of iodine and
starch.
 As we have killed the leaf, we disrupt the cell membranes and soften the
cuticle and cell walls. This makes it possible to extract the chlorophyll
with hot ethanol and also allows the iodine solution to penetrate the cells
and react with any starch present. Thus making the color of the leaf turn
bluish black, because of how iodine reacts with amylose in the plant. And
amylose is essential in natural starches.
5. How does photosynthesis in plants affect or benefit other living organisms on
Earth?
 Photosynthesis plays a vital role in maintaining life in Earth. It helps in the
survival of plants which were blessed to create food among themselves.
Yet, it helps in the survival of other living organisms also as we are
dependent on plants to live. Plants are edible, and we need them for the
gaining of energy in our everyday lives. We also need their waste material
 in photosynthesis, oxygen, for us to breathe. And a lot more things that we
can benefit. That is why we are so blessed to have photosynthesis
occurring in plants to support us.
E. CONCLUSION
 I therefore conclude that we can actually extract the chlorophyll from
plants simply by doing the visualizing starch in leaves activity. I also
conclude that plants are important, so we as humans are responsible in
preserving the greenness and life of the Earth.
F. REFERENCES
 www.enotes.com
 www.nuffieldfoundation.org