BIOLOGY PP4 PREPARATION

1.TESTING A LEAF FOR STARCH

steps and their reasons

STEP 1;boil the leaf in water to break and open cells(kill the cytoplasm)
STEP2;boil the leaf in ethanol placed in water to remove chlorophyll
WHY PLACE ETHANOL IN WATER: this is because ethanol is highly flammable
STEP3;dip the leaf in warm water because ethanol make the leaf brittle
STEP4;spread the leaf on a whita tile because white background enables you to see
colour changes
STEP5;pour iodine solution on the leaf to test for starch

RESULTS
.a blue-black colour indicates the prescence of starch
.a brown colur indicates abscence of starch

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS WHEN TESTING A LEAF FOR STARCH

-ensure thhat the test tube is facing away from the body
-use atest tube holder instead of bare handse
-heat ethanol in a water bath.Do not heat it directly because it is flammable