Ely Selden Sci.

7 11/13/13 7th Grade Science 2013 ELODEA AND PHOTOSYNTHESIS LAB REPORT PROBLEM: How does the color of light (blue, red) affect the rate of photosynthesis in Elodea at a distance of 5cm from the plant? HYPOTHESIS: If the color of light is changed from blue to red, then the rate of photosynthesis will decrease with red by 30%. THEORY: Photosynthesis is the process in which energy is produced in a plant. It happens in chloroplast and it produces the substances used in cellular respiration. The chloroplast contains pigments such as chlorophyll a and b that trap the energy from the sun. Photosynthesis uses sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water to produce glucose and oxygen. This lab will tell use if the color of light changes the rate of photosynthesis. Different colors of light have different lengths between the light waves. Light with the shortest distances between waves, blue and violet, and light with the longest distance between waves, red and orange, are absorbed by the pigments in chloroplast and help make photosynthesis happen. Light with wavelengths in the middle of the visible light spectrum, green and yellow, are mostly reflected and are not used as much in photosynthesis. Chloroplast absorbs light using pigments. The pigments in chloroplast include chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. Chlorophyll a reflects green light and absorbs violet, blue, orange, and red light. Chlorophyll b reflects yellow light and absorbs blue light. In chloroplast, blue light is absorbed 90% and red light is absorbed 60%, so I predict that blue light will increase the rate of photosynthesis compared to red light. In 2012, the rate of photosynthesis decreased for 3 classes and increased for 4 classes. This information tells me that the rate of photosynthesis increases from blue to red.

PROCEDURE FOR COLOR OF LIGHT 1. Measure and cut an elodea at an angle to 7 to 9 cm. 2. Remove a few leaves from end of stem and slightly crush end of stem. 3. Measure mass in grams and record. 4. Put elodea stem side up in a test tube. 5. Fill test tube with spring water and baking soda solution (1 tsp. to 100 mL of water). 6. Put tube in rack and adjust lamp with blue light 5 cm from top of test tube. 7. Turn on lamp and wait 1 minute. 8. After 1 minute, begin counting small, medium and large bubbles for 3 minutes. Record data.

9. Repeat with red light. 10. Repeat for Trial 2 DATA/OBSERVATIONS:

Ely Selden Sci. 7 11/13/13

Trial 1, 1.1 gram

Color Blue

Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with blue and red light

Medium x 2 5 x 2 = 10 Large x 3 3x3=9 Total 31

Small x 1 12 x 1 = 12

Red

15 x 1 = 15

7 x 2 = 14

0x3=0

29

Notes:

Trial 2, 1.4 grams Oxygen Produced in 3 minutes with blue and red light
Small x 1 Color Blue Red 53 x 1 = 53 31 x 1 = 31 Medium x 2 16 x 2 = 32 9 x 2 = 18 Large x 3 11 x 3 = 33 10 x 3 = 30 Total 118 79

AVERAGES FOR 2 TRIALS

TRIALS 1 2 TOTAL/2 AVERAGE BLUE 31 118 149 74.5 RED 29 79 108 54

Ely Selden Sci. 7 11/13/13

2013 AVERAGE DATA IN 3 MINUTES FROM 6 DIFFERENT CLASSES COLOR OF LIGHT

BLUE CLASS PERIOD AVERAGES 1 2 3 4 6 7 TOTAL/6 AVERAGE RED % Oxygen Decrease/Increase

58.5 63.5 39 112 102 68.5 443.5/6 73.9

70 19 24.3 85.8 45 50.8 294.9/6 49.2

16.4% increase 70.1% decrease 37.7% decrease 23.3% decrease 5.6% decrease 25.8% decrease 33.4% decrease

Average Rate of Photosynthesis Measured Red and Blue Light

AMOUNT OF BUBBLES IN 3 MINUTES 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 GROUP 7TH PERIOD 7TH GRADE 54 74.5 68.5 73.9

50.8

49.2 BLUE RED

CONCLUSION: In this lab, I tested whether the color of light between blue and red, would affect the rate of photosynthesis. My hypothesis states that the rate of photosynthesis will decrease by 30% from blue to red light. My group ended up with a 6.4% decrease from blue to red light for trial one, and a 33.1% decrease for trial

Ely Selden Sci. 7 11/13/13 two. The average decrease for both trials was 27.5%. Our second trial percentage was within 0.3% of the grade average for 2013, which was 33.4%, but the 2012 data percentage was a 4.7% increase from blue to red, which was much different from my groups data. Overall, this lab helped cement the rules of photosynthesis in my brain. Now I know that my hypothesis was correct and my prediction for the percentage was very close to what 7th grade got overall. ANALYSIS: In the 2013 data set, there were some discrepancies. 5 out of 6 classes got a decrease from blue to red, but 1st period got an increase in oxygen bubbles and photosynthesis. Also, period six had a very long range that could have changed the data. Period 1 may have gotten an increase from blue to red light because they were the first class to do it and they might have done the experiment a little bit differently, but they also may have had an elodea that weighed a little more of less than the rest of the classes. Period 6 might have gotten a large range because both groups for both trials may have both gotten a decrease from blue to red light that would have made the average have a long range. If I were to change some things about this lab, I would make sure everyone used the exact same procedure. I would also weigh the elodea before hand so that they were all about the same weight. I thought that the fact that period 6 got a large range was a good thing and changed the data to make the data more consistent. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Coolidge-Stolz M.D., Elizabeth, et al. Focus On Life Science. Boston, Mass: Prentice Hall, 2008. Washington State Department of Ecology. American Waterweed- A Common Native Plant. February 24, 2003. November 2013. <http://www.ecy.wa.gov/Programs/wq/plants/native/elodea.html> Young, Paul. The Botany Coloring Book. Cambridge, New York: Harper and Row, 1982.