Title : Effect of light intensity on transpiration rate

Problem statement : How does the light intensity affect the rate of transpiration?
Introduction: Water is transported in plants, from the roots to the leaves,down
water potential gradient. Transpiration, or loss of water vapour from the leaves,
helps to create a region of lower water potential in the leaf. The resulting
transpirational pull is responsible for the movement of water from the xylem to
the mesophyll cells into the air spaces in the leaves. The rate of evaporation of
water from the air spaces of the leaf to the outside air depends on the water
potential gradient between the leaf and the outside air.Various environmental
factors, including those conditions which directly influence the opening and
closing of the stomata, will affect a plants transpiration rate. This experiment
will measure transpiration rates under different conditions of light intensity. The
data will be collected by measuring the distance move by the air bubble per unit
time.
Objective: To understand the role of transpiration in the transport of water within
a plant, structures used by plants to transport water and regulate water
movement, test the effects of light intensity on rates of transpiration using a
controlled experiment and to understand how leaf anatomy and photosynthesis
relate to the process of transpiration in vascular plants.
Apparatus& Materials : 7 Hibiscus plant of similar size,5 cloth, vaseline,10 light
bulbs ,5 potometer, retort stand, 5500ml beaker, basin, scalpel, razor blade,
stopwatch, metre rule.
Independent variable: Light intensity
-How to manipulate independent variable: Use different number of light bulbs( 1
light bulb as the lowest light intensity and 5 light bulbs as the highest light
intensity) In order to ensure that the plant transpire under the effect of light from
the light bulbs, other light source is turn off(such as switch off the lamp or close
the curtain).
Dependant variable: Time taken for the air bubble to move
-How to measure dependant variable: Measure and record the time taken for the
air bubble to travel 10 cm using a stopwatch and the rate of transpiration is
calculated using the formula: Distance travelled by air bubble/time. (If time taken
is more than 30 minute, record time taken as more than 30 minute).Repeat
experiment three times to find the mean of time taken.
Fixed variable: Air movement, Temperature, Relative humidity, Type of plant
How to control fixed variable; Make sure there is no air movement by turning off
the fan when carrying out the experiment. Make sure set up of apparatus is not
near any heat source like Bunsen burner so that temperature of surrounding
remains constant. Make sure same type of plant of similar size taken from same
part of plant(eg: stem), having same number and similar size of leaf (assuming

that similar size of leave has same number of stomata) is used. To control
humidity, make sure that the leaves of the plant are wipe dry with a cloth.
Procedure:
Cut the leafty shoot diagonally under water by using a sharp razor blade.Fill
the potometer with water and insert the leafty shoot into the hole of the stopper
with everything submerged in water- The potometer is immersed in the water
and moved around to remove all the air bubbles. The tap of the reservoir is
turned on to fill the graduated capillary tube with water(or dilute eosin solution).
The cut end of the stem is inserted carefully into the rubber tubing of the
potometer under water.Dip the end of capillary tube into a beaker of water..The
leaves and the apparatus are wiped dry with a cloth.Use vasaline to seal the hole
of the stopper.Trap an air bubble in the capillary tube of potometer with
following steps: The end of the capillary tube is lifted out awhile and reimmerse
the capillary tube into the beaker of water again. Allow the plant to acclimatise
for around 1 minute.
The potometer is shone by 1 light bulb.Observe the movement of the air
bubbles- The stopwatch is activated and distance travelled by air bubble in 20
minutes is recorded.Repeat the experiment with different light intensity by using
different numbers of light bulbs shone on the plant.Air bubble is sent back to the
right hand side of the capillary tube by turning on the reservoir tap.
The distance moved by the air bubbles in 20 minutes is measured by using
a metre rule .Record the result and calculate the rate of transpiration by using
the following formula:
Distance move by air bubble divide by 20 minutes.
Carry out the experiment in the same lab with same room temperature,wind
speed and air humidity.A control is also set up to compare with the results of
experimental group.The control group for this experiment is the set up without
shone by light bulb.
To ensure the whole set-up is completely air-tight, insert the plant into the
apparatus with everything submerged in water.Cut the stem diagonally
underwater to prevent air lock.Wipe the leaf and make sure it is dry.To ensure a
low risk experiment,use glove while handling vasaline as it is sticky. Be careful
while handling glass potometer as it is fragile and might cut you with broken
ends.To improve the reliability of experiment,repeat the experiment in each light
intensity thrice and calculate the mean value. Discard the anomalous results.
Make sure that throughout the experiment,others environmental factors are kept
constant.

Rate of
transpiration/
cm min-1

Light
intensity

Number of
light bulbs

Distance moved by air

bubble per minute/cm
1st reading

0
1
2
3
4

2nd reading

Rate of
transpiration/
cm min-1
3rd
reading

Average
reading