LAB 6

Todays Lab
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Photosynthesis Review
Plant Pigments
Process of Photosynthesis
Reactants and Products
A.
B.
C.

Light
Carbon Dioxide
Chlorophyll

Photosynthesis
the process by which plant cells containing

chlorophyll combine carbon dioxide and

water in the presence of light
energy to form carbohydrates and release
oxygen
light

6CO2 + 12H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2+ 6H2O

Photosynthesis
Glucose (monosaccharide) is one of the

main products
Most commonly, the end-product is a 3carbon sugar that is converted directly into
sucrose (disaccharide = Glucose +
Fructose) or starch
Therefore, the presence of starch is
indirect evidence of photosynthesis.

Equations
Photosynthesis

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

chlorophyll
sunlight

Respiration

C6H12O6 + 6O2 6CO2 + 6H2O

Photosynthesis &
Respiration

Photosynthetic Rates
Gross Photosynthetic Rate

Rate at which only photosynthesis proceeds

Net Photosynthetic Rate

Gross photosynthetic rate minus the rate of

respiration
Accounts for the difference cellular respiration makes in

photosynthetic rate and ATP production

Actual production of new sugar and oxygen after
accounting for sugar lost simultaneously during cellular
respiration

Photosynthesis:
Chloroplasts
Organelles enclosed by a double

membrane
Site of photosynthesis
Located primarily within mesophyll cells
inside leaves

Photosynthesis:
Geography

b) The Chloroplasts occur in the narrow

layer of protein- rich cytoplasm that
surround a large central vacuole

a) Inner tissue of the leaf, called mesophyll,

is specialized for photosynthesis

d) The arrangement of the pigment- containing

thylakoid membranes.

c) Three- dimensional structure of the

chloroplast The stack of thylakoids are
interconnected by the stroma.

Photosynthesis:
Two Phases
Light-dependent

1.

- In thylakoids
- Electrons energized by light used to generate

ATP and NADPH

2.

Carbon fixation/light independent

- In stroma
- Sugars synthesized from CO2 and H from

NADPH

Photosynthesis

Lightdependent in
thylakoid
Lightindependent
in the stroma

Todays Lab
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Photosynthesis Review
Plant Pigments
Process of Photosynthesis
Reactants and Products
A.
B.
C.

Light
Carbon Dioxide
Chlorophyll

Plant Pigments
Three main types of light-capturing pigments
1.
2.
3.

Chlorophylls (a, b)
Carotenoids (xanthophyll, carotene)
Phycobilins

Primary pigment is Chlorophyll a

Secondary pigments include chlorophyll b,

xanthophylls, and carotenes

Accessory pigments
-

capture energy from other wavelengths and then

transfer it to chlorophyll a

Plant Pigments
Light = energy and is composed of photons
Visible light - small portion of electromagnetic

spectrum
All energy travels as waves
Shorter wavelengths have more energy than longer

wavelengths

Higher
energy

Lower
energy

Different pigments absorb different wavelengths of light

Plant Pigments:
The Electromagnetic Spectrum
The wavelengths
of visible light
for humans range
from 400 700
nanometers (nm)

Plant Pigments:
Absorption & Photosynthetic Rate

Plant Pigments:
Chlorophylls
Absorb in the blue and red spectrum,

reflecting a green/yellow color

Chlorophyll a

- Absorbs in violet-blue and orange-red spectra

- Found in most photosynthetic organisms

Chlorophyll b
- Absorbs primarily in blue spectrum, reflects

yellow
- Usually found in land plants

Plant Pigments:
Carotenoids
Absorb in the blue spectrum, reflecting a

red/orange/yellow color
Important in human health

- Antioxidants fight free radicals

- Lycopene helps prevent prostate cancer
- Carotenoids help block formation of LDL

cholesterol
- Lutein protects eye health
- Carotenoids are precursors to Vitamin A

Plant Pigments:
Phycobilins
Absorb in red, orange, yellow, and green

spectrum
Found in cyanobacteria and algae
Water soluble; found in cytoplasm / stroma
of chloroplast
Fluoresce at certain wavelength making
them useful in immunofluorescence assays

Todays Lab
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Photosynthesis Review
Plant Pigments
Process of Photosynthesis
Reactants and Products
A.
B.
C.

Light
Carbon Dioxide
Chlorophyll

Process of Photosynthesis:
Elodea Experiments
Goal: test the effects of light on

photosynthetic rate using Elodea

Elodea in NaHCO3 solution in tubes

One tube in light, the other in dark

Place jar of water in between light and tubes to

help absorb heat

Let reaction proceed for 20-30 minutes, then
measure distance solution traveled
Distance divided by time is photosynthetic rate
Record data in excel

Process of Photosynthesis:
Elodea Experiments
Di

Df

time (t)

o2

Photosynthetic Rate = D/t

Process of Photosynthesis:
Elodea Experiments
Create your own experiment

Write hypothesis in notebook and draw a

sketch of the setup

Follow the same procedure for measuring
net photosynthetic rate

Todays Lab
I.
II.
III.
IV.

Photosynthesis Review
Plant Pigments
Process of Photosynthesis
Reactants and Products
A.
B.
C.

Light
Carbon Dioxide
Chlorophyll

Reactants & Products:

Light Experiment Tips
Test two geranium plants, one thats been

in light and one thats been in the dark

Follow procedure for removing chlorophyll
- Why is this important?

Test for presence of starch

Sketch and explain results in your

notebook

Reactants & Products:

Carbon Dioxide Experiment Tips
Use coleus leaf thats been deprived of CO2
Remove chlorophyll and test for presence

of starch
Sketch and explain your results

Reactants & Products:

Chlorophyll Experiment Tips
Use coleus leaf with variegated leaves
Test for the presence of starch
Sketch leaves both before and after!

For Next Time

Review lab 6
Read lab 7

Finish plant growth lab report