Name:___________

Measuring the Rate of Water Uptake using a Potometer

A potometer measures the rate of water uptake of a cut shoot. This is not the same as rate of water loss from
the leaves by transpiration, as some water passing up the stem will be used by the leaf cells for photosynthesis
or to increase their turgor pressure.

Read the information that follows and watch the demonstration by your teacher. In the space below, write a
quantitative, sequential procedure explaining how to use a potometer for the measurement and calculation of
rate of water uptake:
Potometer Question
 Design an Experiment to Investigate the Effect of Temperature or
Humidity on the Rate of Water Uptake in Plants
What is the specific question being investigated? Include the IV, DV and a CV.

Effect of temperature on water uptake of plants

What is your prediction (hypothesis)? State the relationship you expect to see between the IV and DV and why.

As temperature increases, the water uptake of plants decrease since stomata would close to prevent more water
loss by evapotranspiration.

What is the independent variable (the factor am I going to change)?

Temperature

What values of this independent variable will I investigate? What is the range of IV to be measured?

What is the dependent variable (the factor I am going to measure)?

Water uptake

What variables do I need to control? (to make sure it is a fair test) List all the CV.
Temperature

Amount of water (initial)

What values will I use for these controlled variables? What are the values for the CV?

What apparatus/materials/chemicals/specimens will I need - how much/many of each?

Are there any safety procedures I need to follow? Are there other environmental or ethical issues that need to be
considered?
Goggles and lab coat
What method will I use? Remember, a method should be specific and clear enough for another student to follow
and get the same results. A diagram will be useful.

Set up 3 to 4 of the same apparatus

Change air temperature (AC, warmer) use thermometer

Check change in water level (water uptake)

Other Factors that Affect the Rate of Transpiration:
You will be investigating the factors that affect the rate of transpiration.

There are several factors in addition to light intensity, temperature, wind velocity and humidity that will affect
the rate of transpiration. Here you will be investigating how covering surfaces of a leaf can affect the rate of
transpiration.

http://www.biologydiscussion.com/experiments/top-13-
experiments-on-transpiration-plants/56605

Four leaves are covered with vaseline.

A: both sides covered

B: the bottom side covered

C: top side covered

D: both sides uncovered

State three variables that should be

kept the same for all four leaves.

................................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................
................................................................................................................................................................................

Record and explain your observations below.

Observation Explanation