Photosynthesis Pre-Lab Procedures

● List the group members.

o Dallas, Savannah

● Make a list of five factors that you think may influence the rate of photosynthesis.
o Amount of baking soda
o amount of light
o color of light
o temp of water

● From your list, pick a factor that you want to test. This will be your independent variable. Write a
question that describes your test.
o the amount of carbon dioxide in the water
o How does the amount of CO2 in water affect the photosynthesis of a plant

● Write a hypothesis statement. Be sure that it is predictive, testable, and includes a rationale. (If
_____, then _____, because _____.)
● If the amount of CO2 is increased, then the rate of photosynthesis will increase because the plant
has more access to its energy source (to get sugar).

● Make a list of materials that you will need to perform your experiment, including
amount/quantity.
o 100 ml of water
o 5 grams (5 tbsp) of baking soda
o holepunch or straw
o syringe without needle
o Leaf
o cool lamp
o beaker
o stop watch (or something to time with)

● Write a procedure describing the experiment you will perform. This should include:
- A step-by-step description that would allow the reader to perform your experiment.
- A description of how you will alter the independent variable.
- A description of what factors you will ensure are held constant and how you will do so.
- How many trials you will perform.
A video showing the method is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnY9_wMZZWI

1. Gather all materials

2. Pour 100 ml of water in the beaker
3. Measure 1 gram (1 tbsp) of baking soda and pour into the beaker with the water
4. mix the baking soda and water until completely dissolved
5. Cut the leaf into 10 circles with the holepunch or straw
6. Take out the stopper from the syringe and put the leaf circles into the syringe
7. Put the stopper back into the syringe and pull some water in the syringe
8. Flip the syringe upwards (plunger side down)
9. Push out all the air from the syringe until it’s pulling out water
10. Put your thumb over the hole at the top
11. Pull the plunger down as far as you are able to while still holding your thumb over the top
12. Push the plunger back up until only water remains
13. Pull out the plunger of the syringe (while still holding your thumb over the top)
14. Flip the syringe over to dump the contents into the beaker
15. Put a cool lamp over the beaker
16. Time how long it takes for all the leaf circles to reach the top
17. Record the data that you recorded
18. Repeat steps 2-17, but for step 3 add 2 grams of baking soda

● State what data you will collect. Describe:

- How the data will be measured?
- How often the data will be collected.
- How the data will be recorded and organized.

● State how the data will be analyzed. Explain:

- How your data will be displayed? What charts/graphs will you use?
- How you will apply your data in answering your question.