Kurran Singh

The Utilization of CO2 in Photosynthesis

Objective – Test the relationship the availability of light has on the consumption of CO2

Hypothesis – The flask in darkness will use less CO2 because it won’t be able to
photosynthesize without light, so it will stay yellow, with all the CO2 still in the solution.
The flask in light will turn blue because CO2 will be used for photosynthesis, since all the
ingredients are there for photosynthesis.

Materials –
• 4 Erlenmeyer Flasks
• Sprigs of elodea
• Rubber stoppers
• Bromothymol blue solution
• A light source
• A darkened area
• A straw

Procedure –
Day 1 –
1. Collect your materials and wear an apron.
2. Pour approximately 100 mL of Bromothymol blue solution into two flasks
creating experimental groups. The teacher will prepare the other two flasks in a
similar manner creating control groups.
3. In each flask of the experimental groups, add a sprig of elodea. The control
groups will receive no plants.
4. Using a straw, exhale into the solution of each of the flasks of the experimental
group. Note any color change. The teacher will do the same with the flasks of the
control group. As well, note any color change.
5. Immediately, place rubber stoppers on each of the flasks in the experimental
group. The teacher will do the same with the flasks of the control group.
6. Place one flask under a light source. Place another flask in a darkened area. The
teacher will do the same with flasks of the control group.
Day 2 –
1. Don an apron.
2. Collect the flasks of the experimental group. Note any color change.
3. Observe the flasks of the control group. Note any color change.

Results –
Start After exhaling into it After 4 days
Light Blue Yellow Blue
Dark Blue Yellow Yellow
Discussion – At the start of the experiment, both flasks were blue. After exhaling CO 2
into it, both turned yellow. After four days, the flask in the cupboard, which didn’t have
any light, stayed yellow, signaling that there still was CO2 in the flask. The flask that
spent four days in the light turned blue again, signaling that the CO2 was no longer there.
The color in the control groups was blue, and when CO2 was added, changed to yellow.
The control groups stayed yellow at the end of the four days. The reason why neither of
the control group flasks changed color is that no plant was put in them, so photosynthesis
never occurred, which would have taken away the CO2 , and changed the color from
yellow back to blue. The flask in the experimental group that stayed away from light also
stayed yellow, because without light, photosynthesis can’t occur, and therefore no CO 2
was used for photosynthesis, which made the flask not change color. The only flask that
did change from yellow back to blue was the flask in the experimental group that was
placed in light. This flask changed color from yellow to blue because photosynthesis
occurred in it, using up the CO2, and since the liquid in the flask only is yellow when
there is CO2 in it, without CO2, it just changed back to blue. The reason that
photosynthesis only took place in this flask is that all the things necessary for
photosynthesis were there, including light, CO2, and a plant to put it all together. Because
light is necessary for photosynthesis, if all the other reactants are there, but light isn’t,
photosynthesis won’t happen, and none of the reactants, including CO2 will be used.
Therefore, without light, the plant will use no CO2. In the presence of light, CO2 will be
consumed for photosynthesis. One possible cause for error in this experiment is that since
the cupboard where the “dark” flasks being kept isn’t totally light proof, enough light for
photosynthesis may have entered the cupboard, so CO2 would end up being used
anyways, changing the color of the. Another cause of error that could have further
messed up the amount of light reaching the flasks is that during the weekend, the lights in
the school were off, and since the room where the “light” flasks were had no windows, it
would have received no light, even though only the flasks in the cupboard were supposed
to have no light. This lack of light could have prevented photosynthesis from happening,
which would have messed up the results by keeping the solution in the flask yellow.

Conclusion – The objective, to test the relationship the availability of light has on the
consumption of CO2, was met. The hypothesis, the flask in darkness will use less CO2
because it won’t be able to photosynthesize without light, so it will stay yellow, with all
the CO2 still in the solution, and that the flask in light will turn blue because CO2 will be
used for photosynthesis, since all the ingredients are there for photosynthesis, was
correct. The flask in darkness did in fact stay yellow because photosynthesis never
occurred to use up the CO2. The flask kept in the light changed from yellow to blue
because with all the reactants necessary for photosynthesis to occur there, photosynthesis
did occur, which used up CO2, and made the Bromothymol blue solution change back to
blue from the yellow color that it was when there was CO2 in it.