Anthony Araracap

Period 4 AP Bio
AP Lab 9: Transpiration

Background:
Transpiration is the process through which water is lost from a plant by evaporation. Water is
taken into a plant through roots and root hairs by osmosis, and it exits the plant through openings on the
underside of leaves known as stomata. Oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged through the stomata.
Transpiration is also the major mechanism that powers the movement of water throughout a plant. This
transportation of water through the plant is due to water potential. Water potential is the potential energy
created by the water molecules within the plant stem. Water always flows from areas of high water
potential to areas of low water potential. Gravity, pressure, and solute concentration are all factors
determining water potential in a plant.

Purpose:
The purpose of this lab was to test transpiration rates of a leaf under different environmental
conditions. The conditions included a normal room setting, exposure to a fan, heat lamp, and moist
environment ( air misted and plant covered with plastic bag). Data will be obtained from each setting to
determine if the various conditions affected the rate of water loss from leaves.

Hypothesis:
(Part A) Under the setting in which the plant is fanned with a blow dryer and held down by
parafilm in plastic tubing to create a dry environment, there will be the highest rate of transpiration.
(Part B) The structure and cell types of a stem cross-section can be observed under a
microscope.

Materials:

Part A: Transpiration
● ring stand with 2 clamps
● rubber tubing
● 0.1 mL pipet
● parafilm
● fan
● lamp
● plastic bag with spray bottle of water for misting
● electronic balance
● metric ruler
Part B: Observation of Stems
● prepared slides

Procedure:
(Followed procedures for Part A and B from the lab handout)

Data & Observations:

During this lab, several observations we made. Firstly, the leaves were diagonally cut underwater
to simulate an actual plant, so that no evaporation could occur since in actuality plants do not lose water
through evaporation. Throughout this process, air bubbles were released from the plant. When the blow
dryer was used it was set on LOW, also hot air was blown towards the plant. Furthermore, the plant
began to dry up; in effect more transpiration occurred in the fan group than in any other group (a total of
10765 mL throughout 30 minutes). After the 30 minutes passed, the leaf surface area was calculated, a
total of .0013 meters squared. In part B, we observed monocot and dicot stem prepared slides. The
monocot stems had scattered bundles in cross-section and veins are parallel in the leaf, while dicot stems
had circular bundle arrangements in cross-section and veins were netted in the leaf.
Table 1: Potometer Readings
Time( Begin 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30
min) ning
(0)

Readi 3.8 2.0 1.7 1.5 1.4 1.2 1.0 0.9 0.7 0.5 0.3
ng
(mL(

Calculated Leaf Surface Area: 0.0013 m2

Table 2: Individual Water Loss in mL/m2

Time Interval(minutes)
0-3 3-6 6-9 9-12 12-15 15-18 18-21 21-24 24-27 27-30

Water 1.8 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2
Loss
(mL)

Water 5538 923 615 307 615 615 307 615 615 615
Loss
per m2

Table 3: Class Average Cumulative Water Loss in mL/m2

Time(minutes)

Treat 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30
ment

Room 0 160/1 80/12 80/12 0/121 0/121 0/121 0/121 0/0 0/0 0/0
21 1 1

Light 0 0 0 70.4 0 0 0 281 0 0 0

Fan 0 5538 923 615 307 615 615 307 615 615 615

Mist 0 100 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Analysis:

(Graph attached)

(Sketch for Part B)

Error Analysis:
During this lab several errors may have occurred. First off, when the leaf was cut from the stem,
the cut may not have been submerged underwater. Also, the plant may not have been cut diagonally. A
complication that may have occurred was that the potometer was difficult to seal without losing water,
thus affecting the rate of water loss. Also, bubbles in the plastic tubing could have led to erroneous data
results.

Discussion:
The hypothesis for part A was that “Under the setting in which the plant is fanned with a blow
dryer and held down by parafilm in plastic tubing to create a dry environment, there will be the highest
rate of transpiration” was accepted. By conducting the lab, this was found to be true since the Fan
treatment had a total water loss of 10765 mL, while the next highest water loss was the Light treatment, a
total of 351 mL of water. Firstly, the leaf was cut by the stem and then immediately placed underwater so
no evaporation could occur, thereafter the stem was cut diagonally. Secondly, the leaf was placed on a
potometer with parafilm to conceal the surrounding space around the stem. Then, the leaf was blow dried
and after every 3 minutes, the water loss was noted ending at 30 minutes. The leaf seemed to be sucked
dry of water, which was found true, evident by the immense water loss of 10769 mL over 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in other groups minimal water loss was observed, such as in the Mist treatment group; a total
of only 100 mL of water had been lost by the leaf. In the Room Temperature group a total of only 320 mL
of water was lost. Lastly, the Light group had a total of 351 mL of water loss. Therefore, the hypothesis
that “Under the setting in which the plant is fanned with a blow dryer and held down by parafilm in rubber-
tubing to create a dry environment, there will be the highest rate of transpiration” was proven true and
accepted.

Discussion Questions:
1.
Room: 320/30 = 10 mL/minute
Fan: 10765/30 = 358 mL/minute
Light: 351.4/30 = 12 mL/minute
Mist: 100/30 = 3 mL/minute
2. The conditions that increased transpiration were the fan air currents, heat from the light, and
saturated atmosphere in the mist group.
3. The light and the fan decreased the water potential in the leaves and water moved up the
stem by transpiration pull. The room temperature had little or no effect on the water potential.
4. The mist increased the water potential of the air causing less transpiration to occur from the
leaves.
5. The leaf surface area was necessary because the surface area greatly affects the amount of
water loss through transpiration. Smaller leaves may lose less water than larger ones, but by
calculated water loss by surface area, consistent data can be produced.
6. Stems have scattered bundles in cross-section and veins are parallel in the leaf for monocots,
while stems have circular bundle arrangement in cross-section and veins are netted in the leaf for
dicots.