| Explore |
Brock - for our experiment we are planning on having both sugar water and a sugar water substitute as our independent variable. We are planning on keeping both types at (amount to be determined). We are going to keep the plants in the same room with the same water temp, lighting, and keep every other aspect of them the same as well. We are going to measure the rate at which the plants photosynthesize. We are going to fill the needless syringes with around 10-12 leaf discs each before we use the needless syringes to create a vacuum. This will take the air out of the discs and replacing them with one of the three samples of water. We are also going to put in a pinch of baking soda in each of the three solutions. This is what provides the CO2 for photosynthesis. So when photosynthesis is occurring, they will take the CO2 from the baking soda and create Oxygen and Glucose. The plant should end up floating from the creation of oxygen. So we are going to measure the rate of photosynthesis from how high that the leaf discs float to the top of the solution (Carbohydrates).-----------------
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Gillian
The variable that we chose to experiment with is sugar. Sugar is a carbohydrate produced by plants such as fruits, vegetables, sugar cane, etc. Sugar molecules are shaped like cubes and are made of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen. Sugar's most well-known chemical formula is C6H12O6, although there are other variations of the compound such as C12H22O11. Sugars are classified as monosaccharides, disaccharides, or polysaccharides depending upon the chemical makeup(Yudkin, Edelman, Hough). We decided upon using sugar water as our independent variable because we were curious to find out whether or not the plant will photosynthesize faster when it is being supplied with sugar. Since the formula for photosynthesis is
CO2+H2O------> C6H12O6+ O2
We wonder if adding sugar to the water would make it photosynthesize faster because you are supplying the plant with one of the products of photosynthesis. So instead of the sugar part of the sugar water just sitting in the soil, we predict that it will be used to create more sugar on the product side of the product side of the reaction. We know that when plants are introduced to sugar water, the osmotic pressure inside of the plant must be higher than the osmotic pressure outside of the plant or else the plant will start to lose its water and become dehydrated(Klefstad).
-----Justin-------
photosynthesis is a conversion of light energy into chemical energy, using water, light, and carbon dioxide. the light is absorbed through the leaves, the water is absorbed through the roots, the oxygen goes in through the leaves as well. These elements are combined to make energy for the plants, and from this chemical reaction, oxygen is released. (Ensminger, Peter A.)
6CO2 + 6H2O ------> C6H12O6 + 6O2
It is through this process that photosynthesis is done. Kinda. Sorta. Yep.
Works Cited
Ensminger, Peter A. "Photosynthesis." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, 5th ed., Gale, 2014. Science in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644031715/SCIC?u=lakeorion&xid=4df52e16. Accessed 25 Apr. 2017. |
| Experimental Design |
Justin
Procedure---
-materials list-
1) 9 clear plastic cups
2) 3 grams of natural sugar
4) 3 syringes
5) a number of leaves
6) 1-2 hole punchers
7) q-tips
8) 3 grams of sugar substitute (Splenda maybe)
9) paper towel
10) stopwatch/timer
11) paper to write on
Procedure:
1- label three of the clear cups water, 3 cups sugar, and 3 cups substitute
2- Mix 3 grams of sugar and a pinch of baking soda in a liter of water
3- Mix 3 grams of sugar substitute ( Splenda) and a pinch of baking soda in a liter of water
4- Mix a pinch of baking soda in a liter of water
4- Pour 100mL of the sugar-water mixture into the cups labeled sugar
5- Pour 100mL of the substitute into the cups labeled substitute.
6- Pour 100ml of water in the cups labeled water
7- cut out 30 leaves with the hole punch while avoiding veins in the leaf. Put the leaves on a paper towel to avoid getting them dirty/damaged
8- put 10 leaves into the barrel of each syringe, and carefully push down without damaging them.
9-place each syringe into a different cup, and suck up enough liquid to fill the syringe up 1/3 of the way. hold the syringes upwards, and push out any remaining air.
10-create and hold a vacuum on the syringe with your finger. hold it for 10 seconds. gently release the plunger while holding your finger over the syringe.
11-repeat this process until the leaves stop floating
12-once they stop floating, gently pour the leaves and solutions back into the proper cups
13-put each of the 3 different cups underneath the light (unlit)
14-measure the distance between the light and the top of the liquid in each cup
15- record the number of leaves that are floating or not in each cup
16-turn the light on and start a timer. at one-minute intervals count the number of leaves that are floating. do this for 25 mins.
17- repeat steps 7-16 two additional times and record all data |
