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Phosythesis and Light Intensity Experiment

The document outlines an experiment to investigate how varying light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed. It includes materials needed, experimental setup, data recording methods, expected results, and safety precautions. The key findings suggest that photosynthesis increases with light intensity until a saturation point is reached, influenced by limiting factors like CO₂ concentration and enzyme activity.

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Francis Makamba
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7 views

Phosythesis and Light Intensity Experiment

The document outlines an experiment to investigate how varying light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed. It includes materials needed, experimental setup, data recording methods, expected results, and safety precautions. The key findings suggest that photosynthesis increases with light intensity until a saturation point is reached, influenced by limiting factors like CO₂ concentration and enzyme activity.

Uploaded by

Francis Makamba
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Investigating the Effect of Light Intensity on Photosynthesis**

**Objective:**
To determine how varying light intensity affects the rate of
photosynthesis in pondweed.

Materials Needed
- Pondweed (Elodea or Cabomba)
- LED lamp with adjustable brightness
- Beaker or test tube filled with distilled water
- Sodium hydrogencarbonate (NaHCO₃) solution (carbon source)
- Stopwatch
- Ruler or measuring tape
- Light intensity meter (optional but recommended)
- Thermometer (to monitor temperature)

Experimental Setup:
1. Preparation:
- Place the pondweed in a beaker filled with water.
- Add NaHCO₃ to ensure sufficient carbon dioxide availability.
- Position a LED lamp at a fixed starting distance from the
beaker.

2. Procedure:
- Allow the pondweed to acclimate to the light for 5 minutes.
- Start the stopwatch and count oxygen bubbles produced
within 1 minute.
- Record results in a table.
- Gradually change the distance of the lamp (e.g., 10 cm, 20 cm,
30 cm, etc.).
- Measure and record temperature throughout to ensure
consistency.
- Repeat at least **three trials per distance** for reliability.
Data Recording & Analysis:
- Record the number of bubbles per minute for different
distances.
- Graph the rate of photosynthesis (bubble count) against light
intensity (or 1/distance²).
- Identify trends and discuss limiting factors (carbon dioxide,
temperature, enzyme activity).

Key Improvements:
- Use a light intensity meter instead of relying solely on distance
for more precise measurements.
- Monitor temperature consistently to ensure it doesn’t
unintentionally influence results.
- Conduct multiple trials to improve result reliability.
- Consider a dissolved oxygen probe for more accurate
quantification instead of counting bubbles.

Expected Results & Interpretation:


- The rate of photosynthesis should increase with higher light
intensity, up to a saturation point.
- Beyond this point, photosynthesis plateaus due to limiting
factors such as CO₂ concentration or enzyme activity.

Safety Precautions:
- Handle NaHCO₃ with care; avoid contact with skin/eyes.
- Prevent overheating of the lamp.
- Keep glassware secure to avoid spills or breakage.

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