Laboratory Report (Essay Sample)

Laboratory report
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Photosynthesis
Introduction
Photosynthesis is a chemical process where animals and other living organisms use light, carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose or other foods  ADDIN EN.CITE Servaites19743(Servaites and Geiger 1974)3317Servaites, Jerome C.Geiger, Donald R.Effects of Light Intensity and Oxygen on Photosynthesis and Translocation in Sugar BeetPlant PhysiologyPlant Physiology575-5785441974American Society of Plant Biologists (ASPB)00320889/stable/426377210.2307/4263772( HYPERLINK \l "_ENREF_2" \o "Servaites, 1974 #3"
Servaites and Geiger 1974). Photosynthesis is a very important process because living organism in exchange depends on the oxygen produced in the process of photosynthesis. It is a fact that living organism take in oxygen and breath out carbon dioxide and all that exchange is made possible by photosynthesis since it regulates oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air. Carbon dioxide that is taken in by the plants is used in the manufacture of simple sugars in the process known as photosynthesis, whereby an increase in carbon dioxide concentration leads to an equal increase in the quantity of simple sugars  ADDIN EN.CITE Jones19738(Jones 1973)8817Jones, Hamlyn G.Limiting Factors in PhotosynthesisNew PhytologistNew Phytologist1089-10947251973Wiley on behalf of the New Phytologist Trust0028646X/stable/243156310.2307/2431563( HYPERLINK \l "_ENREF_1" \o "Jones, 1973 #8"
Jones 1973).
The equation shows how the process of dark stage of photosynthesis:
Carbon dioxide + water= glucose + Oxygen  ADDIN EN.CITE Jones19738(Jones 1973)8817Jones, Hamlyn G.Limiting Factors in PhotosynthesisNew PhytologistNew Phytologist1089-10947251973Wiley on behalf of the New Phytologist Trust0028646X/stable/243156310.2307/2431563( HYPERLINK \l "_ENREF_1" \o "Jones, 1973 #8"
Jones 1973).
Photosynthesis is affected mostly by the three underlying factors:
Temperature
Light
Carbon dioxide
Temperature
From the experiment it was noted that photosynthesis is a chemical reaction that relies on temperature to take place. In photosynthesis, there comes a time when a certain level of temperature can destroy the rate of photosynthesis; for instance, temperature above 400 Celsius may lead to the processes slowing down. This is because the enzymes present in plants are able to work efficiently in lower temperatures than when subjected to higher temperatures.
Heat energy can cause collisions between enzymes and substrate. It is also known that enzymes are protein in nature and proteins are easily denatured in high temperature, leading to distortion of the processes that makes up photosynthesis. Therefore, this proves that photosynthesis is highly affected by temperatures.
Light
The effect of light in photosynthesis is shown in a laboratory experiment. The result in this experiment shows the effect of light on photosynthesis.
Tube 1 was placed on dark light, it increased absorbance values up to 20 minutes and then decreased 25-30 minutes.
Tube 2 was placed under 24cm of the light, it increased absorbance throughout the 30 minutes.
Tube 3 was placed under 30cm of the light, it increased absorbance to 15 minutes and then decreased.
Tube 4 was at 49 cm of the light, it increased absorbance value until 25 minutes then decreased at 30 minutes.
Figure 1.1 Effects of light intensity on photosynthesis
minutesDark-tube 123cm Tube 230cm Tube 349cm Tube 401.1611.4181.3261.29651.070.3220.2650.344101.1481.1990.1340.588151.1430.2190.1450.126201.2491.2280.1370.136251.090.1750.1750.15301.0610.2570.2570.141In conclusion pigment closer to solvent had greater RF value, Beta carbonate placed 32cm away from the origin where the distance of solvent placed 3.5cm gives a greater RF value.
When an experience of floating disks of spinach and bicarbonate solution and after 5 minutes, they were placed in different lights and wavelength: blue light with 450nm, green with 500nm, Red with 700nm, white with 400-700nm and Black with dark light 0nm. Using different lights, it is noted that white light has a higher rate of photosynthesis.
Figure 1.2 results of experiment of photosynthesis pigments
Beta Caroteneorange3.20.969Pheophytin 1-2 AlphaChlorophyll AlphaBlue/green1.30.394LuteinChlorophyll bgreen1.30.394Violaxanthin=xanthophyllsNeoxanthin=xanthophyllyellow10.303The Chromonatograghy experience was also down where a line was drawn 1cm across the bottom of silica gel strip, and a chlorophyll extract was dropped right on the line. Then 5ml chromatography solvent poured into the jar, where silica spot is above the solvent level, and the lid of the jar is closed for 5 minutes. The distance is measured of each pigment from the original. The distance of each sample from the original sample is used to get the RF value.
Figure 1.3 results of effects of light wavelength
WavelengthCoratenechlorophyllxanthophyllChlorophyll b400nm1.198InfinityInfinityInfinity450nmInfinite0.839infinity1.116500nm0.7030.1980.680.187550nm0.0910.2170.0910.295600nm0.0490.4350.0440.43650nm0.0640.4920.0331.255700nm0.0440.0170.0170.145
After observing the spectrum, a set-up of each four pigments that include: Carotene, Chlorophyll alpha, Xanthophylls, Chlorophyll B. It was noted there were blank calibrate spectrophotometer. When the tubes were set up, it was measured one by one in a spectrophotometer at a different range of wavelength 400mm-700nm.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide, with a concentration of 0.03-0.04% in the atmosphere, is the last factors that affect photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide also constitute one of the components that aids in the manufacture of sugar. An increase in carbon dioxide concentration causes an increase in the process...