Measuring Photosynthesis essays

Measuring Photosynthesis essays Measuring Photosynthesis: The Effects of Green and White Light In this experiment we will be measuring the amount of oxygen produced in photosynthesis by white and green light. We began by placing the elodea in the 250ml flask along with the NaHCO3 and a stopper and a bent piece of glass tubing. We turned the lamp on and timed it for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, we re-marked the tubing with the wax pencil. The releasing of oxygen was supposed to make the solution move. The results were a net photosynthesis with an average of 20mm, aerobic cellular respiration of 1mm, gross total photosynthesis of 21.1, and a rate of photosynthesis of 123mm. The average of net photosynthesis 9.8mm, aerobic cellular respiration was 91.1mm, gross photosynthesis 54.5mm, and a rate of photosynthesis of 39.3. One may wonder what is photosynthesis and why is it so important. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use sunlight energy to produce sugar, which cellular respiration converts into ATP. The green pigment chlorophyll converts unusable sunlight into usable chemical energy. The photosynthetic process uses water and releases the oxygen that we must have to stay alive. The Arizona State University Biology department states that photosynthesis is arguably the most important biological process on earth. By liberating oxygen and consuming carbon dioxide, it has transformed the world into the hospitable environment we know today. Directly or indirectly, photosynthesis fills all of our food requirements and many of our needs for fiber and building materials. The energy stored in petroleum, natural gas ad coal all came from the sun via photosynthesis, as does the energy in firewood, which is a major fuel in many parts of the world. This being the case, scientific research into photosynthesis is vitally important. If we can understand and control the intricacies of the photosynthetic process, we can ...