Describe an activity to show that chlorophyll and carbon dioxide are necessary for photosynthesis?
Answers
Answer:
Aim of the experiment:-
To prove that chlorophyll pigment in green leaves is necessary for the plants to prepare their carbohydrate (starch) food.
Requirements for the experiment:-
A well watered variegated leaf plant, beaker, water, Bunsen burner, mentholated spirit or rectified spirit or ethanol, iodine solution, a white porcelain tile.
Procedure for the experiments:-
A variegated leaf plant is taken for this particular experiment to prove the necessity of chlorophyll for photosynthesis. A variegated leaf is a leaf in which different patches of colors are present in a Croton or Coleus or Geranium plant. The place where green patches are present in the leaf, chlorophyll pigment is present while at the other color patches present in the leaf contain other pigments but not chlorophyll. Before starting the experiment to prove chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis an important step has to be carried out is known as De-starching. De-starching is a step in which the starch present in the leaves of the plant will be removed by keeping the variegated leaves plant in a dark room or closed cup-board for about 48 hours. This step is done to ensure that previously synthesized starch in the leaves get consumed up because photosynthesis doesn't occur at that time as the plant is kept in dark place.
After De-starching step the variegated leaf plant is kept in bright sunlight for about 6 hours. After this one of the variegated leaf is plucked out from the experimental plant. Then Iodine test is conducted for this experimental leaf to find out whether the leaf prepared starch through photosynthesis or not.
Photosynthesis is a physiological process of green plants which helps to prepare their own food. In this resource I have explained in detail how an experiment can be conducted to prove the importance of the factor chlorophyll for this process. Along with this experiment I gave some important questions and answers related to the experiment which will be helpful for those preparing for year end practical or theory exams of various Boards and universities.
Introduction
Photosynthesis is an important physiological activity of all green plants. For photosynthesis to occur in green plants the factors required are Sunlight, Chlorophyll and Carbon dioxide. One factor that is more important for green plants to prepare their own food is the presence of chlorophyll pigment in their leaves.To prove the necessity of this factor there specific experiment to be done in the laboratory. So students must know clearly how this particular experiment will be done to prove the importance of this factor clearly and also must know why a particular step will be done for the success of this experiment with reasons.
Here is How Oxygen is evolved by green plants in an experiment on Photosynthesis
Aim of the experiment:-
To prove that chlorophyll pigment in green leaves is necessary for the plants to prepare their carbohydrate (starch) food.
Requirements for the experiment:-
A well watered variegated leaf plant, beaker, water, Bunsen burner, mentholated spirit or rectified spirit or ethanol, iodine solution, a white porcelain tile.
Steps to be followed for Iodine test:-
The plucked out experimental leaf is immersed in boiling water in the beaker for few minutes so that the cells of the leaf will be killed and at the same time metabolic activities of the leaf cells will be stopped.
Now the boiled leaf is taken out from the beaker with the help of a forceps. It is then placed in a test tube containing rectified spirit or ethanol. Then the leaf is boiled in ethanol over a water bath by keeping it in boiling water for about 10 minutes. The leaf dissolves its chlorophyll by boiling it in rectified spirit and then become pale-white.
Next the pale-white leaf is removed from the test tube by forceps and then it is washed in under warm water to make it soft.
Then this leaf is spread over a white porcelain tile and iodine drops were placed over at different parts of the leaf.
Hope this helps
