describe an experiment to prove that chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis
Answers
Answer:
take a leaf and apply some vasline on its down side you will find that the part of leaf will be destroyed it provesv that chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis
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.
Result of Iodine test:-
Iodine is a purple colored reagent used to test the presence or absence of starch in the leaf conducted for photosynthesis process. In the presence of starch iodine solution will turn into blue-black color and in the absence of starch iodine added to leaf will turn into brown color.
In this experimental leaf, the part of the variegated leaf which contain green patches will give a positive test for starch i.e. iodine when added to this part of the leaf will turn into blue-black color. The reason for this is, this part of the experimental leaf containing green patches include chlorophyll and thus prepare starch through photosynthesis. Thus iodine added to this region will turn into blue-back color. But colored patches of variegated leaf doesn't include chlorophyll and thus don't prepare starch through photosynthesis. So iodine added in this region will change into brown color. Thus this experiment proves chlorophyll is necessary for leaves to prepare starch through photosynthesis.