CLEAN Carbon Cycle: Photosynthesis Lab
You should have taken this pre-test already: https://forms.gle/8q4eDh6RhBQtAD6b9 Take it now if you have not!
Now watch this video https://youtu.be/-tllHZLtl_c . In the second half of the video, follow along with the questions below.
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Introduction
Plants use green pigments called chlorophylls to trap light energy.  The
chlorophylls give a plant its green color.  Inside the cells that have
chloroplasts, the light energy is used to make a simple sugar called glucose.
The process by which plants use light energy to make glucose is called
photosynthesis.

During this process of sugar production, carbon dioxide combines with water to
form glucose and oxygen is released.  Oxygen that is produced in photosynthesis
is given off as a gas.  If a lot of oxygen is being given off, photosynthesis is
occurring rapidly.  If little oxygen is being given off, photosynthesis is
occurring slowly.  The amount of trapped light energy and the amount of carbon
dioxide available affects the rate of photosynthesis.

Adding sodium bicarbonate powder to the water increases the
amount of carbon dioxide in the water.

Before watching the experiment, think about the following questions:
1. What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
2. Where do plants get the CO2 for this process?
3. What organelle in plants is responsible for photosynthesis?
4. What is the pigment found in this organelle that absorbs light to power photosynthesis?
5. If a plant were under water and photosynthesizing, what gas would be visibly bubbling from the plant?

Now watch the experiment video and answer the questions below.
Please enter your first name and last initial only. *
Which science teacher do you have? *
When the plant is 5 cm from the lamp, how many bubbles do you count coming out of the stem in 2 minutes? (We're asking about the big bubble(s) coming out of the stem, not the tiny bubbles on the sides of the glass.) *
When the plant is 5 cm from the lamp and we add a pinch of sodium bicarbonate, how many bubbles do you count coming out of the stem in 2 minutes? *
When the plant is 20 cm away from the lamp, how many bubbles do you count in 2 minutes? *
What gas does the plant produce? How do you know? *
How is photosynthesis affected by the amount of sodium bicarbonate? Why? (Hint: sodium bi-"carbon"-ate) *
How is photosynthesis affected by the amount of light? Why? *
Based on the experiment, if carbon dioxide increased in the atmosphere, what would happen to photosynthesis? *
What would happen to the CO2 level in the atmosphere if there were no plants? *
Your turn to ask a question! Please submit at least one question for our UC Irvine team. We will compile questions and answer them on Thursday. Do you have any questions about the lab or something you didn't understand? Do you have any questions about climate change or life as a scientist? *
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