Experiments: Basic knowledge
Experiments Simple sugars (glucose) are the
in
Photosynthesis
Experiments: Basic knowledge
Starch formation is NOT
photosynthesis.
This can occur even in the roots or
underground storage organs.
Presence of starch in the leaf merely
indicates that photosynthesis has
taken place.
Important procedures
To destarch or remove the starch in
leaves, we MUST put the plants in
darkness for at least 48 hours.
end-products of photosynthesis.
If simple sugars are formed faster
than they are used up, the excess
simple sugars are changed to starch
for storage.
Experiments: Basic knowledge
In darkness, when photosynthesis
stops, enzymes in the leaves change
starch to complex sugars (sucrose).
These are transported to other parts
of the plants.
Important procedures
MUST set up control experiment
A control experiment may contain all the
conditions essential for photosynthesis
It gives standard conditions for
comparison with experimental ones
It is set up to study the effect of a factor
on the process by eliminating or varying
the factor
1
What is the variable & control set up? Photosynthesis

Testing for Starch I Testing for Starch II

Remove a green dicotyledonous leaf
from a plant that has been exposed to
sunlight for at least 4 hours
Rationale:
To ensure photosynthesis had taken
place
Put the leaf in boiling water for 5
minutes
To kill the leaf, break open the cells.
Stop enzyme activity
Put the leaf in a boiling tube
containing alcohol. Warm the alcohol
by placing the boiling tube in a beaker
of water.
To extract chlorophyll (decolourize leaf)
Leaf will become colourless, and brittle

Testing for Starch III Testing for Starch IV

Gently remove the Place the leaf in a petri dish &
leaf from the alcohol immerse it in iodine solution
and put back into If starch is present, it will turn blue-black
the hot water If starch is absent, the leaf will turn
To soften the leaf yellow/brown in colour
and make it more
permeable to iodine
solution

2
 Is sunlight necessary? Is sunlight necessary?
Place a potted green plant in a dark
place for at least 48 hours.
To destarch it
Then remove a leaf and test for
starch (discussed earlier)
To ensure there is no starch in the
leaves of this potted plant before the
start of the experiment

Is sunlight necessary? Is sunlight necessary?

Sandwich a leaf between 2 pieces of
black paper. (Leaf is still attached to the
potted plant.)
Fasten the papers with clips.
Expose to sunlight for at least 4
hours.
Only want photosynthesis to carry out on
part of the leaf
Remove the leaf & test for starch.
Do a drawing to show the regions that
are stained blue-black in colour.
Only regions that are exposed to
sunlight are stained blue-black.
No sunlight, No photosynthesis
Yellow/Brown

Blue Black

Is carbon dioxide nessary?

nessary? Is carbon dioxide necessary?
Place 2 potted Place 1 pot in a bell jar
plants in the dark
place for at least 48 Only air without CO2
hours passes into the bell jar
To destarch the Soda lime & KOH
plants solution absorbs CO2
Cover the pots with
polythene bags
Prevents CO2 in the
soil from escaping

3
 Is carbon dioxide necessary? Is carbon dioxide necessary?
Set up a control Remove a leaf from each plant & test
with pebbles for starch
instead of soda
Only the leaf from the control set up
lime, and water
instead of KOH turned blue-black
solution Conclusion:
Place both set-ups No CO2 ,No photosynthesis
in strong sunlight
for at least 4 hours

Is chlorophyll necessary? Is chlorophyll necessary?

Destarch a plant with variegated
leaves in darkness for at least 48 hrs
Expose the plant to strong sunlight
for at least 4 hrs
Remove one leaf
Make a drawing to show the
distribution of the green parts (parts
with chlorophyll)
Kill the leaf, decolourise it & test it for
starch
Make a drawing of the leaf to show the
distribution of the blue-black colour &
compare it with the distribution of the
chlorophyll on the leaf
Conclusion: No chlorophyll, no
photosynthesis

Applying your knowledge Applying your knowledge

What conclusions can be drawn from the
By inverting the test tube, we can
experimental set-up (with modifications)?
collect the gas released and show
that the gas supports combustion.
This shows oxygen is given off during
photosynthesis.

4
 Applying your knowledge
By changing the light intensities of the
light bulb, we can show rate of
photosynthesis increases with light
intensities (until it reaches maximum rate).
Blue & red light are the most effective
wavelengths for photosynthesis.
Applying your knowledge
By placing different colour filters on
the light bulb, we can show that rate
of photosynthesis is affected by
different wavelengths of light.