Analysing)Photosynthetic)Reactions)Under)Specific)Heat)and)Light)

Conditions)
)
By)Ren)Alejandro)Garca)Hernndez)
Group)307)
)
I.)
Introduction)
)
Plants'have'always'caught'human'interest'for'their'amazing'survival'capabilities.'It'
is'said,'that'plantae'organisms'could'always'find'a'way'to'survive'and'overcome'any'
type'of'crisis'even'better'than'we,'as'humans'and'other'animals,'could'ever'do.'A'
common'saying'around'the'scientific'community'and'the'world'is'that'humans'could'
not'live'without'plant'life,'but'plants'could'develop'complex'structures'and'overcome'
our'existence.'So,'hence,'what'we'could'infer'from'these'observations'is'that'plants'
and'plant?like'organisms'tend'to'have'complex'structures'that'allow'the'synthesis'of'
energy'more'easily'than'those'of'animals.''
'
Thus,' plants' must' be' better' at' handling' energy' that' we,' as' animals,' do' and' that'
affirmation' could' be' demonstrated' by' the' process' of' Photosynthesis.'
Photosynthesis,'according'to'Farabee,)2007,'is'the'process'by'which'plants,'some'
bacteria,'and'some'protistans'use'the'energy'from'sunlight'to'produce'sugar,'which'
cellular' respiration 1 'converts' into' ATP,' the' fuel' used' by' all' living' things.'
Photosynthetic' reactions' always' take' place' inside' of' the' cell,' deep' down' in' the'
organelles' called' chloroplasts,' which' consist' of' many' specialised' parts' that'
undertake'Photosynthetic'reactions'in'order'to'produce'Glucose'through'the'Calvin'
Cycle' in' order' to' have' the' mitochondria' undergo' cellular' respiration' and' produce'
ATP'in'the'process.'The'final'products'of'this'reaction'tend'to'be'one'molecule'of'
Glucose'(C6H12O6)'and'six'molecules'of'diatomic'molecular'oxygen'(O2).'
'
Photosynthesis' tends' to' be' a' complicated' net' of' metabolic' pathways,' converting'
different'substances'into'ATP'or'Glucose,'and'having'the'flow'of'electrons'generate'
the'prior'Adenosine'molecule.'This'reaction'could'be'divided,'in'order'to'organize'it'
into'understandable'blocks,'into'two'different'set'of'reactions'that'occur'at'different'
stages'on'the'cell:'the'light'dependant'phase'and'the'light'independent'phase.'For'
the'first'phase,'light'dependant'reaction,'Stein,)2014,'defines'that''
'
The%light%reaction%(light%dependant%phase)%happens%in%the%thylakoid%membrane%and%
converts% light% energy% to% chemical% energy.% This% chemical% reaction% must,% therefore,%
take%place%in%the%light.%Chlorophyll%and%several%other%pigments%such%as%beta>carotene%
are% organized% in% clusters% in% the% thylakoid% membrane% and% are% involved% in% the% light%
reaction.%Each%of%these%differently>coloured%pigments%can%absorb%a%slightly%different%
colour% of% light% and% pass% it% energy% to% the% central% chlorophyll% molecule% to% do%
photosynthesis.%
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!Plants!cells!contain!chloroplasts,!the!known!photosynthetic!organelles,!as!well!as!
mitochondria,!to!carry!out!cellular!respiration!as!well.!!

'
It' is' important' to' note' that' while' undergoing' this' reaction,' plants' and' similar' cells'
need'to'be'under'specific'conditions'of'light'wavelength.'According'to'Campbell)and)
Reese)(2011),)the'best'wavelength'for'a'plant'to'carry'out'photosynthetic'reactions'
is'red'(700nm)'followed'by'blue'(approximately'680nm)'being'green'the'exception,'
since'plants'cannot'carry'out'this'specific'reaction'while'under'green'light.''
'
Meanwhile,'the'other'type'of'reaction,'the'dark'reaction,'is'explained'such'as'The'
energy'harvested'via'the'light'reactions'is'stored'by'forming'a'chemical'called'ATP'
[]'the'dark'reaction'takes'place'in'the'stroma'within'the'chloroplast,'and'converts'
CO2'to'sugar.'This'reaction'doesnt'need'light'directly'in'order'to'happen,'but'it'does'
need'the'products'of'the'light'reaction'in'order'to'occur'[]'By'doing'such'reactions,'
plant' life' can' withstand' the' loss' of' energy' it' has' during' the' day' because' of' the'
maintenance'of'balance'throughout'its'systems'(homeostasis)'and'other'metabolic'
processes.''
'
Even' so,' there' are' several' external' our' environmental' factors' that' may' affect' the'
possible'outcome'of'the'photosynthetic'rate'in'these'organisms.'These'tend'to'be'
Carbon'Dioxide'concentration'(in'parts'per'million),'Temperature,'and'Light'Intensity.'
According'to'Campbell)and)Reese)(2011),)the'three'factors'are'predicted'to'change'
the'rate'of'photosynthesis'in'many'ways,'for'instance,'as'light'intensity'increases,'
the'rate'of'reaction'will'be'accelerated'up'to'a'constant,'where'enzymes'are'already'
functioning'at'their'maximum'rate,'Carbon'Dioxide'concentration'will'have'a'similar'
effect,'reaching'a'plateau'(constancy)'unless'light'or'temperature'are'increased,'and'
as'the'temperature'on'the'system'increases,'the'rate'of'reaction'tends''to'go'higher'
until'it'reaches'a'maximum'point,'where'the'enzymes'and'other'proteins'become'
denatured'and'thus'cannot'provide'any'functions'any'more.'It'is'to'be'noted'as'well'
that'several'factors'may'increase'as'indirectly'as'another'increases,'for'instance,'if'
light'intensity'rises'until'a'determined'point,'the'photons'tend'to'cause'heat'as'they'
transfer'the'energy'whilst'crashing'into'the'photosystems.'
)
II.)
Research)Question)
'
In'order'to'establish'a'proficient'lab'experimentation,'a'research'inquiry'must'be'set'
to'fulfil'the'necessities'of'the'investigation.'Throughout'the'course,'we'have'seen'
the'various'effects'of'different'sets'of'factors'on'the'rate'of'photosynthesis'and'the'
production'of'residual'Oxygen'and'how'this'affect'the'plants'output'of'Adenosine'
Triphosphate.'Thus,'a'guidance'is'needed'to'develop'further'our'understandings'of'
topic' through' empirical' and' experimental' methods.' Then,' the' research' question'
must'be'set'as:'
'
To)what)extent)does)the)increase/decrease)of)Temperature)and)Light)
intensity)affect)the)Photosynthetic)rate)in)plant)and)plantae)organisms?)
)
)
)
)

III.)
Hypothesis)
)
On'our'current'understandings'and'definitions'seen'throughout'the'course,'we'could'
define'a'varied'set'of'hypotheses'in'order'to'identify'the'whole'set'of'variables'that'
may'take'a'role'into'the'overview'of'the'whole'experiment.'These'hypotheses'could'
be'set'as\'
'
' Hypothesis'I'(Independent'vs.'Dependant)'
'
If' the' Light' Intensity' of' the' system' raises' until' a' maximum' point,' then' oxygen'
production'should'increase'as'the'prior'does,'until'a'point'where'temperature'is'also''
'
' Hypothesis'II'(Independent'vs.'Dependant)'
'
If'the'Temperature'of'the'system'raises'until'a'certain'point,'then'oxygen'production'
should'increase'as'the'prior'does,'until'a'point'where'enzymes'denature'and'stop'
the'synthesis'of'substrate.'
'
' Hypothesis'III'(Independent'vs.'Independent)'
'
If'the'Light'Intensity'of'the'system'raises'until'a'certain'point'then'the'temperature'
will'raise'too,'and'enzymatic'reactions'will'be'stopped'due'to'denaturation.'
'
' Hypothesis'IV'(Light'Wavelength)'
'
If'the'plant'receives'Dark'Blue'light'(approximately'680nm)'then'the'photosynthetic'
rate' and' thus' the' creation' of' Oxygen' will' rise' under' generalised' environmental'
conditions.'
'
IV.) Variables)
'
Variable)Type)
Variable)
Units)of)Measurement)
)
Control)
)

'
CO2'(Carbon'Dioxide'
Concentration)''

'
ppm'
(Parts'per'million)'

)
Independent)
)

'
Light'Intensity'
'
Temperature'
'
"
Production'of'! 'O2'

'
cd'
'
C'
'
cm3'

)
Dependent)
)
'

Table&1&Variables&selected&during&the&laboratory&

''
'

mL/h'

V.)

Materials)

'
!' Photosynthesis'Lab'Simulator'(Photosynthesis'V'Lab)'"''
https://www.explorelearning.com/index.cfm?method=cResource.dspView&R
esourceID=395&ClassID=2804236'
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!

Illustration&1&&Photosynthesis&Lab&Practice%

VI.)

)
Procedure)

)
To'complete'this'lab'assignment,'we'must'follow'the'next'steps:'
'
1.?'Login'into'the'lab'simulator'through'the'link'
'
2.?'Choose'two'variables'and'change'them'in'the'proportions'though'necessary'
'
3.?'Record'Data'
'
4.?'Export'Data'into'an'Excel'sheet'
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

VII.)

)
Raw)Data)

)
WHITE)LIGHT)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
'
DARK)BLUE)LIGHT)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)

&
&
&
&
&
Table&9&&Oxygen&produced&at&a&temperature&of&40C&

Dark!Blue!Light!
I(%)!

!
T(C)!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!

CO2(ppm)!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
5!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
10!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!
15!

500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!

Color(nm)! O2(mL/h)!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
0.5!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
5.3!
440!
13.9!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!
440!
27.8!

10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!

20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
20!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
25!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
30!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!
35!

500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!

440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!

13.9!
29!
44.3!
58.8!
70.8!
70.8!
70.8!
70.8!
70.8!
70.8!
13.9!
29!
44.3!
58.8!
71.5!
81.6!
85.4!
85.4!
85.4!
85.4!
13.9!
29!
44.3!
53.1!
53.1!
53.1!
53.1!
53.1!
53.1!
53.1!
13.9!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!
15.7!

!
)

10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!
10!
20!
30!
40!
50!
60!
70!
80!
90!
100!

40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
40!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
45!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!
50!

500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!
500!

440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!
440!

2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
2.3!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0.2!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!
0!