Discussion: Photosynthesis is the process by which plants use the inorganic compounds carbon

dioxide and water in the presence of light and chlorophyll to make glucose and generate oxygen.
In order for photosynthesis to take place there are important pigments that are involved; the most
important of which is chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the pigment responsible for the absorption of
light. The chlorophyll and other accessory pigments are located in two types of photosystems,
designated photosystem I and II (PSI and PSII). Each of these contains a light harvesting
complex. These photosystems are located in the thylakoid of the chloroplast. When a photon of
light is absorbed by chlorophyll or other pigments they get excited. This results in the promotion
of electrons to a higher energy level. This excited electron is passed from one chlorophyll
molecule to another molecule known as an electron acceptor. This results in chlorophyll being
positively charged. The final acceptor of the excited electron is a specialized form of chlorophyll
a known as P700 in PSI and P680 in PSII. The light reactions provide specific compounds for the
light independent reactions; these are ATP (as energy is needed) and NADP (hydrogen carrier).
The ATP is made by the addition of a phosphate to ADP in a process known as
photophosphorylation. This is due to the fact that light is used as the energy source for the
addition of of third phosphate ion in this reaction. Reduced NADP (NADPH) is made from
NADP via a reduction process. The hydrogen ion (H+ ion) for this reaction comes from the
photolysis of water. The molecule of water is split up into hydrogen ions, an oxygen atom and
electrons. The ATP and NADPH are then transferred to the stroma of the chloroplast where the
light independent reactions (Calvin Cycle) occur. Unlike the light dependent reaction that only
needs light, the light independent reactions requires CO2 as the main substrate as well as ATP
and NAPDH. These reactions use the energy in the form of ATP and the reducing power of
NADPH to reduce carbon dioxide. The enzyme ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase
(RUBISCO) plays an integral role in these reactions-the addition of CO2 to a five carbon sugar
(ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate). The product of the Calvin cycle is a three carbon sugar- triose
phosphate; this is the first sugar made in photosynthesis and combines with another triose
phosphate molecule to form glucose.

So in essence a plant needs adequate light, sufficient CO2 and appropriate temperature to carry
out photosynthesis at an adequate rate. If all these conditions are met then the rate of
photosynthesis can be maximized. However, if one of them is in short supply it may affect the
overall rate. This is referred to as the law of limiting factors. The Law of limiting factors coined
by Blackmann in 1905 states that the rate of a physiological process will be limited by the factor
which is in shortest supply. Any change in the level of a limiting factor will affect the rate of
reaction. For example, the amount of light will affect the rate of photosynthesis. If there is no
light, there will be no photosynthesis.

In this experiment, only the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis was tested. As a
result the two other factors CO2 and temperature were kept constant.

In the experiment, in order to test the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis, all
other factors were kept constant. This was done by using a specific concentration of sodium
bicarbonate in the beaker of water containing the photosynthesizing elodea plant. This was done
to keep the concentration of C02 constant. The experiment was also carried out in a dark room
with the only light source being that of the bench lamp. The same amount of water was used in
each beaker as well. The bench lamp also transmits heat, so the water creates a buffering effect
for the residual heat being emitted from the lamp. The experiment was done at room temperature
as a means of keeping the temperature constant. Any increase in temperature would cause the
rate to increase due to the fact that the enzyme RUBISCO plays a key role in the Calvin cycle
and an increase in temperature increases the rate of an enzyme catalyzed reaction. The rate of
photosynthesis was obtained by the number of bubbles given off and the light intensity was
varied by adjusting the distance between the bench lamp and the beaker containing the elodea
plant. The results obtained were tabulated and used to plot a graph. A total of five distances were
used, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50cm, which correlated to light intensities of 100, 25, 11, 6 and 4
respectively. The highest bubble count obtained was 22 at a light intensity of 100 and the lowest
count obtained was 1 at a light intensity of 4. Before the graph was plotted, it was expected that
the graph would show a gradual increase in rate until it tapered off. Based on the graph plotted
from the results of the experiment, it showed a gradual increase and then it tapered off. The
graph illustrated that as the light intensity increased the rate of photosynthesis also increased;
however, it increased up to a point where no further increase in light intensity would result in an
increase in the rate of photosynthesis. This is where the limiting factors come into play. At the
point where the graph tapers off (rate constant), it indicates that either the concentration of CO2
or the temperature is limiting the reaction. Therefore, in order for the rate of photosynthesis to
increase beyond the 22 bubbles per/min, either the concentration of CO2 or the temperature
would have to be increased.

Conclusion: The rate of photosynthesis increases proportionally with respect to light intensity up
to a maximum point, where it then seizes to increase as it is being limited by either the
concentration of CO2 or temperature.