Sarai Hurtado Mr.

Horwitz AP Biology 28 March 2012 Lab 9: Transpiration

I. Introduction: Through the process of transpiration and guttation plants loose more water than the small amount of water needed daily. Therefore, that water needs to be replaced so that the plant wont die. The water is absorbed by roots and travels through the xylem; this is controlled by water potential. Water potential; has many factors, for example gravity, pressure, and solute concentration. In addition, water will always move from an area that has a high water potential to an area that has a low water potential. This action is facilitated by osmosis (water diffusion), root pressure, adhesion, and cohesion of water molecules. When water is traveling up the plant, there must be water loss. Transpiration is the evaporation of water. The water is released through the stomatas which are usually located under the leaf (away from the sunlight). II. Hypothesis: I believe the dark condition will go through the most transpiration because the stomatas are away from the sun therefore they are open allowing a higher water loss. I believe the light condition will go the least transpiration because the plant is exposed to light not allowing stomata to open which decrease water loss. Method 1. Connect the pipette to the tubing 2. (2 people) 1st person Placed them under the tray of water and hold them under water while the other used the syringe to pull water out the tube (to take out air bubbles) 3. (2 People) (While the other two do the tube) one holds down the plant and the other person cuts the stem in a 45 degree angle. 4. Connect the tubing with the plant UNDERWATER! So that no air bubbles can go in 5. Once the plant is completely in, hold the other side of the tube with finger and take out water the whole thing put together. 6. Place the tubing and the plant in the ring-stand. Have the tube form a U at the bottom 7. Mist the plant with the mist bottle completely 8. Place and tie the plastic bag over the plant after completely misted 9. Record where the meniscus of the water in the pipette is at the beginning 10. Every three minutes check the pipette to see how much the water level has gone down. 11. Do this for 30 min. 12. Then clean your area. 13. Dry the leaves to weight them 14. Then weight 1 cm of the leaf.

III.

Hurtado 2 IV. Data Mass of leaves=9.9g 1 cm=0.04g Table 9.1 Potometer Readings Time (min) Reading (mL) 0 .87 3 .86 6 .855 9 .85 12 .845 15 .84 18 .835 21 .83 24 .825 27 .82 30 .815

0 Water Loss (mL) Water Loss Per m 0

3 .o1

Table 9.2 Individual Water Loss in mL/m 6 9 12 15 18 21 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005 .005

24 .005

27 .005

30 .005

.404

.202

.202

.202

.202

.202

.202

.202

.202

.202

Treatment Room Mist Light Fan Dark

0 0 0 0 0 0

Table 9.3 Class Cumulative Water Loss in mL/m 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 2.4 2 1.2 1.4 .005 1 1 1 .404 .202 .202 .202 .202 .202 .202 .202 1.36 1.5 .78 .97 1.36 1.17 1.17 .77 .5 .25 .5 .75 1 1 1 .5 1.1 1.1 .56 1.1 .56 .56 1.1 .56

27 1.6 .202 1.55 1 1.1

30 1.6 .202 1.55 1 1.1

V.

Materials:

1mL Pipette 16-in piece of plastic tubing Syringe Plant Ringstand Petroleum jelly Fan Transparent plastic bag Protometer Paper towel Mist bottle Dark room (box) Bag

Hurtado 3 100 watt bulb Heat sink Scale Scissors Shallow tray filled with water

VI.

Graph

Graph: Class Cumulative Water Loss in mL/m

2.5 2 Water Loss in mL/m 1.5 1 0.5 0 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 24 27 30 Time in Minutes Room Light Fan Mist Dark

VII.

Conclusion My hypothesis was wrong; I had said that the Dark would have the greatest water loss and that the light would have the least water loss. After the experiment, I figured out that the one with the greatest water loss was the controlled group and the one with least amount was the mist one. The room condition lost about .467mL per minute, the light condition lost about .406mL/min, the dark condition lost about .295mL/min, the fan condition lost about .283mL/min, and the mist condition lost about .074mL/min. The fan condition should cause an increase in transpiration because the blowing of the plant causes evaporation. The Light condition should cause a decrease because when light hit the stomata the stomata close to prevent high levels of water loss. For the mist condition there could also be a decrease in transpiration because of the moist it decreases the evaporation rate. The dark condition could have has an increase in transpiration rate because the stomata are not facing any light therefore they are open. Yet, these results may be wrong due to the fact that there might have been error while doing the lab. There could be many sources of error. For example, if any air bubbles found their way inside the potometer this can affect the outcome. Also, the

Hurtado 4 dark room was constantly being introduced to light in order to read the potometer. For the wind condition, there could have been too much wind directed at the plant actually causing the stomata to close. In addition, there could have been any miscalculations or inaccurate weighing that could also account for error.

VIII.

IX.

Post questions a. Part one: How can different conditions change the outcome of transpiration? b. Part Two the object of this lab is to see how various conditions, such as temperature, affect transpiration. We will use a potometer to measure the outcome in each condition. This way we can compare the outcome of each condition to the other conditions. c. Part three: i. Transpiration: the evaporative loss of water from a plant. Guttation: the exudation of water droplets, caused by root pressure in certain plants. ii. Water potential determines the direction of water movement. Water moves from a region of higher water potential to regions of lower water potential (if there is no barrier to it flow). iii. The concentration of water and physical pressure due to the cell walls. They are both incorporated to water potential. iv. The most significant force moving water in the xylem is upward pull which is a result of transpiration. This created tension. v. Water is absorbed by roots through osmosis and using physical pressure. In addition, water potential is helping water choose the direction it will flow to. Water will go from high water potential to low water potential. The water will travel up the xylem through water potential that is facilitated by cohesion and adhesion. vi. The upward transpirational pull on the fluid in the xylem causes tension. vii. Many environmental conditions influence opening and closing of stomatas and also affect the rate of transpiration. For example, temperature, intensity, air currents, and humidity. Data Analysis a. Rate i. ii. iii. iv. v. Room .467mL/min Fan .283mL/min Light .406mL/min Mist .074mL/min Dark .295mL/min

Hurtado 5 b. Condition Room Light Dark Mist Fan

Effect None Decrease Increase Decrease Increase

Reason Its the control expirament. Light closes stomata-too much water loss Stomata are open no light Humidity-less evaporation The wind blowing on plant causes evaporation.

c.

The transport of water is controlled by water potential. Water will always move from an area of high water potential to an area with low water potential. This water potential is affected by pressure, gravity, and solute concentration. Water potential also determine the direction of water. d. The closing of the stomata would prevent transpiration of water therefore the loss of water is minimized. It is a conservational adaptation. However, closing stomata prevents gas exchange in plants and therefore limits their carbon supplies. e. Some of these plants have adapted small, thick leaves with a reduced surface area. They may also have a thickened cuticle to protect themselves from the environment. The stomata may be sunken into pits. Some xerophytes shed their leaves during the driest seasons, therefore cannot lose water, and others can store water such as cacti. CAM plants uptake CO2 at night and convert it to something else that can be broken down during the day for sugars. These plants can close their stomata during the day so that no water is being lost. f. It creates data that is constant and consistent therefore it is comparable.