Practical 6: Objective:

To investigate conditions essential for photosynthesis a) To test the presence of starch in green leaf. b) To show that sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis. c) To show that chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis. d) To show that carbon dioxide is necessary for photosynthesis. e) To show that oxygen is produced during photosynthesis.

Material and apparatus: Leaves Hydrilla or any water plant Beaker Bell jar Filter funnel Polythene bag Test tube White tile Methanol Iodine solution Boiling water Calcium hydroxide Potassium hydroxide Procedure: (a) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 6. 7. (b) 1. 2. 3. 4. (c) 1. 2. 3. 4. To test the presence of starch in green leaf Pluck a leaf from a plant that has been exposed to sunlight for a few hours. Place a leaf in a beaker of boiling water. This kills it and softens it. Get a small amount of methanol in a boiling tube. Add the leaf to this. Place the tube in the beaker of hot water. Do nor relight any Bunsen. Methanol is highly flammable. After about five minutes, pull the leaf out of the methanol and check that the leaf is decolourised. The methanol dissolves chlorophyll but not starch. Dip the leaf into hot water for a few seconds to soften it again. Lay the leaf flat on a white tile and put three or four drops of iodine solution. Record your observation. To show that sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis Keep a potted plant in the darkness for about 24 hours. Pluck a leaf. Test the leaf for starch. Repeat Step 2-6 in (a). Record your observation. To show that chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis Remove a variegated leaf that has been exposed to sunlight for a few hours. Draw a diagram to show the distribution of the green colour in the leaf. Test the leaf for starch. Repeat Step 2-6 in (a). Record your observation.

Questions: 1. 2. (d) 1. 2. 3. 4. the 5. 6. 7. 8. (e) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What do you observe concerning the distribution of the blue-black colour in the leaf? Can you say that only the green portions of the leaf manufacture starch in sunlight? That is photosynthesis occurs only when chlorophyll is present? To show that carbon dioxide is necessary for photosynthesis Leave two potted plants in darkness for about one day to remove any starch present. Cover their pots with polythene bags. Why? Place the plants under two bell jars, labeled A and B respectively. In bell jar A put a beaker of potassium hydroxide to absorb any carbon dioxide from air that enters the jar. The air in jar A is free from the carbon dioxide. Bell jar B has an open tube at its upper end which allows atmospheric air to enter the jar. Place the two bell jars in sunlight for a few hours. Test the leaf for starch. Repeat Step 2-6 in (a). Record your observation. To show that oxygen is produced during photosynthesis Place some freshwater plants (Hydrilla) under an inverted fiter funnel in a beaker of water, preferably pond water. The funnel is raised above the bottom of the beaker to allow free circulation of water. Invert a test tube completely filled with water over the stem of the funnel. Make sure no air bubble is trapped in the test tube. Labelled it as Set A. Place the apparatus in sunlight for a few hours. Set up another experiment in a similar way but place it in a dark cupboard. This acts as a control. Label it as Set B. Test the gas with a glowing splint in the test tube for Set A and Set B. What happens? What gas is given off by the water plant?

Marking Scheme: 1. Manipulative skill Planning the set-up of apparatus Correct technique of testing The way observation is carried out Product: Title/objective/hypothesis Introduction/theoretical knowledge Equipments/apparatus/procedure Results-drawing and labelling Discussion/Conclusion Questions and answers References Total:

Marks 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 100

2.