Practical: Investigating Light & Photosynthesis
● Although plants synthesise glucose during photosynthesis, their leaves cannot
be tested for its presence as the glucose produced is quickly used up,
converted into other substances and transported or stored as starch
● Starch is stored in the chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs so testing a
leaf for starch is a reliable indicator of which parts of the leaf are
photosynthesising
Apparatus
● Beakers
● Leaf tissue
● Bunsen burner
● Tripod
● Gauze platform
● Prongs
● Ethanol
● Safety goggles
● Iodine solution
● White tile
Investigating the requirement for light in photosynthesis
● Before testing for starch, complete the following procedure:
Method Part 1 - Preparing the leaf to be tested
● Destarch the plant by placing it in a dark cupboard for 24 hours
○ This ensures that any starch already present in the leaves will be used
up and will not affect the results of the experiment
● Following de-starching, partially cover a leaf of the plant with aluminium foil
and place the plant in sunlight for a day
● Remove the covered leaf and test for starch using the method below
Method Part 2 - Testing the leaf for starch
● Drop the leaf in boiling water
○ This kills the tissue and breaks down the cell walls
● Transfer the leaf into hot ethanol in a boiling tube for 5-10 minutes
○ This removes the chlorophyll so colour changes from iodine can be
seen more clearly
● Rinse the leaf in cold water
○ This is done to soften the leaf tissue after being in ethanol
● Spread the leaf out on a white tile and cover it with iodine solution
Results and analysis
● In a green leaf, the entire leaf will turn blue-black as photosynthesis is
occurring in all areas of the leaf
● The area of the leaf that was covered with aluminium foil will remain
orange-brown as it did not receive any sunlight and could not
photosynthesise, while the area exposed to sunlight will turn blue-black
○ When the cells can't photosynthesise they break down the starch to
use the glucose for respiration
● This proves that light is necessary for photosynthesis and the production of
starch
Safety
● Care must be taken when carrying out this practical as ethanol is extremely
flammable, so at that stage of the experiment, the Bunsen burner should be
turned off
● The safest way to heat the ethanol is in an electric water bath rather than
using a beaker over a Bunsen burner with an open flame
Variables in the Experiment:
● Independent Variable (what you change)
○ Presence or absence of light (covered vs uncovered part of the leaf).
● Dependent Variable (what you measure)
○ Presence of starch (indicated by the color change when iodine solution
is applied).
● Control Variables (what you keep constant)
○ Type of plant/leaf used.
○ Duration of destarching (24 hours in the dark).
○ Duration of exposure to sunlight.
○ Temperature during testing steps (boiling and ethanol treatment).
○ Volume and concentration of iodine solution used.
Practical: Investigating Carbon Dioxide &
Photosynthesis
● The iodine test for starch can be used to investigate the requirement for
carbon dioxide in photosynthesis
● Before testing for starch, complete the following procedure:
Apparatus
● Conical flasks
● Potassium hydroxide solution
● Clamps
● Clamp stands
● A plant
● Beakers
● Bunsen burner
● Tripod
● Gauze platform
● Prongs
● Ethanol
● Safety goggles
● Iodine solution
● White tile
Method
● Destarch the plant by placing it in a dark cupboard for 24 hours
○ This ensures that any starch already present in the leaves will be used
up and will not affect the results of the experiment
● Following de-starching, enclose one leaf with a conical flask containing
potassium hydroxide
○ The potassium hydroxide will absorb carbon dioxide from the
surrounding air
● Enclose another leaf with a conical flask containing no potassium hydroxide
(control experiment)
● Place the plant in bright light for several hours
● Test both leaves for starch using iodine solution
○ Drop the leaf in boiling water
○ Transfer the leaf into hot ethanol in a boiling tube for 5-10 minutes
○ Rinse the leaf in cold water
○ Spread the leaf out on a white tile and cover it with iodine solution
Results
● The leaf from the conical flask containing potassium hydroxide will remain
orange-brown as it could not photosynthesise due to lack of carbon dioxide
● The leaf from the control conical flask not containing potassium hydroxide
should turn blue-black as it had all necessary requirements for photosynthesis
●
Practical: Investigating Chlorophyll and
Photosynthesis
● Starch is stored in chloroplasts where photosynthesis occurs so testing a leaf
for starch is a reliable indicator of which parts of the leaf are
photosynthesising
● This method can also be used to test whether chlorophyll is needed for
photosynthesis by using a variegated leaf (one that is partially green and
partially white)
Apparatus
● Beakers
● Leaf tissue (leaves must be variegated)
● Bunsen burner
● Tripod
● Gauze platform
● Prongs
● Ethanol
● Safety goggles
● Iodine solution
● White tile
Method
● Drop the leaf in boiling water
○ This kills the tissue and breaks down the cell walls
● Transfer the leaf into hot ethanol in a boiling tube for 5-10 minutes
○ This removes the chlorophyll so colour changes from iodine can be
seen more clearly
● Rinse the leaf in cold water
○ This is done to soften the leaf tissue after being in ethanol
● Spread the leaf out on a white tile and cover it with iodine solution
Safety
● Care must be taken when carrying out this practical as ethanol is extremely
flammable, so at that stage of the experiment, the Bunsen burner should be
turned off
● The safest way to heat the ethanol is in an electric water bath rather than
using a beaker over a Bunsen burner with an open flame
Results and analysis
● The white areas of the leaf contain no chlorophyll and when the leaf is tested
only the areas that contain chlorophyll stain blue-black
● The areas that had no chlorophyll remain orange-brown as no photosynthesis
is occurring here and so no starch is stored