Bromothymol Blue Elodea Lab
Name _________________________________ Per. ________
Unit 5: Photosynthesis & Respiration Date: ____________
Lab #14: Photosynthesis and Carbon Dioxide Consumption
Elodea and Bromothymol Blue
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, add water, and use the energy of sunlight to produce sugar. Write the equation for photosynthesis: Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast, an organelle in plant cells that contains the molecule chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs the energy of sunlight. That light energy is converted to chemical energy through the steps of photosynthesis.
The reactions of photosynthesis can be divided into two major types: light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reactions convert energy from the sun into a form that the chloroplast can then use to make sugar from carbon dioxide; in the process producing oxygen as a waste product. The light-independent reactions use that energy to make glucose from carbon dioxide and water.
Bromothymol blue is an indicator solution to those used to test for food nutrients. It starts as a blue solution in water, and turns yellow in the presence of carbon dioxide. A small piece of elodea will be introduced to a solution containing bromothymol blue and CO2. The point is to determine whether the elodea will have an affect on CO2 levels.
Write a hypothesis about what will happen to CO2 levels in a solution if an aquatic plant is photosynthesizing.
If ___________________________________________, then ___________________________________.
Materials
test tube elodea straw
25 ml bromothymol blue scissors
Procedure
1. Obtain a test tube with water and place bromothymol blue from the bottle.
2. GENTLY start bubbling through the straw.
A. Describe the color change: _________________________________________________________
3. Now add a sprig of elodea. Let it sit for the rest of the period. B. Describe any
Unit 5: Photosynthesis & Respiration Date: ____________
Lab #14: Photosynthesis and Carbon Dioxide Consumption
Elodea and Bromothymol Blue
Photosynthesis is the process by which plants take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, add water, and use the energy of sunlight to produce sugar. Write the equation for photosynthesis: Photosynthesis occurs in the chloroplast, an organelle in plant cells that contains the molecule chlorophyll. Chlorophyll absorbs the energy of sunlight. That light energy is converted to chemical energy through the steps of photosynthesis.
The reactions of photosynthesis can be divided into two major types: light-dependent reactions and light-independent reactions. The light-dependent reactions convert energy from the sun into a form that the chloroplast can then use to make sugar from carbon dioxide; in the process producing oxygen as a waste product. The light-independent reactions use that energy to make glucose from carbon dioxide and water.
Bromothymol blue is an indicator solution to those used to test for food nutrients. It starts as a blue solution in water, and turns yellow in the presence of carbon dioxide. A small piece of elodea will be introduced to a solution containing bromothymol blue and CO2. The point is to determine whether the elodea will have an affect on CO2 levels.
Write a hypothesis about what will happen to CO2 levels in a solution if an aquatic plant is photosynthesizing.
If ___________________________________________, then ___________________________________.
Materials
test tube elodea straw
25 ml bromothymol blue scissors
Procedure
1. Obtain a test tube with water and place bromothymol blue from the bottle.
2. GENTLY start bubbling through the straw.
A. Describe the color change: _________________________________________________________
3. Now add a sprig of elodea. Let it sit for the rest of the period. B. Describe any