IB biology HL lab Investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate and Report - 1

IB biology HL Investigate the effects of sodium bicarbonate and light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis of leaves through the observation of floating leaf discs - Lab Report Example In this experiment, the aim is to investigate on the effects of sodium bicarbonate and the intensity of light on the photosynthesis rate in green spinach leaves through the use of floating leaf disks. Being autotrophic organisms, leaves depend on the photosynthesis process that occurs in a series of enzyme mediated steps to capture light and build energy rich carbohydrates. Leaves, when put under water undergo the light-dependent reaction process, thereby producing and releasing oxygen to their interior parts; thus, causing them to rise. However, during the same process, another process, cellular respiration, takes place and consumes the produced oxygen. Therefore, this implies that leaves must have provided the source of carbon that would allow for photosynthesis to take place (Renger, 2008). The available carbon dioxide coupled with the amount of light that the plant receives, the rate of photosynthesis is influenced. With the aspect of sodium bicarbonate arising from the CO2, it is predictable that the same would have an effect on photosynthesis rate. In this lab report, data shall be presented for the variables of the study in categories of control, dependent and independent variables. The data collected shall be in the form of number of disks that floated during the experiment when subjected under different intensities of light and solutions. The hypothesis is that when the green spinach leaves are exposed to higher light intensities in the presence of the sodium bicarbonate, less time will be taken for the leaf disks to float. This is for the reason that there is an increase in the production rate of oxygen during the photosynthesis process that the leaf disks undergo. Upon setting up an experiment in the recommended manner using all the laboratory materials and procedures, the following data was recorded in relation to the number of leaf disks that float to the top of