Photosynthesis by Chloroplasts
Experiment #12 from Investigating Biology through Inquiry
- Subject
- Biology
Introduction
Yeast can metabolize sugar in two ways, aerobically, with the aid of oxygen, or anaerobically, without oxygen. When yeast metabolizes a sugar under anaerobic conditions, ethanol (CH3CH2OH) and carbon dioxide (CO2) gas are produced. An equation for the fermentation of the simple sugar glucose (C6H12O6) is:
The metabolic activity of yeast can be determined by the measurement of gas pressure inside the fermentation vessel.
Objectives
In the Preliminary Activity, you will use a spectrophotometer to measure color changes in DPIP due to photosynthesis by chloroplasts.
After completing the Preliminary Activity, you will first use reference sources to find out more about photosynthesis by chloroplasts before you choose and investigate a researchable question dealing with photosynthesis. Some topics to consider in your reference search are:
- photosynthesis
- chlorophyll
- chloroplast
- ATP
- NADPH
- electron transport chain
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.
Correlations
Teaching to an educational standard? This experiment supports the standards below.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) 2025/Biology
- B2.2.5—Adaptations of the chloroplast for photosynthesis
- B4.2.3—Photosynthesis as the mode of nutrition in plants, algae and several groups of photosynthetic prokaryotes
- C1.3.1—Transformation of light energy to chemical energy when carbon compounds are produced in photosynthesis
- C1.3.2—Conversion of carbon dioxide to glucose in photosynthesis using hydrogen obtained by splitting water
- C1.3.3—Oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis in plants, algae and cyanobacteria
- C1.3.9—Photosystems as arrays of pigment molecules that can generate and emit excited electrons
- C1.3.12—ATP production by chemiosmosis in thylakoids
- C1.3.13—Reduction of NADP by photosystem I
- C1.3.14—Thylakoids as systems for performing the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis
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This experiment is #12 of Investigating Biology through Inquiry. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.
