Rates of Reaction Investigation :: Papers

Rates of Reaction Investigation Aim - We are trying to see what effect changing light intensity has on the volume of oxygen produced. Prediction - Photosynthesis is where a plant uses sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and glucose. The equation for this is: Carbon dioxide = water ====== glucose = oxygen I predict that as the lamp is placed further away from the plant the amount of oxygen produced will decrease. The factors that will affect the rate of photosynthesis are the amount of sunlight, the amount of carbon dioxide and water. These affect the rate of photosynthesis because they are the main factors. Temperature also affects the rate of photosynthesis because the enzymes stop working when the temperature becomes too high. The enzymes also work better at a warmer temperature than at a colder temperature because the particles move faster. This means that the faster moving particles collide with each other more. The more they collide the faster the rate of photosynthesis. The only plants that can photosynthesize are plants that are green. The plants that are green contain the pigment chlorophyll can photosynthesize. After entering the leaf through the stomata the carbon dioxide is trapped. The stomata in the leaf control how much water and carbon dioxide are let in and how much oxygen and glucose is released. The water is carried through the xylem from the roots and it is trapped in the chloroplasts. When the light hits the leaf its energy is trapped and used to break the bonds in the water and carbon dioxide. This means that the two compounds are being split into their elements. The elements of carbon dioxide, hydrogen and oxygen reform to create the compound glucose and molecules of oxygen. A limiting factor is one, which will not change so it is limited. The factor that I am going to change is light intensity. This is the main factor that will affect the rate of photosynthesis. The more light there is the more oxygen that will be produced.