METHODS

Model:

• • Various types of leaves, lamp stimulating sunlight, test tubes, tin foil, Logger Pro, and CO2 conductivity probes.

  • In each experiment, the test tubes were equidistant from the lamp (10 cm), and each trial was 10 minutes long. Two trials were performed for each leaf color and each scenario.

  • Surface area of each type of leaf was calculated on graph paper.

Special techniques:

• • Leaves were stimulated by placing them under a light for 10 minutes. They were then sealed in a test tube. Tin foil was wrapped around the test tubes for the respiration scenario. This was done for each type of leaf.

  • Change in carbon dioxide concentrations was measured with CO2 probes.

  • For the photosynthesis and respiration scenario, a light to stimulate sun energy.

  • For the respiration scenario, the test tubes were wrapped with tin foil in order to block out light. The data collected would only give us results from the leaf’s respiration alone.

  • The concentration of CO2 was subtracted from the data from the photosynthesis and respiration scenario from the data from respiration scenario in order to calculate the rate of photosynthesis.