The Effects of Photosynthesis on Bean Plants

The Effects of Photosynthesis on Bean Plants

Purpose: To determine how the quantity of light will effect the growth of a bean from seed.

Hypothesis: I think that the bean that is in light constantly for 24 hours will grow more quickly than the bean in full sunlight and in partial sunlight. I think that it will grow faster because it has a constant source of light every day. This will allow the bean to capture light energy continuously. The light energy can then be transformed into energy use and storage for the plant. This will allow it to grow and produce leaves that will then afford the bean even greater amounts of photosynthesis and cellular respiration opportunities. Therefore, I hypothesize that the bean seed under 24 hour light, will grow the fastest.

Materials: 2L Pop Bottle

Tape

Green Bean Seeds

Potting Soil

Round Coffee Filter

Gravel

Plate/Tray

Scissors

Water

Procedure: 1. Set up the pop bottle terrariums. Start with a pop bottle and slice the top off. Cut holes in the lid to allow for gas exchange. Cut holes in the base to allow the water to drain away from the soil. Place the gravel in the bottom, followed by a coffee filter. Moisten the potting soil which all came from one source and then pour it into the filter. Put your bean seed into the soil. Place the lid back on the bottle with a piece of tape. Repeat this same procedure for the other two bottles.

2. Place all terrariums in the same room to maintain constant temperature. This experiment will be conducted in a room temperature of 21„aC.

3. Place bottle #1 under a full spectrum light bulb. This light will be on for 24 hours, daily.

4. Place bottle #2 in a window free of drapes and will allow for the maximum amount of light in the daylight hours. This bean will have approximately 10 hours of sun/daylight daily.

5. Place bottle #3 in a corner away from the window and lights. This bean will have approximately 3 hours of daylight daily

6. Water each bean the same amount every other day.

7. Record observations at the same time daily. For this experiment the observations will be taken at 4:30pm daily.

Observations:

Plant #1 Plant #2 Plant #3

Day 1 There is nothing to report There is nothing to report There is nothing to report

Day 2 There is nothing to report There is nothing to report There is nothing to report

Day 3 There is nothing to report There is nothing to report There is nothing to report

Day 4 There is nothing to report There is nothing to report There is nothing to report

Day 5 has 2cm of curved stem poking out of the soil and is pale green has 1cm of curved stem poking out of the soil and is pale green has 0.5cm of curved stem poking out of the soil and is white

Day 6 has a stem that is 7cm tall but then it curves back downwards for 2.5cm. The hopocotyl-radicle axis (from here on in, the hypocotyl-radicle axis will be HRA) has formed and there are two leaves forming that are 2.5cm long and is pointing at a downward angle of 20„a. The leaves havenЎ¦t opened, but are formed and closed. It is bright green is 2.5cm out of the soil, with another 2cm curving back towards the soil. You can see the HRA, which is closed. The HRA is pointing at a downwards angle of 10„a. The bean is pale green at the base, but further up the stem it gets to be a darker green. still has its HRA in the soil and is a very pale shade of green. It measures a total of 2.5cm curved over and is pointing at a downwards angle of 5„a

Day 7 has grown so much that it found a crack in the lid of the terrarium and grew through it! It is now 16cm tall and is evenly coloured light green from the base to the leaves. The leaves are now at a 90„a angle to the stem. The HRA is open 1.5cm and the leaves are 3cm long. The leaves are still closed. is 6.5cm tall with a paler stalk at the