1. Purpose The purpose of our experiment was to learn what the effect of salt water was on photosynthesis. We used different solutions in a floating leaf disk experiment. These solutions had 100ml of water with.2 grams of bicarbonate (baking soda) and either 0g (control) 2g, 3g, 4g, or 5g of salt in the solution. Purpose The purpose of our experiment was to learn what the effect of salt water was on photosynthesis. We used different solutions in a floating leaf disk experiment. These solutions had 100ml of water with.2 grams of bicarbonate (baking soda) and either 0g (control) 2g, 3g, 4g, or 5g of salt in the solution. Introduction Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar. Equation for Photosynthesis 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O (+ light energy) C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 Introduction Photosynthesis is the process of converting light energy to chemical energy and storing it in the bonds of sugar. Equation for Photosynthesis 6CO 2 + 6H 2 O (+ light energy) C 6 H 12 O 6 + 6O 2 Results After completing two trials of each solution we averaged the times each disk rose at and were able to obtain this data. Results After completing two trials of each solution we averaged the times each disk rose at and were able to obtain this data. Effects Salt has on Photosynthesis of Spinach Leaves The A-Team: Emily Meier, Madison Hargan, Paige Hendrickson, Haridas Chittar Arts, Communication, and Business/ Human Services/ Health Services The A-Team: Emily Meier, Madison Hargan, Paige Hendrickson, Haridas Chittar Arts, Communication, and Business/ Human Services/ Health Services Acknowledgements www.plantingscience.org Scott Russell-University of Oklahoma Christine Winstead Acknowledgements www.plantingscience.org Scott Russell-University of Oklahoma Christine Winstead Conclusion To conclude, in our experiment we had to make some changes. While we started with solutions of 0g, 5g, 10g, 20g, and 30g; we soon learned that the density of the salt water would not allow the leaves to sink after about 5g of salt dissolved in the solution. After changing it, the experiment continued well but we feel some of our results were a little strange, for instance the bicarbonate with no salt didn’t even cause all of the disks to rise in the first trial, however they all came up under eight minutes in the second. More time to conduct a third trial and more practice with the floating leaf disk experiment would have aided the results and given us a better idea of what had really occurred. Conclusion To conclude, in our experiment we had to make some changes. While we started with solutions of 0g, 5g, 10g, 20g, and 30g; we soon learned that the density of the salt water would not allow the leaves to sink after about 5g of salt dissolved in the solution. After changing it, the experiment continued well but we feel some of our results were a little strange, for instance the bicarbonate with no salt didn’t even cause all of the disks to rise in the first trial, however they all came up under eight minutes in the second. More time to conduct a third trial and more practice with the floating leaf disk experiment would have aided the results and given us a better idea of what had really occurred. Claims of Evidence Acknowledgements can go here. Methods Step 1: Gather materials (65 grams of salt, 0.2 grams of baking soda, 5 containers, spinach leaves, a fluorescent light bulbs, a hole puncher, a syringe, baking soda, and a water source). Step 2: Cut out 50 spinach disks with the hole puncher, and place them off to the side. Step 3: Fill the 5 containers with 100mL water, and place 5 grams of salt into one container, 4 grams in another, 3 grams in a third one, and 2 grams in a fourth one. The fifth container will contain normal water with no salt added to it. (.2 grams of bicarbonate will be added to each one) Step 4: Place 10 spinach disks into the syringe, and draw some of the water that’s in the container with the 30 grams of salt. Place your thumb on the tip of the syringe’s nose, and pull back on the handle, removing the oxygen from the disks. After removing most of the oxygen from the disks (You will know this has been accomplished once the disks stop floating), remove your thumb from the nose, and remove the handle from the syringe. Place the disks back in the water container with 30 grams of salt. Repeat this step for the other containers and the remainder of the disks. Step 5: Place one of the containers under the fluorescent light bulbs, and time them for 10 minutes with a stopwatch. Write down the time that each disk returns to the surface. Step 6: Record results and write a conclusion. Graph: Average times for photosynthesis to occur using different salt solutions in a floating leaf disk experiment. Leaf number Time to rise (in minutes) Leaves5g4g3g2g0g 13.52.861.782.677.31 23.863.211.852.828.78 34.343.182.14310.59 45.13.612.273.0514.16 55.793.592.663.5515.84 66.263.712.773.6817.76 77.294.332.833.895.3 811.24.243.173.925.37 911.255.33.254.417.45 1013.145.933.484.817.48 Claims of Evidence After many days of researching, we finally finished our project. The results we had were... different compared to our hypothesis. We originally had the idea that the discs with the minimal amount of salt solution would go through the process of photosynthesis quicker, and that the discs that had the most salt would go through photosynthesis the slowest. Even though the discs that had the largest salt solutions (4 grams and 5 grams) experienced photosynthesis the slowest, so did the discs that had the least amount of salt solutions to it (2 grams and 0 grams). Instead, the leaf discs that had the “balanced” salt solution (3 grams) experienced photosynthesis the fastest. Whenever the plants exceeded, or went lower, than the “balanced” salt solution, they would begin to go slightly slower. Our hypothesis was proven false, however, we did learn that there is a specific level of salt solution that plants prefer. Claims of Evidence After many days of researching, we finally finished our project. The results we had were... different compared to our hypothesis. We originally had the idea that the discs with the minimal amount of salt solution would go through the process of photosynthesis quicker, and that the discs that had the most salt would go through photosynthesis the slowest. Even though the discs that had the largest salt solutions (4 grams and 5 grams) experienced photosynthesis the slowest, so did the discs that had the least amount of salt solutions to it (2 grams and 0 grams). Instead, the leaf discs that had the “balanced” salt solution (3 grams) experienced photosynthesis the fastest. Whenever the plants exceeded, or went lower, than the “balanced” salt solution, they would begin to go slightly slower. Our hypothesis was proven false, however, we did learn that there is a specific level of salt solution that plants prefer.