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OE 7
Photosynthesis Simulation
Name:
You will be examining photosynthesis in an aquatic plant using dissolved oxygen.
Go to the cell energy simulation at Biology Simulations.
I. Background
Plants perform both photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
1. How will photosynthesis affect oxygen levels?
2. How will cellular respiration affect oxygen levels?
II. Light Intensity
Experimental Question: How does light intensity affect oxygen production?
1. Write your hypothesis.
Hypothesis:
2. Set the fish number to 0 and the plant number to 5. Leave the other variables at the
default values (25 degrees, white light).
3. Set the light intensity to 100%.
4. Record the starting and ending oxygen values.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%.
6. Calculate and record the DO difference.
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Light Intensity (%) DO Start DO End DO Difference
100
80
60
40
20
7. Insert a graph (use Sheets or another spreadsheet program) displaying how light
intensity affects changes in DO.
8. Write a sentence conclusion.
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9. Write a paragraph explaining your conclusion in terms of the process of photosynthesis.
III. Light Color
Experimental Question: How does light color affect oxygen production?
1. Write your hypothesis.
Hypothesis:
2. Set the fish number to 0 and the plant number to 5. Leave the other variables at the
default values (100% light intensity, 25 degrees).
3. Set the light color to white (combination of all wavelengths/colors).
4. Record the starting and ending oxygen values.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for violet, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red light.
6. Calculate and record the DO difference.
Light Color DO Start DO End DO Difference
White
Violet
Blue
Green
Yellow
Orange
Red
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7. Insert a graph (use Sheets or another spreadsheet program) displaying how light color
affects changes in DO.
8. Write a sentence conclusion.
9. Write a paragraph explaining your conclusion in terms of the process of photosynthesis.
IV. Temperature
Experimental Question: How does temperature affect oxygen production?
1. Write your hypothesis.
Hypothesis:
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2. Set the fish number to 0 and the plant number to 5. Leave the other variables at the
default values (100% light intensity, white light).
3. Set the temperature to 15 degrees.
4. Record the starting and ending oxygen values.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 20, 25, 30, and 35 degrees.
6. Calculate and record the DO difference.
Temperature (C) DO Start DO End DO Difference
15
20
25
30
35
7. Insert a graph (use Sheets or another spreadsheet program) displaying how
temperature affects changes in DO.
8. Write a sentence conclusion.
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9. Write a paragraph explaining your conclusion in terms of the process of photosynthesis.
