Question

The diagram alongside represents an experiment conducted to prove the importance of a factor in photosynthesis. 

Study the same and then answer the questions that follow: 
(i) Name the factor being studied in his experiment. 
(ii) Why was the plant kept in a dark room before conducting the experiment? 
(iii}Why was the experimental leaf then kept in 
1. boiling water 2. methylated spirit? 
(iv) Name the solution used to test for the presence of starch in the leaf. 
(v) What will we observe in the experimental leaf at the end of the starch test? 
(vi) Give a balanced chemical equation to represent the process of photosynthesis. 

Answer 1

(i) Sunlight 
(ii) To destarch the leaf. 
(iii) (1) The leaf was kept in boiling water to kill the cells/ releases the starch grains. 
      (2) It is kept in methylated spirit to remove chlorophyll. 
(iv) Iodine 
(v}At the end of the starch test it is observed that the covered part of the leaf remains brown and the exposed part of the leaf remains blue-black. 
(vi) \[\ce {6CO2 + 12H2O ->[Sunlight][Chlorophyll]C6H12O6 + 6O2 + 6H2O}\]