Title: The relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis in spinach leaves | StudyHippo.com
Headings: The relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis in spinach leaves
The relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis in spinach leaves
Get Full Essay

Content: The net reaction of photosynthesis isCO2 + H2O + light energy yields (CH2O) + H2O + O2where (CH2O) stands for carbohydrate. Overall, photosynthesis consists of two sets of reactions: one that is light dependent and one that is independent of light. Read More
In the light dependent reactions use energy from light is absorbed by chlorophyll. This powers the release of electrons from water, which are then transferred to the electron carrier, NADPH. Oxygen is a product of the light dependent reactions. In contrast, the light-independent reactions result in the production of sugar from carbon dioxide. It is useful to study factors that affect rate of photosynthesis in order to determine the conditions of optimal photosynthetic activity and explain various characteristics of plants. For example, understanding the affect of light intensity on rate of photosynthesis may reveal why shrubs in the shade do not grow as tall as trees with greater exposure to sunlight. In this experiment, spinach leaves were subjected to varying light intensities to determine the effect of light intensity on rate of photosynthesis as measured by production of oxygen.