Photosynthesis

Photosynthesis Introduction: Photosynthesis is the process in which green plants utilize the energy of sunlight to manufacture carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water in the presence of chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is the green pigment that is located in the grana of chloroplasts, and converts light energy into food in the form of glucose. Chloroplasts are structures in the cells of plants and algae where photosynthesis takes place.(Encarta 2000) Photosynthesis only occurs in autotrophs because they are unable to obtain food, therefore they have to make it themselves. Heterotrophs on the other hand like humans, are motile and can obtain their food so they cannot make their own food. Without photosynthesis there would not be oxygen for humans to breathe. Through photosynthesis, plants give off oxygen for us to breathe, and we supply plants with carbon dioxide need for the process of photosynthesis.(Biology: The Study of life) Purpose: 1. Remove chlorophyll pigment from a spinach leaf 2. Separate the chlorophyll pigments from one another by using a technique called chromatography 3. Identify the pigments by their colors and positions on the chromatogram Materials: - large test tube -cork or plastic test tube cap -scissors - spinach leaf -chromatography green, pigments, plants, chlorophyll, because, photosynthesis, leaves, chromatography, spinach, light, leaf, food, chromatogram, blue, yellow, sunlight, pigment, energy, different, colors, color, visible, very, tube, test, study, sheet, shades, several, quantity, process, procedure, oxygen, obtain, make