Photosynthesis Virtual Lab

Hypothesis: all of the colors in the light spectrum are most effective in the growth process of photosynthesis except for green. We tested our hypothesis by plugging in the different colors as well as the different types of plants into the simulation. After running the simulation we gathered the info of the averages in lengths of the plants after 30 days. The variables we controlled in this experiment were the pot, type of soil, location, and amount of water given. The variable that we changed in this experiment (independent variable) was the different colors shining on the plant as it grew.

That is also how we compared our growth results.

The data did indeed prove our hypothesis to be correct, and the green light was the least effective in the growth process of all the plants tested in the experiment. As shown on the graph the green was the least effective averaging at less than five and around threeish centimeters after every trial. The reasoning behind this would be because plants contain a chemical by the name of chlorophyll, which absorbs every color in the light spectrum except for green. That is the color that is reflected, and that is why we see plants as green. As shown in the simulation, we see different types of plants and how fast they grow under the same circumstances compared to each other, for ex. the average for lettuce growth is much larger than the average for spinach. The reason behind this is that some plants grow faster than others due to the different adaptations they have. Plants have evolved to be well adapted to their environments and for ex. tropical plants direct most of their resources to growth leading to faster growth rates.

It seems like, as shown in the graph, that the colors violet, orange and red were all around the most effective colors of the light spectrum to help plant growth. The reasoning behind this is that purple and violet lights have short wavelengths and thus lots of energy. Green light is the least effective for plants because they are themselves green due to the pigment Chlorophyll. Different color light helps plants achieve different goals as well. Blue light, for example, helps encourage vegetative leaf growth.- according to konicaminolta.com.

If the plants were put under a white light, under the same circumstances as in this experiment/ simulation, we predict that the results would show it will growing faster than if it were under other colored lights. This is because the sun gives off white light, and that is also the most effective source of energy/ light that a plant can use for growth.

Did you like this example?

453

24