Ap Biology Lab

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To begin, in this lab we studied the structures of leaves under a microscope. A leaf is best described as a major photosynthetic organ of green plants. Plants carry out the process of photosynthesis to convert carbon dioxide and water into oxygen and glucose for usable energy. This can be represented in a general equation which is 6CO2 + H2O -------> (sunlight and chlorophyll) C6 H12 O6 +6O2. Initially, the leaf is protected by the upper and lower epidermis as well as the cuticle. The leaf first needs to obtain sunlight which enters through the cuticle. Eventually, the sunlight seeps through to the upper epidermis and makes its way into the mesophyll. The mesophyll contains chloroplast which are necessary organelle in order for the leaf to