Elodea Canadensis is an aquatic weed that, like any other plant, uptakes carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and produces it through aerobic respiration. The purpose of this experiment was to measure the amount of carbon dioxide production in Elodea Canadensis plant with varying light source distances in order to understand whether more photosynthesis than aerobic respiration in the plant has occurred. This was done through a two-day experiment where the Elodea plant was first placed under a light source 30 cm away from the plant in the beaker with saturated carbon dioxide and then, on the second day, placed 20 cm under the light source. The amount of carbon dioxide was measured with phenolphthalein and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and compared …show more content…
It is considered a weed due to its capabilities of surviving in different conditions, such as low light, acidic or mineralized water, as well as under ice. It tolerates pH values from 6.0 to 7.5 and temperatures from 1 to 25 degrees Celsius. Its capability to do so results in the inhibition of the growth of other plant species and leads to competition habitat alteration, and becomes a threat to biodiversity. Its management is extremely difficult and for this reason research is going on for prevention …show more content…
Both photosynthesis and aerobic respiration are necessary processes in plants and provide energy. Aerobic respiration uses glucose (sugar) and oxygen to form carbon dioxide and energy while photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide and water to form glucose and oxygen. Photosynthesis may only occur during the day time while aerobic respiration occurs all the time. Since an increase in carbon dioxide levels indicates an increase in aerobic respiration and a decrease in photosynthesis, we can measure the net exchange of carbon dioxide levels and determine whether more photosynthesis or aerobic respiration at a particular time has occurred. We hypothesized that the beaker that is exposed to higher concentrations of light at a shorter distance from the lamp will produce lower amounts of carbon dioxide due to more available light energy. This experiment will show how the light intensity affects the cellular respiration and photosynthesis in the Elodea plant and whether higher light intensity really does prove more photosynthesis, and thus lower amounts of carbon dioxide, will be made. This experiment is important because it could provide evidence on whether light intensities affect the growth of Elodea and could help manage its