Skills Lab
GUIDED INQUIRY
Pre-Lab: Plant Pigments and Photosynthesis
Problem Do red leaves have the same pigments as green leaves?
Materials paper clips, one-hole rubber stoppers, chromatography paper strips, metric ruler, green and red leaves, coin, sheet of paper, large test tubes, test tube rack, glass-marking pencil, 10-mL graduated cylinder, isopropyl alcohol, colored pencils
Lab Manual Chapter 8 Lab
Skills Focus Predict, Analyze Data, Draw Conclusions
Connect to the 
Almost all life on Earth depends, directly or indirectly, on energy from sunlight. Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is captured and converted to chemical energy. Many reactions are required for this conversion, which takes place in the chloroplasts of plant cells. Some of the reactions depend on light and some do not. Plant pigments play a major role in the light-dependent reactions. In this lab, you will use chromatography to compare the pigments in red leaves with those in green leaves.
Background Questions
Compare and Contrast What do all plant pigments have in common? How are they different?
Review Why do most leaves appear green?
Review What property makes chlorophyll so important for photosynthesis?
Preview the procedure in the lab manual.
Design an Experiment What is the purpose of this lab?
Control Variables What is the control in this lab?
Design an Experiment Why must you place a leaf about 2 cm from the bottom of the paper before rubbing the leaf with the coin?
Predict Will red leaves contain the same amount of chlorophyll as green leaves? Why or why not?
Visit Chapter 8 online to test yourself on chapter content and to find activities to help you learn.
Untamed Science Video Journey to Panama with the Untamed Science crew to discover how CO2 affects plant growth.
Data Analysis Look at pigment color data in the ocean to find out how marine algae photosynthesize in the blue light available underwater.
Tutor Tube Learn how to sort out the products and reactants in both the light-dependent and light-independent reactions.
Art Review Focus on the thylakoid membrane to review your knowledge of the light-dependent reactions.
InterActive Art Bring the components of photosynthesis together to run an animation.
Art in Motion Watch the steps of the light-dependent reactions in motion at the molecular level.
Visual Analogies Compare ATP production to a charged battery. See how the electron transport chain is like passing a hot potato.
Table of Contents
- Formulas and Equations
- Applying Formulas and Equations
- Mean, Median, and Mode
- Estimation
- Using Measurements in Calculations
- Effects of Measurement Errors
- Accuracy
- Precision
- Comparing Accuracy and Precision
- Significant Figures
- Calculating With Significant Figures
- Scientific Notation
- Calculating With Scientific Notation
- Dimensional Analysis
- Applying Dimensional Analysis