Question
A student is investigating how light intensity affects photosynthesis. They place a piece of pondweed in a test tube containing sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. State the role of the sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. (1 mark) square
Answer
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Bethan
Elite · Tutor for 8 years
Answer
The role of the sodium hydrogen carbonate solution is to provide a source of carbon dioxide for photosynthesis.
Explanation
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, or other bicarbonate solutions, are commonly used in plant photosynthesis experiments, like the one with pondweed mentioned, due to their innate ability to provide carbon dioxide. This compound (NaHCO3) is essentially able to break down releasing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis which is a vital compound needed by the plant for this process. Consequently, its role is to provide a source of CO2. This can aid in comparing the rate of photosynthesis under varying light intensities, as a higher concentration of CO2 would enable the plant to photosynthesize at an optimal rate. Hence, by making sure that carbon dioxide is not the limiting factor in this life process, the student assures that any changes noted in the level of photosynthesis is due to the light intensity shifts rather than the lack of one of the major photosynthesis ingredients.