IntroductionWe as heterotrophs rely on photosynthetic organisms for nearly all of the organic plant matter that we consume for energy. Photosynthesis is one of the oldest and most fundamental processes of life. ("BIO 1510 Laboratory Manual", 2015, 131) We study the process of photosynthesis because it is important to our lives. In theory, scientists who can understand the concepts of what plants need to produce what we need are therefore better equipped to create more efficient plants in the laboratory. So what do these plants need? Well the photosynthetic process is composed of two chemical reactions. The reaction to light and the Calvin cycle. The first set of reactions requires light to proceed and are sometimes referred to as light-dependent reactions; in it, colored pigments on plant leaves capture electrons and transmit them to a coenzyme known as NADP+, which is similar to NAD+ in aerobic activity. breathing. The final process produces energy in the form of NADPH and ATP through the process of photophosphorylation. The second series of reactions, sometimes called light-independent reactions, proceeds as long as ATP and NADPH are available. The reaction captures atmospheric CO2 and uses the energy molecules to convert it into an organic molecule for storage, commonly glucose due to its easy convertibility into more complex molecules. ("BIO 1510 Laboratory Manual", 2015, 131) In this laboratory we attempted to analyze aspects of the photosynthetic process from both light-dependent and light-independent reactions. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first experiment studied the pigments involved in the process of photosynthesis. Using thin layer chromatography, we analyzed four pigments present in organic matter, chlorophyll A which is the primary pigment required for photosynthesis to occur, there are also accessory pigments present in most plants, chlorophyll B, carotenes and xanotophylls. Their presence helps broaden the spectrum of light the plant can absorb, and the accessories are also the reason leaves change color in autumn. (“BIO 1510 Laboratory Manual,” 2015, 133) As temperatures drop, chlorophyll A pigments that are blue-green die leaving carotenoids that are yellow-brown. We expected our TLC strip to be similar to the one found on the back cover of the Bio lab book. Experiment two was designed to see the amount of oxygen released by the photosynthetic process when it absorbs different lengths of visible light, as well as the availability of CO2. From basic information gleaned from the first experiment, we knew that blue-green was the actual color of chlorophyll A, which makes up nearly 75 percent of all pigments in the plant. (“BIO 1510 Laboratory Manual,” 2015, 133) We hypothesized that blue light would be most effective, and then red light behind it. Compared to white light, we said that blue light would still be more effective because the only thing going into the blue light tube is light that it can process more efficiently. This is why normal white light is a good control. The other aspect of this experiment, the availability of CO2, can also be tested with the exact same procedure, only we had foreseen a different amount of inhibitor that absorbs CO2 that the plant in this tube would produce less oxygen. In experiment three we attempted to qualitatively learn about light reactions versus reactions.