​When CO2 is dissolved in water, it reacts with water to become carbonic acid (H2CO3). It is the hydrogen ions present in carbonic acid that make water acidic, lowering the pH.

    Balanced Equation

Part 3:
you will visualize photosynthetic pigments via paper chromatography

Part 2:
you will visualize O2 bubbles produced
during photosynthesis

Part 1:
you will prove CO2 is absorbed during photosynthesis

                                      photosynthesis lab 

  chlorophyll is a pigment molecule that in plants is located inside chloroplasts.

Part 4:
we'll use a spectrophotometer to measure absorption of the different photosynthetic pigments

​WHY?

The leaf disks intake carbon dioxide from a baking soda solution and sink to the bottom of a cup of water. When exposed to light, the disks use carbon dioxide and water to produce oxygen and glucose. Oxygen released from the leaves forms tiny bubbles that cause the leaves to float.

  chlorophyll is embedded in the membrane of the chloroplast's thylakoids

 several pigments carry out photosynthesis utilizing different wavelengths of light

light energy is measured in nm wavelengths. 
  visible light energy falls between approx. 400 and 750 nm