The Processes of Photosynthesis and Fermentation

Introduction:

“Fermentation occurs in fruits, bacteria, yeasts, fungi, as well as in mammalian muscle”(Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx) . “Yeasts were discovered to have connection with fermentation as observed by the French chemist, Louis Pasteur” (Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx). “Pasteur originally defined fermentation as respiration without air” (Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx). “However, fermentation does not have to always occur in anaerobic condition” (Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx). “Yeasts still prefer to undergo fermentation to process organic compounds and generate ATP even in the presence of oxygen” (Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx). “However, in mammalian muscles, they turn from oxidative phosphorylation (of cellular respiration) to fermentation when oxygen supply becomes limited, especially during a strenuous activity such as intensive exercising” (Biology Online, 2008, p. xx-xx).

Fermentation is one of the process of glycolysis, it is anaerobic, basically this means that it does not use air. Its end product is ethanol, which is a form of alcohol, ethanol differs from alcohol in its chemical composition. The end product of ethanol from glycolysis can be explained by the following equation.

“C2 H12 O6 → 2CO2 +2C2 H5 OH+2ATP” (Slide Share, n.d., p. xx-xx).

The reactant is glucose and the finished product is ethanol.

“Photosynthesis (literally, “synthesis from light”) is a metabolic process by which the energy of sunlight is captured and used to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) into carbohydrates (which is represented as a six-carbon sugar, C6H12O6) and oxygen gas (O2)” (BioPortal, n.d., p. 190).

Photosynthesis in simpler turns is the ability of a live plant to carry on its chemical process by the use of light energy. Photosynthesis can not take place when there is absolutely no light, instead it stores the light it captures during the day, and uses it when needed. Photosynthesis can take place in land plants and aquarian plants such as algae. There are many factors that influence the ability of a plant to go through photosynthesis, such as light, the color of light and amount of water and or light.

This lab has two sections. The first section deals with fermentation. The purpose of the fermentation lab is to alter 5 different independent variables (temperature, acid ph, alkali ph, enzyme concentration, and substrate concentration), to learn about their effects on the ongoing process of fermentation.

The second part of this lab deals with photosynthesis. This lab has several experiments. In the first experiment students will learn about the effects that different colored test tubes have on photosynthesis in elodea sprigs.