Investigation of Limiting Factors (Cambridge (CIE) A Level Biology): Exam Questions

A student wanted to investigate the effect of changing light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis in an aquatic plant. They set up their investigation as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

The student assessed the rate of photosynthesis by measuring the volume of oxygen collected in the measuring syringe.

(i) Explain why collecting oxygen is a measure of the rate of photosynthesis.

[1]

(ii) State precisely where in the plant the oxygen is produced.

[1]

Give three variables that the student should control in the experiment shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 2 shows the results collected by the student during the experiment described in part a).

Fig. 2

Calculate the percentage decrease in the rate of photosynthesis that takes place in Fig. 2 when the distance from the lamp is 10 cm compared to when it is 90 cm.

Explain why lower light intensity leads to a reduced rate of photosynthesis, as shown in Fig. 2.

A student investigated the effect of changing light wavelength on the rate of photosynthesis. They set up four beakers of sodium hydrogen carbonate solution, each containing 20 spinach leaf discs, and each under a lamp with a different coloured bulb. They measured the time taken for 50 % of the leaf discs to rise to the surface of the beaker; this time is notated as ET₅₀. The student's results are shown in table 1 below.

Table 1

Calculate the rate of photosynthesis for leaf discs under white, red, and blue bulbs.

Explain why sodium hydrogen carbonate (NaHCO₃) solution was used in the experiment described in part a).

Explain the results shown in Table 1.

The student suggested that the relatively low rate of photosynthesis could be due to light being primarily absorbed by pigments such as chlorophyll b and carotene, known as accessory pigments.

Describe the role of accessory pigments in the light dependent reactions.

A group of scientists carried out a study into the effects of temperature and light intensity on photosynthesis. The results of the study are shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 1

(i) State the limiting factor between the points marked A and B in Fig.1.

[1]

(ii) Explain your answer to part i).

[1]

Describe the effect of increasing light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis in Fig. 1

Explain the effect of increasing temperature above 30 °C on the rate of photosynthesis in Fig.1

The study shown in Fig.1 uses carbon dioxide uptake as a measure of the rate of photosynthesis.

Explain why carbon dioxide uptake does not give a true measure for the rate of photosynthesis.

Explain what is meant by the term limiting factor and explain how knowledge of limiting factors is used to increase crop yields in glasshouses.

Describe how you would carry out an investigation into the effect of wavelength of light on the rate of photosynthesis of a plant, using a redox indicator such as DCPIP.

A group of students wanted to investigate the effect of light intensity on photosynthesis. They followed the procedure below:

1. Prepare a chloroplast suspension using an isolation medium.

2. Set up a series of test tubes in a water bath at 20 °C.

3. Set up the following tubes for the purposes of control or reference:

   • Tube X = 5 cm³ DCPIP + 0.5 cm³ water + 0.5 cm³ liquid isolation medium

   • Tube Y = 5 cm³ DCPIP + 0.5 cm³ water + 0.5 cm³ chloroplast suspension, wrapped in aluminium foil

   • Tube Z = 5.5 cm³ water + 0.5 cm³ chloroplast suspension

4. Set up another series of tubes containing 5 cm³ DCPIP + 0.5 cm³ water.

5. Take one of the second series of tubes and place it 5 cm away from a lamp. Add 0.5 cm³ chloroplast suspension and start a timer.

6. Time how long it takes for the DCPIP to become colourless.

7. Repeat steps 6-7 at different distances from the lamp, e.g. 10 cm, 15 cm, 20 cm, 25 cm, 30 cm

It is important that the isolation medium used in step 1 is at the same solute concentration as the spinach cells.

Explain why this is the case.

From the investigation described in part a), explain the purpose of the following:

(i) Tube X.

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(ii) Tube Y.

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(iii) Tube Z.

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The results of the investigation described in part a) are shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Explain the results shown in Fig. 1

Some weedkillers contain ammonium hydroxide, a chemical that acts in a similar way to DCPIP during photosynthesis. A farmer wanted to use ammonium hydroxide weedkiller on their crop fields, but a scientist recommended that they choose a different type of weedkiller.

Suggest why the farmer was advised not to use ammonium hydroxide weedkiller on their crop fields.

A group of scientists used radioactive carbon to investigate the Calvin Cycle in both light and dark conditions. Multiple leaves of a plant were enclosed within a sealed bag containing radioactive carbon dioxide for different lengths of time. The leaves were then removed and analysed for radioactive compounds. Their results are shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Describe how radioactively labelled carbon dioxide is fixed inside the leaves of the plant while it is exposed to light in Fig..1.

Explain the results shown in Fig. 1 when the plant is moved into the dark.

At high temperatures, the enzyme that is involved with fixing carbon for the plant increasingly combines with oxygen instead of carbon dioxide in a reaction known as photorespiration. A simplified version of the photorespiration reactions can be seen in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

Photorespiration reduces the efficiency of photosynthesis.

Use Fig. 2 to suggest why this is the case.

Many scientists are interested in finding ways of improving the action of the enzyme that fixes carbon to reduce the rate at which it carries out photorespiration.

Suggest how the action of this enzyme could be improved.

Scientists investigated the effect of elevated carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels (measured in microatmospheres, μatm) and temperature on the growth and photosynthetic rates of Ulva pertusa, common bloom-forming green algae.

U. pertusa was grown under four temperature and CO₂ conditions:

• Ambient CO₂ levels (400 μatm) and temperature (16°C), modelling present-day conditions

• Elevated temperature only (19°C), modelling warming conditions

• Elevated CO₂  levels only (1,000 μatm), modelling acidification conditions

• Elevated temperature and CO_2, modelling the greenhouse effect

The rate of photosynthesis was measured for each condition.

Fig. 1 shows the results of the investigation.

Fig. 1

Name the limiting factors between points X and Y.

Use the information from Fig. 1 to explain your answer to part (a).

Describe the results of the investigation shown in Fig. 1.

Calculate the percentage difference in the rate of photosynthesis at 100 Lux between present day and modelled acidification conditions. Give your answer to 2 significant figures. 

A student investigated the effect of different wavelengths of light on the rate of photosynthesis in a suspension of algal cells. 

The apparatus used is shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 1

State the measurements the student should take to determine the rate of photosynthesis using the equipment shown in Fig. 1. 

The student did not use a pH buffer to maintain a constant pH.

Explain how the pH of the suspension would change over time in the absence of a pH buffer. 

Fig. 2 shows the student's results.

Fig. 2

(i) Explain why the rate of photosynthesis peaks at 460 nm and 660 nm.

[2]

(ii) Explain whether the graph in Fig. 2 shows an absorption spectrum or an action spectrum.

[1]

The student extended the investigation by measuring the effect of salt concentration on oxygen production within algae chloroplasts. Fig. 3 shows the results.

Fig. 3

(i) Identify the precise stage of photosynthesis in algae chloroplasts that is affected by an increased salt concentration.

[1]

(ii) Using information in Fig. 3, explain the effect that increasing salt concentration has on oxygen production in algae chloroplasts.

[2]

(iii) Explain how the effect shown in Fig. 3 will affect other aspects of the photosynthesis reactions.

[3]

Costasiella kuroshimae is a species of sacoglossan sea slug that graze on green algae.  The algal chloroplasts are not digested but are retained by Costasiella kuroshimae and used in a type of photosynthesis called kleptoplasty.

Kleptoplasty is the capacity of a non-photosynthetic host to retain functional chloroplasts from algal sources. These chloroplasts are termed kleptoplasts.

Image courtesy of Alif Abdulrahman via Wikimedia Commons and under this license. No changes to the image have been made

(i) Suggest an advantage to the Costasiella kuroshimae in carrying out kleptoplasty.

[1] 

(ii) Identify three key factors which may limit the rate of photosynthesis in kleptoplasts.

[1] 

Kleptoplasts from Costasiella kuroshimae were extracted and isolated to form a suspension. A scientist investigated the rate of photosynthesis in kleptoplasts at wavelengths of light using the redox indicator DCPIP. 

DCPIP interacts with reactions in the light-dependent stage of photosynthesis. DCPIP is a blue solution in its oxidised form, when reduced DCPIP turns colourless. 

The light-dependent stage is summarised in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1

Explain which molecule, labelled A - E represents the interaction of reduced DCPIP. 

The absorbance of the kleptoplast suspensions at four different wavelengths of light was measured using a colorimeter.

The results of the investigation are shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2

Explain the results shown in Fig. 2 on the rate of photosynthesis in kleptoplasts.

Fig. 3 shows the penetrance of different wavelengths of light to different depths in the ocean.

Fig. 3

Use the information provided in both Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 to suggest and explain which depth of the ocean Costasiella kuroshimae would be best adapted to.