Different Pigments Utilize Different Light Wavelengths to Generate Plant Growth

Abstract

In our experiment, the problem addressed was the effect different lighting conditions have on the growth of plants. Our hypothesis stated that plants absorb red wavelengths and reflect green wavelengths to carry out photosynthesis, because of this a plant’s rate of photosynthesis will increase if exposed to red light rather than green light. The experiment we set up involved one plant set under white, red, and green light. We used a spectrometer, O2 probe, and a chromatography test to measure what pigments the plant had, what it absorbed and reflected, and the amount of O2 produced under each light. We found that our hypothesis was supported, because O2 was produced more under red light than green.