Advanced Placement Biology

AP Lab 5: Photosynthesis Lab Report

Name ______________________________________
Kasprowicz

General Directions:

Please TYPE your report, size 12 font, please double space.

Title (2)

clear and concise

should include your variables
For example, an appropriate title for the first part of this lab might be:
The Effect of Carbon Dioxide on Photosynthesis in Spinach Using the Floating Disc
Method

Introduction
A

good introduction will answer several questions, including the following:

Purpose of the experiment (2)
Brief description of the reaction being investigated in this experiment (2)
Identify the factor being tested (the independent variable) and the factor being
measured (the dependent variable) (2)
What results do you expect? Why? (3)
A statement of the alternate hypothesis should be included
A description of the experimental design (5)
This should be a separate paragraph.
It should include a description of the floating leaf disc assay used in this lab and how it works.
It should also include statement or two about the ET 50.

Materials and Methods

A list of materials/equipment used in the lab (2)

When procedures from a lab book or another report are followed exactly, simply
cite the work, noting that details can be found in that particular source .

Any additional changes you made to this procedure can be noted in the form of a list
or paragraph.
Citation for AP Lab Manual:
Investigation 5: Photosynthesis (College Board, 2012) AP Biology Investigative Labs:
An Inquiry-Based Approach (2012) New York, NY: College Board. p. 61-69.
o correctly cited reference to the lab manual for the procedure (2)
o any additional changes to the procedure that were related to your experiment
(3)
Results
A summary of the data from your experiment, without discussing their

implications. (2)
Data tables are NOT needed!
Include your graph at the end of the lab.
All figures and tables should have descriptive titles and should include a legend/key
explaining any symbols, abbreviations, or special methods used.

o title of graph (1)

Your graph title will be:

Figure 1. The Effect of _____ on _____.

o labeled axes (2)

o appropriate scales (2)
o correctly plotted points (1)

Figures and tables should be numbered separately and should be referred to in the text by
number, for example: Figure 1 shows that the activity decreased after five minutes OR The
activity decreased after five minutes (Figure 1).

Discussion/Conclusion(s)

Did the results support or reject your hypothesis? (2)

What does this lead you to conclude about the factor you changed? (2)
Briefly explain your results based on your knowledge of photosynthesis (2)
Biologically accurate explanation of your results OR description of why your results were
not what was expected
Identify a possible source of error in your experiment (1)
make a suggestion on how to address this concern and/or how it may have affected
the results of your experiment. (2)
Grammar/Spelling/Organization

(5)