Photosynthesis in Ponds

Plants in water need to photosynthesise just like those on land. Rates of photosynthesis can be slower in water, however, as the levels carbon dioxide dissolved in the water can be variable.

This traditional experiment on the rates of photosynthsesis in aquatic plants compares three common species. Although tricky to get right, when it works well, this experiment shows how effective plants can be at photosynthesis.

Resources

• Powerpoint presentation (also available as a pdf file)
• Teachers’ notes to support the presentation
• Short video about ponds