Measuring the rate of reaction

Hi, I'm doing a biology experiment based on photosynthesis. We're using different coloured filters and checking how long it takes to decolourise an extract of plant with DCPIP (so how long it takes to decolourise DCPIP). How would I measure the rate of reaction, if the only data I'll have is the time taken to decolourise DCPIP?

OP

Bump

You won't be able to measure the rate of reaction with only one variable.

Reply 3

themedicalgeek

12

you could try putting the extract with DCIP in solution and use colourimetry at various intervals to measure intensity of colour - rate = change of intensity reading/time. This might require some standard setting though -- its been a while since I have done a-level.

Reply 4

etherealinsanity

OP

14

Original post by themedicalgeek

you could try putting the extract with DCIP in solution and use colourimetry at various intervals to measure intensity of colour - rate = change of intensity reading/time. This might require some standard setting though -- its been a while since I have done a-level.

Thank you! I'll look into that.

I'm better at theory than I am at practicals, so this is kind of going over my head.

Reply 5

etherealinsanity

OP

14

Original post by themedicalgeek

you could try putting the extract with DCIP in solution and use colourimetry at various intervals to measure intensity of colour - rate = change of intensity reading/time. This might require some standard setting though -- its been a while since I have done a-level.

When you say 'in solution', what type of solution would I be looking at?

Reply 6

themedicalgeek

12

Original post by etherealinsanity

When you say 'in solution', what type of solution would I be looking at?

Possibly crush it up in water to get a solution. Im not sure if this approach would totally work though.

Reply 7

etherealinsanity

OP

14

Original post by themedicalgeek

Possibly crush it up in water to get a solution. Im not sure if this approach would totally work though.

I was planning on using cold isolation medium with algae or spinach leaves, or just crushing the plant material itself. I read something about bicarbonate something a while ago, so I was just confused.

Thank you for all you help. :smile:

Reply 8

tsrusernamestr

anyone know what the precautions would be for this experiment?

Reply 9

Laurasaur

14

Original post by etherealinsanity

Hi, I'm doing a biology experiment based on photosynthesis. We're using different coloured filters and checking how long it takes to decolourise an extract of plant with DCPIP (so how long it takes to decolourise DCPIP). How would I measure the rate of reaction, if the only data I'll have is the time taken to decolourise DCPIP?

Rate is usually the change in concentration/ time, which in this case would be the intensity of colour/time which could be measured with a colorimeter. If you're talking about an OCR practical, they tell you that it's '1000/t', so you'd just calculate it from that

(edited 8 years ago)

Measuring the rate of reaction

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