How to Demonstrate the Photosynthesis Process

Photosynthesis is undertaken by plants and certain algae and bacteria.

The procedure by which photosynthetic organisms--including certain algae and bacteria--convert energy from the sun into sugar can seem magical. This is especially so when you consider the chemical reaction's supreme importance for so many organisms, producing the oxygen they need to breathe as well as, ultimately, the food they need to eat. A demonstration of photosynthesis shouldn't be considered some rote run-through of a simple little scientific truth, but should be valued as an explanation of one of the planet's most ecologically fundamental processes.

Instructions

1. Prime yourself on the photosynthesis reaction. Gather as much information as you can so that your demonstration will be a boiled-down but comprehensive overview. Focus on the effects of photosynthesis, so that you can impress upon your audience its real purpose and importance. For example, plants incorporate glucose into their cell walls and also transform it into the food-source starch.

2. Define your audience. This will direct your demonstration as much as anything. For young children, you'll need to highlight simplicity and clarity: Your ultimate goal, depending on the situation, might mainly be to impress upon the children the importance of photosynthesis and the conversion of sunlight to "food" by plants (perhaps not even mentioning the other photosynthetic organisms).

3. Get into greater detail with older, better informed audiences. Indeed, this might be something of a re-education process. Plenty of adults, young and old, remember vaguely learning about photosynthesis in their K-12 classrooms, but may have forgotten nearly everything about it--beyond understanding it has to do with plants and sunshine. The process is too important to be ignorant of it.

4. Decide on a demonstration format. This could be as simple as a sketch of the chemical reaction: Six molecules of water and carbon dioxide each coming together to produce six molecules of oxygen and a lone molecule of glucose--all catalyzed by light energy from the sun. But you could be far more creative. Taking a more artistic path, you could even stage a little theatrical performance, with actors representing each component and product.

5. Use visual aids. This is particularly helpful when teaching children, but might be equally beneficial for adults who stare blankly at mentions of "glucose" or "chlorophyll." Draw the incoming streams of sunlight; highlight the leaves and their photosynthetic pigments as light receptors; use appropriate icons, even cartoons, to stand in for carbon dioxide, water and glucose.

References

• "Dictionary of Nature"; David Burnie; 1994

Resources

• NatureWorks: Photosynthesis