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About This Simulation
Help a group of engineers figure out if a mysterious dark alga is able to do photosynthesis using green light and measure this process with the Hill reaction. If it is, your work will help create a sustainable plan that will use sunlight and pollution sources for biofuel production.
Learning Objectives
- Understand the importance and uses of photosynthesis
- Understand the photolysis of water and electron transport
- Understand properties of light and why pigments are colorful
- Develop a hypothesis and set up an experiment to test it
- Understand how to measure the redox potential of the electron transport chain
About This Simulation
Lab Techniques
- Hill reaction
- Centrifugation
- Spectrophotometry
Related Standards
- HS-ETS1-1, HS-ETS1-2, HS-ETS1-3, HS-ETS1-4, HS-LS1-5, HS-LS2-3
- Biology Unit 3: Cellular Energetics
- Biology Unit 3.5
- Biology Unit 3.4
- 8.2 Cell respiration
Learn More About This Simulation
In the Electron Transport Chain simulation, you’ll meet Roxy, the lead engineer for a project in north Alaska. Here, environmental protection has been made a priority. With VR, you will fly over the ocean on a journey to discover that the most problematic facilities are the coal power plant and the fish farm, which are causing glacier melting and eutrophication. But fear not, Roxy has come up with a brilliant idea to produce biofuel from algae using the excess of nutrients from the fish farm and the heat and CO2 from the coal plant. When scuba diving, she found some mysterious dark algae and now she needs your help to figure out if the algae can use green light to perform photosynthesis.
Use the Hill reaction and spectrophotometry
Most plants are green, so they reflect this colour and absorb other wavelengths, which they use for photosynthesis. However, green is a major component of the visible light spectrum, so combining algae that use green light with algae that use other wavelengths maximises the use of sunlight. In this simulation, you will use the Hill reaction and spectrophotometry to measure electron flow and find out if the pigments can use green light for photosynthesis.
Look inside a chloroplast
To understand how photosynthesis works, you will shrink to a tiny size and see what happens during the electron transport chain. You will be able to click on the different molecules to see electrons and protons moving, water molecules splitting and the ATP synthase spinning around to pump protons and produce ATP.
Don’t forget your controls!
Dr. One has already extracted pigments for you. It can be very handy to have a virtual assistant! Now, to check out if the pigments can use green light, you will set up an experiment. In order to properly test your hypothesis, you will need to prepare and measure your sample, as well as positive and negative controls.
Measure photosynthesis
The Hill reaction uses DCPIP, a redox dye, which helps measure the electron flow from photosystem II. By comparing the absorption spectra of your pigment sample exposed to green light only in the spectrophotometer to those of the controls, you will be able to figure out if the dark algae are able to perform photosynthesis using green light or not.
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For Science Programs Providing a Learning Advantage
North Dakota State College of Science
“They did the simulation at home, then completed the in-person lab within 30 minutes, no questions asked, and passed the quiz with flying colors.”
Lecturer in Human Physiology
University of Westminster
"I saw some of the students who clearly didn’t necessarily like sitting there reading a book discover they could turn on Labster and keep up with the rest of the class because it spoke to them.
Modesto City Schools
"Having something that's engaging for the students gives teachers that opportunity to breathe and get excited again. Because they're seeing the kids light up, they're seeing the kids engage with content."
Wenatchee Valley College
"The question always is, ‘Can we demonstrate that the students are meeting course outcomes?’ Check! We can do that.”
San José State University
"We surveyed over 400 students. More than 90% thought Labster was easy to navigate, and that it was fun, but more importantly, most of them felt confident that they could execute the labs in person. And that confidence is a big deal."
FAQs
Find answers to frequently asked questions.
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A Labster virtual lab is an interactive, multimedia assignment that students access right from their computers. Many Labster virtual labs prepare students for success in college by introducing foundational knowledge using multimedia visualizations that make it easier to understand complex concepts. Other Labster virtual labs prepare learners for careers in STEM labs by giving them realistic practice on lab techniques and procedures.
Labster’s virtual lab simulations are created by scientists and designed to maximize engagement and interactivity. Unlike watching a video or reading a textbook, Labster virtual labs are interactive. To make progress, students must think critically and solve a real-world problem. We believe that learning by doing makes STEM stick.
Yes, Labster is compatible with all major LMS (Learning Management Systems) including Blackboard, Canvas, D2L, Moodle, and many others. Students can access Labster like any other assignment. If your institution does not choose an LMS integration, students will log into Labster’s Course Manager once they have an account created. Your institution will decide which is the best access method.
Labster is available for purchase by instructors, faculty, and administrators at education institutions. Purchasing our starter package, Labster Explorer, can be done using a credit card if you are located in the USA, Canada, or Mexico. If you are outside of North America or are choosing a higher plan, please speak with a Labster sales representative. Compare plans.
Labster supports a wide range of STEM courses at the high school, college, and university level across fields in biology, chemistry, physics, and health sciences. You can identify topics for your courses by searching our Content Catalog.