Leadership

Measuring the Absorption of 525nm Light into Stock and
Leaked Betacyanin Solutions Created from Beet Root
Discs Which Vary in Concentration

Introduction:
The Pigment Betacyanin is a pigment located in the large central vacuole of a beet
cell. These vacuoles are surrounded by a membrane called the tonoplast and are located
in the cytosol of the cell. Surrounding the cell is another membrane called the plasma
membrane. Under normal conditions these two membranes remain intact. However
when the membranes are damaged betacyanin leaks from the vacuole creating a red
colour in the water in which the beet root disc is immersed.
The objective of this study is to subject beet root discs to various temperatures and
analyse the amount of damage done to the cells. This is achieved by measuring the
amount of betacyanin that leaks from the cells. Since betacyanin is a pigment, it is
capable of absorbing (525nm) light in amounts that are directly proportional t...