An island had a volcanic eruption and a giant cloud of dust filled the atmosphere. Three weeks after the eruption, you tested healthy leaves from the plants with the iodine test (as you did in lab), to determine the effect on photosynthesis. All leaves tested looked orange-brown after the iodine was added. Which statement is correct, based specifically on the results of the iodine test?

Question

Group of answer choices

photosynthesis occurred normally during the past three weeks

the iodine test didn't work

no starch was found in the tested leaves

the dust killed the plants

iodine reacts with dust

Answer 1

Based on the results of the iodine test, the correct statement is:

no starch was found in the tested leaves.

The iodine test is used to detect the presence of starch in plant tissues. If the leaves turned orange-brown after the iodine was added, it indicates that no starch was present in the leaves, which suggests that photosynthesis did not occur successfully during the past three weeks due to the conditions created by the volcanic eruption and the dust cloud.