Examine the statements given below and choose the correct answer:
1.
| Assertion | Caustic soda is placed inside the bottle in the carbon dioxide experiment to absorb carbon dioxide from the air in the bottle. |
| Reason | If carbon dioxide is removed from the bottle, the part of the leaf inside it cannot form starch by photosynthesis. |
2.
| Assertion | In the carbon dioxide experiment, only half of the leaf is inserted into the bottle so that one part is exposed to carbon dioxide while the other is not. |
| Reason | Comparing starch formation in the same leaf with one half in carbon dioxide‑free air and the other in normal air clearly shows that carbon dioxide is essential for photosynthesis. |