Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the chemical and physical investigative techniques used to probe the mysteries of photosynthesis. The chapter also provides a description of the widely used buffers and inhibitors and presents discussions of the synthesizing capabilities of the photosynthetic apparatus. The methods of preparation described are designed to give good yields by simple procedures accessible to all. However primary emphasis is placed on methods that consistently yield a very pure product. Since buffers are typically used in massive amounts, the importance of purity cannot be overemphasized. In the study of biological reactions, it is important to maintain a constant, however often exceedingly low, concentration of hydrogen ions. As the total buffering capacity of commonly used buffers is always the same and buffers covering a wide range of pKa's are now available, the choice of a buffer for any particular system usually depends on factors that have nothing to do with buffering on the presence or absence of undesirable or desirable side effects. The chapter also outlines the designing properties of buffers.