5 - Plant Nutrition Flashcards
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which plants manufacture carbohydrates from raw materials using energy from light.
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
Carbon Dioxide + Water → Glucose + Oxygen
What is the balanced equation for photosynthesis?
6CO₂ _ 6H₂O →→(Light and Chlorophyll)→→ C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
How does the synthesis of carbohydrates occur?
Chlorophyll transfers light energy
into chemical energy in molecules, for the synthesis of carbohydrates. (The energy from sunlight is absorbed by chlorophyll and converted into chemical energy that fuels photosynthesis.)
What are carbohydrates made during photosynthesis be used for?
Active transport, growth, reproduction, movement, producing cellulose (part of cell wall, polymer made of glucose)
What is glucose used for?
Energy, converted to sucrose, to make proteins (Glucose is used to form amino acids), to make enzymes, to make hormones, for growth, cell and tissue repair.
How is glucose stored as starch?
It is a simple sugar and is soluble in water - very reactive - hard to store - it could be easily dissolved in the plant. So, glucose is converted in to starch (a large polymer made of glucose subunits) so it isn’t soluble and can be stored easily.
Why is glucose converted to sucrose?
So that it can be transported to different parts of the plant through the phloem.
How does glucose cause growth?
Without proteins it would be impossible to increase cell size or increase number of cells, so plant wouldn’t be able to grow. (glucose = proteins)
How is glucose used for cell and tissue repair?
Proteins likely help fix any part of a plant that is damaged as they are an important structural part of a plant. (glucose = proteins)
What are carbohydrates stored as?
Starch - glucose is converted to starch and then stored in plant cells (starch is a large polymer made of glucose subunits)
Oils - Oil is very good at storing energy (due to many chemical bonds) so they can store a lot of energy. Especially important in seeds.
