B4f - Plants Need Minerals

Question 1

What do plants require?

Answer 1

• nitrates (for proteins which are needed for cell growth)
• phosphates (for respiration and growth)
• potassium compounds (for respiration and photosynthesis)
• magnesium compounds (for photosynthesis)

Question 2

How are the elements from soil minerals used in the production of compounds in plants?

Answer 2

• nitrogen (to make amino acids)
• phosphorus (to make DNA and cell membranes)
• potassium (to help make enzymes in photosynthesis and respiration)
• magnesium (to make chlorophyll)

Question 3

What happens if the plant needs nitrate?

Answer 3

Poor growth and yellow leaves

Question 4

What happens to the plant if it doesn’t have enough phosphate?

Answer 4

Poor root growth and discoloured leaves

Question 5

What happens if the plant doesn’t have enough potassium?

Answer 5

Poor flower and fruit growth and discoloured leaves

Question 6

What happens if the plant doesn’t have enough magnesium?

Answer 6

Yellow leaves

Question 7

When are minerals usually present in soil?

Answer 7

In quite low concentrations

Question 8

What is active transport?

Answer 8

It moves substances from low concentrations to high concentrations (against the concentration gradient) across a cell membrane using energy from respiration

Question 9

What is atp?

Answer 9

A type of energy required for active transport