Module 5 - photosynthesis Flashcards
what is photosynthesis?
It is the process whereby light energy from the sun is transformed into chemical energy and used to synthesise large organic molecules from smaller, inorganic substances
What does photo mean?
light
what does synthesis mean?
Making something
what is the chemical equation for photosynthesis ?
6C02 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2
what is the equation for photosynthesis ?
Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen
What is Van Helmont’s experiment ?
- He grew a willow tree in a tub for 5 years
- weighted the mass of the tree and the soil in the beginning and end of the experiment
- this demonstrated that something is being incorporated into the biomass of the tree causing it to increase its mass
- the substance is not being derived from soil
What did Van Helmont conclude?
- That the increase in mass was the mass of the added water.
- This is partly true but later it was shown that carbon dioxide was also contributing to the increase in mass
So why did some of the soil gain mass in Van Helmont’s experiment?
- in order to make proteins it is necessary for the plant to accquire nitrogen in the form of nitrates.
- these are obtained from the soil along with other minerals which accounts for the slight loss of mass from the soil noted after 5 years
Is a willow tree a hetertroph or autotroph? Why?
- heterotroph
- energy was required for the conversions of small in organic molecules into larger organic molecules.
- energy was in the form of light
What are autrophs?
- They are organisms that are capable of synthesising their own complex organic food molecules from simpler inorganic ones
- they are self -feeding and organisms in this group make use of an external, non-living supply of energy to drive their self-feeding way of life/
What are photoautrophs?
This captures the sun’s energy and use it to convert simple inorganic molecules such as carbon dioxide and water, into complex, energy-rich organic food
what are chemoautrophs?
They obtains the energy they need for food manufacture by oxidising inorganic molecules such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide.
- they do not use light
what are species of chemoautrophs known as?
Known as Nitrifying bacteria
- plays an essential part in the nitrogen cycle
- nitrifying bacteria oxidises ammonium and nitrate ions
what happens to energy releases by the oxidation reactions?
It is used by the bacteria to manufacture their own food
what happens to the nitrates absorbed by green plants?
- Nitrogen is incorporated by green plants and nitrogen is incorporated into nitrogen-containing organic compounds
What are primary producers?
organisms can produce their own food through photosynthesis
what type of molecules do aututrophs synthesise?
lipids, proteins, nucleic acids and vitamins
what does auto mean?
self
what does troph mean?
nutrition
what does hetero mean?
another
what does troph mean?
nutrition
what are heterotrophs?
These organisms cannot make their own food. They ingest and digest complex organic molecules releasing the chemical potential energy stored in them.
- these molecules then can be converted into molecules such as glycogen, lipids, proteins and nucleic acids
examples of heterophs?
- animals
- fungi
- some bacteria
Do autotrophs respire?
yes
Can autotrophs synthesise complex organic molecules from simple inorganic molecules?
yes
do autotrophs use light energy?
photoautotrophs - yes
chemoautotrophs - no
do autotrophs hydrolyse complex organic molecules?
yes
examples of autotrophs ?
- plants
- algae
- some bacteria
do heterotrophs respire?
yes
Can heterotrophs synthesise complex organic molecules from simple inorganic molecules?
No
do heterotrophs use light energy?
no
do heterotrophs hydrolyse complex organic molecules?
yes
what is a compensation point?
when photosynthesis and respiration proceed at the same rate, so that there is no net gain or loss of carbohydrates, the plant is then at compensation point