Nutrition Flashcards
What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is when plants manufacture carbohydrates from raw materials using light energy.
What are the requirements for photosynthesis?
The raw materials are carbon dioxide and water.
The carbon dioxide enters through the stomata, whereas the water is absorbed by the roots and travels through the xylem.
Light energy
Chlorophyll
What are products of photosynthesis?
Produces carbohydrates for example glucose. Can be used in respiration.
Oxygen is released as a by-product. It can be used in respiration or released through the stomata.
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
Carbon Dioxide + Water (in the presence of light and chlorophyll) —–> Glucose + Oxygen
What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H20 (in the presence of light and chlorophyll) —–> C6H12O6 + 6CO2
What are the limiting factors of photosynthesis?
Temperature, light intensity, carbon dioxide
What are the main plants tissues in a leaf?
Upper epidermis, lower epidermis, palisade mesophyll cell, spongy mesophyll cell, xylem and phloem.
What is the upper epidermis?
It is a single layer of transparent cells to allow light through. They are covered by a waxy cuticle to prevent water loss from the leaf. They don’t contain chloroplasts.
What are the palisade mesophyll cells?
Column shaped cells with lots of chloroplasts to allow for maximum photosynthesis.
What are the spongy mesophyll cells?
Loosely packed cells with air spaces between each ones to increase the surface area to volume ratio for the diffusion of gasses.
What is the lower epidermis?
Contains guard cells controlling the opening and closing of the stomata to let carbon dioxide diffuse into the leaf and oxygen to diffuse out.
What is the xylem?
Transports water into the leaf
What is the phloem?
Transports sucrose and amino acids from the leaf to other points of the plant.
How is the leaf adapted for photosynthesis?
It has a large surface area for diffusion of carbon dioxide and absorption of light.
The veins on it ensure transport of substances between the leaf and the rest of the plant and provide support.
They contain chlorophyll to absorb light energy.
