Photosynthesis Flashcards
What is photosynthesis
Where organisms convert light energy into sugars
How are leaves adapted for photosynthesis
-has a large surface area so lots of sunlight can be absorbed
-lots of air spaces for efficient diffusion
-waxy cuticle preventing water loss
-has lots of veins (xylem and phloem)
-leaf is thin so short diffusion pathway for efficient diffusion
-has many chloroplast which contains chlorophyll to absorb sunlight for photosynthesis
What is autotroph and give an example
An organism that makes their own food from inorganic molecules using energy
E.g producers in an ecosystem
What is heterotroph and give an example
An organism that cannot make its own food so has to obtain organic compounds by consuming other organisms
E.g consumers or decomposers
What is a photoautotroph
An organism that photosynthesises
uses light to make food
What is a Chemoautotroph
Organism that does NOT photosynthesise
uses chemicals to make its food
What is the photosynthesis equation
Sunlight
Carbon dioxide + water > glucose + oxygen
Chlorophyll
What type of reaction is photosynthesis
-It is endothermic
-Glucose is the main product
~ transports as sucrose and stored as starch
What is the respiration equation and what type of reaction is it
Glucose + oxygen > carbon dioxide + water + energy
-it is an exothermic reaction
Define interrelationship
The products of one are the reactants of the other
What is compensation point
When photosynthesis and respiration proceed at the same rate, there is no net gain or loss of carbohydrate
Fill in the gap
Plants - - - - all day but can only - - - - in the day
- Respire
- Photosynthesise
What is the compensation point (on the graph) for rate of oxygen exchange and light intensity
Where the line crosses the x-axis
Where is the chloroplast found and how long is it
-found in plants and algae
-2-10 micrometres long
What internal structures are there in the chloroplast
-granum
-stroma
-thylakoid
-intergranal lamellae
-photosystems
what is the Granum
-Stack of thylakoids
-where light dependant stage of photosynthesis takes place
What does the grana do
-many grana in the chloroplast so there’s a huge surface area for:
~when the electron carriers and ATP synthase enzymes need to convert light energy into ATP
~distributions of the photosystems that contain the photosynthetic pigmented that trap sunlight energy
Large surface area for light absorption
Has electron carriers
What is the stroma
-fluid filled matrix surrounding the thylakoids