Topic 6 Gas Exchange + Nutrition in Plants Flashcards
What is the word equation for photosynthesis?
Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen
What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?
6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2
What is the role of diffusion in gas exchange during photosynthesis?
- carbon dioxide diffuses DOWN concentration gradient from HIGH concentration (outside leaf) to LOW concentration (inside leaf)
- oxygen diffuses down concentration gradient from high concentration (inside leaf) to low concentration (outside leaf)
Why is the carbon dioxide concentration always low inside photosynthesising cells?
- cells use carbon dioxide in photosynthesis
- > conc always low
How is the structure of the leaf adapted for gas exchange?
- Stomata + guard cells allow diffusion of gases in and out of leaf
- Leaf shape = thin -> decreases diffusion distance
- Spongy mesophyll cells have large SA + moist surfaces for fast diffusion
- Air spaces increase SA
Why does a leaf have a waxy underside?
Prevents excess water loss
How is the structure of the leaf adapted for photosynthesis?
- maximum number of palisade cells packed in to absorb sunlight
What happens when guard cells gain H2O by osmosis?
- expand + curve out
- stomata opens -> allows for gas exchange
What happens when guard cells lose water via osmosis?
- stomata closes
- gas exchange can no longer occur
- water can’t be lost
What is the net exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen during the day?
- depends on light intensity but higher rate of photosynthesis
- > net diffusion of carbon dioxide into plant + net diffusion of oxygen out of plant during day
What is the net exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen during the night?
- plants only respire (no sunlight)
- > net diffusion of oxygen into plant + net diffusion carbon dioxide out of plant
Cormmss method for investigating effect of light on net gas exchange from leaf using hydrogen carbonate indicator
C - change availability of light for each boiling tube (foil, no foil etc)
O - plant used will be pondweed - same species age + length
R - repeat experiment 3 times to ensure reliability
M - observe change in hydrogen carbonate indicator
M - after 30 mins
S - control vol of hydrogen carbonate indicator / no of leaves / temp of environment
In a test tube containing a plant, what colour would the hydrogen carbonate indicator be after it was exposed to light?
Purple - low CO2 levels
Carbon dioxide + water -> oxygen + glucose
RELEASE of oxygen in photosynthesis
Why would a control test tube for the hydrogen carbonate experiment be included?
- measures baseline levels of co2 to compare to other results
- makes sure that pondweed was causing the colour changes
How would you know which test tube was kept in bright light?
- purple
- > higher levels of photosynthesis -> less co2 released