UNIT 6 Plant Nutrition - Photosynthesis Flashcards
A student set up the apparatus shown in Fig. 3.1 to investigate the effect of light intensity on
the rate of photosynthesis of a pond plant.
The student maintained the temperature at 20 o
C and measured the distance travelled by the air bubble in the capillary tube for a period of five minutes on three occasions for each light intensity.
The student’s results are shown in Table 3.1 on page 8.
(a) (i) Explain why the student included the glass tank and the syringe in the apparatus.
glass tank?
syringe?
glass tank - absorbs heat from lamp
syringe - reposition the air bubble / return air bubble to top of tubing
State three functions of water in plants.
maintaining cell turgidity ;
preventing wilting ;
transport of minerals / amino acids / sugars ;
medium for enzyme action ;
raw material for photosynthesis;
(ii) Explain why the air bubble moves down the capillary tube.
THREE OF:
⭐ 1 photosynthesis produces oxygen/plant releases oxygen
⭐ 2 oxygen is, by-product (of photosynthesis) ;
3 from splitting of water / photolysis ;
4 oxygen comes out of solution / AW ;
⭐ 5 gas, collects / rises to the top ;
6 (gas) pushes water down the tube / displaces the water ;
Interpolation - notice pattern. each mm distance = 0.2 mm/min rate of photosynthesis so 7mm distance, 0.2 x 7 = 1.4.
In graph, what should you make sure of?
all points plotted accurately ;
curved or straight line of best fit / straight lines between points ;
ignore if line continues beyond first and last points because of (c)(i)
R if line goes to 0
[allow a straight line of best fit that is close to the plotted
points]
“Using the graph to help you,” should you extrapolate?
NO - just use graph given/what you drew
(ii) Explain why the rate of photosynthesis decreases as the distance of the lamp
from the pond plant increases.
1 (increase distance gives) decrease light (intensity) ; ORA
2 ref. to light energy ;
3 absorbed by, chlorophyll / chloroplast ;
4 light (intensity) is limiting (factor) ;
So: “Increase in distance gives decrease in light intensity. Less light absorbed by chloroplast. Light intensity is the limiting factor.”
Why upper epidermis is transparent
Allows light through
Light reaches chloroplasts
In the palisade cells
Chloroplasts need light for photosynthesis
Why plants store starch
Use it as an energy store
When plant cannot photosynthesise (no sunlight)
Why plants take up CO2 during photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide is a reactant of photosynthesis
Diffuses into leaf due to lower concentration inside of the leaf
Why chlorophyll removed from leaf before testing for starch
Chlorophyll masks the colour change (shown with iodine)
Explain the importance of the control plant in an investigation for the need of CO2 in photosynthesis
To show that the factor under test (CO2’s effect on photosynthesis) is responsible for the change observed
Explain why plants were destarched
to be sure that starch is produced during the experiment
Destarched plant. Why does the concentration of CO2 increase?
No photosynthesis
Plant respires
Carbon dioxide produced
Plant GIVES OFF which gas?
[means PRODUCT]
Oxygen
Raw materials? = ?
= ??
Raw materials = REACTANTS
in photosynthesis? Carbon dioxide and water
Line for light intensity if the experiment was repeated with higher light intensity.
Phrase to rmbr?
Same trend/looking line, but higher/above it
Remember: “Rate of photosynthesis would increase then start to level off.”
Even if chloroplasts are absent, does respiration occur?
Yes, it does
3 uses of energy in organisms (not reproduction)
Growth
Movement
Active transport
Phloem - transport sucrose & amino acids in plants
Uses of carbs & amino acids in plants?
MEMORISE:
Carbs -
⭐ For cell walls (glucose to cellulose)
⭐️ Converted to sucrose to be transported through phloem vessels
⭐ Starch storage
⭐ For energy/respiration
⭐ To attract insects to flowers
Amino acids -
⭐ To make hormones and enzymes
⭐ For growth & repair
Predict & explain what happens to rate of photosynthesis if temperature exceeds 45 degrees Celsius.
Rate of photosynthesis decreases
Bc enzyme’s active sites are denatured
For photosynthesis,
STATE:
⭐ Definition of photosynthesis
⭐ Word equation of pho. + “in the presence of…”
⭐ Definition of chlorophyll
⭐ What chlorophyll does
⭐ Chemical equation of pho.
⭐ Photosynthesis: the process by which plants synthesise carbohydrates ⁽ᵍˡᵘᶜᵒˢᵉ⁾ from raw
materials ⁽ᴴ²ᴼ & ᶜᴼ²⁾ using energy from light ⁽ᶜᵃᵗᵃˡʸˢᵗ⁾
⭐ Word equation for photosynthesis as:
carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen
in the presence of light and chlorophyll
⭐ Chlorophyll is a green pigment that is
found in chloroplasts
⭐ Chlorophyll transfers energy from light into energy in chemicals, for the synthesis of carbohydrates
⭐ Balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis as:
6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
⭐ Subsequent use and storage of the carbohydrates made in photosynthesis, limited
to:
(a) starch as an energy store [in plants]
(b) cellulose to build cell walls [from glucose]
(c) glucose used in respiration to provide energy
(d) sucrose for transport in the phloem (vessels) - [glucose converted to sucrose]
(e) nectar to attract insects for pollination
Leaf adaptations -
Gases enter through special holes called stomata. These holes are opened & closed by guard cells. Once gases are in the leaf, they can diffuse easily bc there are air spaces in the spongey mesophyll layer. The cell membranes of the leaf cells allow gases & water to pass freely in & out of the cell.
Some leaf cells contain a pigment called chlorophyll which absorbs light energy. This pigment for photosynthesis are found in special organelles called chloroplasts. Most of these are found in the palisade layer at the top of the leaf. The cuticle and epidermal cells are transparent so that light can pass easily through to the chloroplasts.
Most leaves have a ⭐ large surface area to maximise exposure to sunlight for absorption of light & allows more diffusion of CO2
and are ⭐ thin, aiding in diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide, speeding up the exchange of the gases
+
“Thin - allows faster diffusion of CO2 to palisade mesophyll cells.”
MEMORISE -
Leaf structures in a dicot plant
Refer to printed diagrams + class worksheet.
PARTS - Upper epidermis, chloroplasts, palisade mesophyll tissue, spongey mesophyll tissue, air space, vascular bundle (xylem & phloem), lower epidermis, guard cells, stoma
Guard cells & stomata
Guard cells allow gas exchange and control water loss within the leaf
In the lower epidermis, guard cells open & close the stomata to allow carbon dioxide into the leaf and oxygen to diffuse out as well as water vapor
Stomata: allows oxygen out of cells & allows carbon dioxide in
[Site where water is evaporated from the leaf]
(Waxy) cuticle
Allows light to pass through whilst protecting the leaf’s surface
Waxy but thin, so protects leaf from water loss without blocking sunlight