By-product - it's not the main product but there's
usually more than needed.
Carbon dioxide - raw materials for
photosynthesis which diffuses in the leaves from the air.
Carbon dioxide concentration - is a limiting
factor on the rate of photosynthesis. Increasing the carbon dioxide concentration increases the rate of photosynthesis when no other factor is limiting.
Cellulose - is the change of glucose which is
needed to make cell walls Chlorophyll - a green pigment that absorbs the energy from light, Chlorophyll is in the chloroplasts of the leaf.
Chloroplasts - contain chlorophyll which
absorbs light energy that is used in photosynthesis.
Cuticle - : waterproof layer that also cuts down
the water lost by evaporation.
De-starching - leave the plant in the dark for at
least 48 hours to make sure the leaves have no starch at the start of the investigation.
Glasshouse production - carbon dioxide
concentration, light intensity, humidity and temperature are controlled in modern glasshouse systems to give optimum conditions. This ensures that the rate of photosynthesis is kept high so plants produce maximum yields. Glucose - used for respiration in the leaf
Guard cells - : open and close stomata. Water
passes into the guard cells by osmosis.
Humus - the part of dirt or soil which comes from
organic matter, such as from dead and decaying plants and animal remains which improves the structure of soil.
Leaves - - A large surface area - to absorb light
rays. - A thin shape - so gases can diffuse in and out easily - Many chloroplasts - to absorb light for the reactions that take place in the photosynthesis - Veins - to support the leaf surface Light - provides energy for the process of photosynthesis
Light intensity - influences the rate of
photosynthesis. An increase in light intensity will result in an increase in rate of photosynthesis and it doesn't matter if other factors change.
Limiting factor - something present in the
environment in such short supply that it restricts life processes. Limiting factors of photosynthesis are: light intensity, temperature, and carbon dioxide concentration.
Lower epidermis - no thick cuticle. Has lots of
tiny holes called stomata (singular stoma). These allow gases to diffuse in and out.
Magnesium ions - are absorbed by plants and
used to make chlorophyll. Nitrate ions - to make amino acids which are used to make proteins.
NPK fertilisers - - Nitrogen (N) (in the form of
nitrate ions) for growth of leaves and stems - Phosphorus (P) ( in the form of phosphate ions) for healthy roots - Potassium (K) ( in the form of potassium ions) for healthy leaves and flowers
Optimum temperature - the point when maximum
rate of photosynthesis occurs. The rate of photosynthesis starts to decrease at higher temperature because the enzymes in the chloroplasts denatured.
Palisade mesophyll - cells contain lots of
chloroplasts. Most photosynthesis occurs here. Phosphate - needed for making compounds such as DNA and for respiration.
Photosynthesis - the process by which plants
make glucose from raw materials using energy from light. Word equation: carbon dioxide + water (light& chlorophyll) → glucose + oxygen. Chemical equation: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O (light & chlorophyll) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.
Spongy mesophyll - more rounded cells with lots
of air spaces between them.
Starch - is the change of glucose which stores in
the leaves for use in the future
Stomata - are small pores (holes) in the
epidermis which control the diffusion of gases into and out of a leaf. Sucrose - is converted from glucose and transported to other parts of the plant in the phloem.
Sugars - are converted to oils, which are an
efficient way to store energy in seeds.
Test for need of carbon dioxide in
photosynthesis - - Enclose a de-starched plant in a plastic bag which contains soda lime to absorb carbon dioxide. - Leave the plant in the light for a few hours, test for starch and should get negative result. - A control experiment is set up exactly the same way but without soda lime to make sure lack of starch is caused by the absence of carbon dioxide.
Test for need of chlorophyll in photosynthesis - -
Place de-starched, variegated plant in sunlight for 6 hours. - Test for starch and find only the green parts go blue-black.
Test for need of light in photosynthesis - - Cover
part of leaf from de-starched plant with some aluminium foil to prevent light getting through. - Leave the plant for a few hours and test for starch (the only parts that were left uncovered go blue-black).
Testing for starch - - Making it easier to extract
the chlorophyll by submerging the leaf in water for one minute. - Turn off Bunsen burners and put the leaf into a test-tube of ethanol. The chlorophyll is extracted by dissolving into the ethanol. - Stand the test-tube in a beaker of hot water for about 10 minutes. - Removes the ethanol and re-hydrates the leaf which softens it and makes it easy to spread out by washing the leaf in cold water. - Drop iodine solution on it. If the leaf goes blue- black, starch is present. If it stays red/ brown, there is no starch.
Upper epidermis - single layer of cells with no
chloroplasts. Light goes straight through.
Vein - contains xylem vessels that bring water
and salts to the leaf and phloem tubes that take dissolved food away.