Chapter 6: Plant Nutrition Flashcards
What is photosynthesis?
The process by which plants use carbon dioxide and water to make glucose using solar energy and chlorphyll.
Write the word equation for photosynthesis.
Write the balanced symbol equation for photosynthesis.
What is chlorophyll?
Chlorophyll is a green, light-absorbing pigment found in the chloroplasts of plants.
State the function of chlorophyll.
It changes light energy into chemical energy in molecules, to allow glucose to be manufactured.
Why are carbohydrates important in plants?
- Glucose is used in cellular respiration in order to make energy in the form of ATP.
- Glucose can be converted into starch and stored for later use.
How is the carbohydrates made in photosynthesis used and stored?
(a) Starch
Starch is used by plants as a way of storing glucose. It is a major reserve of energy that can be quickly mobilised as necessary.
(b) Cellulose
Make up the cell walls of plant cells.
(c) Glucose
Broken down by respiration and used for cellular activities (e.g. protein synthesis, cell division) in plant cells.
(d) Sucrose
Transported form of carbohydrate in plants.
(e) Nectar
Used to attract pollinators.
What minerals do plants need?
Nitrates
Magnesium
Why are nitrates important in plants?
They are essential for making proteins.
Nitrogen for the amino acid synthesis comes from nitrate ions.
Protein synthesis is important for plant growth and repair of damaged tissues.
Why are magnesium ions important in plants?
Magnesium ions form the central ion in chlorophyll molecules.
Chlorophyll is essential for absorption of sunlight for photosynthesis.
State the effects of nitrate deficiency.
A deficiency of nitrate ions results in stunted plant growth with a weak stem and yellow leaves.
State the effects of magnesium deficiency.
The leaves will be yellow.
How do you investigate the effect of chlorophyll, carbon dioxide and light intensity on photosynthesis?
Why does the leaf being tested have to be destarched?
So that you can see the effect of removing one of the materials on the plant’s photosynthetic ability.
How do you destarch a plant?
By leaving the plant in the dark for 48 hours so that the starch stores have been depleted.
Draw the graph for how light intensity affects rate of photosynthesis.
Draw the graph for how carbon dioxide concentration affects photosynthesis.
Draw the graph for how temperature affects rate of photosynthesis.
How is the internal structure of the leaf adapted for photosynthesis?
