YEAR 8:BIOLOGY

CHAPTER 1: PLANTS

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

Photosynthesis is how plants get the energy they need to grow and reproduce. They use the light
from the sun, together with carbon dioxide and water to produce sugar (glucose).

Photosynthesis can be described using the following word equation:

carbon dioxide + water + sunlight ---> glucose + oxygen

6 CO2 + 6 H2O + sunlight ---> C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Leaves

Characteristics of leaves:

• Enable photosynthesis to occur

• Leaves are the source of all of food on the planet

• Leaves recycle all of the world’s carbon dioxide in the air

• Leaves contain the world’s most abundant enzymes

• Photosynthesis takes place in the chloroplasts inside the leaf cells.

• Chloroplasts contain chlorophyll, a green pigment that takes in energy from the sunlight.

• All green parts of plants are able to photosynthesis because they contain chlorophyll.
ROOTS

Functions:

1) Absorb water and minerals from the soil

2) Anchor the plant firmly in the ground
3) Some plants store food in their roots
4) Weather condition: During winter/summer- some plants allow their above-ground parts to die.
Only allow the underground parts continue to live.

Roots have a type of cell called a root hair cell- these project out from the root into the soil
Root cells do not contain chloroplast, as they are normally in the dark and cannot
photosynthesis

Type of plant cells

Transport
 Plants have 2 systems for the transportation of substances- using 2 different types of transport
tissue.

Xylem Tissue Phloem

Water and minerals What is moved transports food
Transpiration stream Process Translocation