Plant

Photo (light) synthesis (making something)

Photosynthesis
 Where does photosynthesis happen?
Plant cells in the upper surface of leaves have chloroplasts
which contain the green pigment called chlorophyll.

chlorophyll

carbon dioxide
(from the air)
glucose
water
(from the soil)
oxygen

It is chlorophyll, which absorbs light energy from the

Sun, that enables plants to carry out photosynthesis.
 Equation for photosynthesis
Oxygen is
The roots absorb released back
Light is absorbed into the
water from the soil
into the leaf by cells atmosphere
called chlorophyll

Water + CO2 Glucose + O2

Carbon Dioxide is taken

The sugars produced is
into the plant through a
cellulose, for growth,
whole in the leaves
and glucose, for food.
 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 photosynthesize because they
contain chlorophyll.
Inside a leaf
 Features of leaves

Large surface area

*to absorb more light

Stomata
*allow CO2 to diffuse into
Chlorophyll
the leaf
*absorb sunlight to transfer
energy to chemicals

Network of veins
Thin *To support the leaf and
*Short distance for CO2 to transport water as well as
diffuse into leaf cells carbohydrates
 How photosynthesis takes place?
 The process takes place at palisade layer- because
it contains chloroplast.
 Chloroplast contains chlorophyll ( a pigment
which is a colored substance).
 Functions of chlorophyll:
1) Essential for photosynthesis
2) Captures energy from light
 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

What is moved transports food

Water and minerals

Process
Transpiration stream Translocation
Consists of elongated dead cells
contain no cytoplasm
Continuous flow upright
Have tough walls containing lignin
and form continuous vessels (tubes).
Made of living cells
contain cytoplasm
Two-way flow
The end walls of the tube cells have
pores through which food is
transported from cell to cell in the
form of dissolved sugars
 Movement of water through a
plant from its roots to its leaves
4. It evaporates from the
leaves(transpiration)

1. Water is absorbed 3. It is transported through the

from the soil through xylem vessels up the stem to the
root hair cells leaves

2. Water moves by osmosis from root cell to root cell

until it reaches the xylem
 Transpiration in the leaf
Definition

The process of a Evaporation of water at the

liquid turning to surfaces of the spongy
gas. mesophyll cells in leaves,
followed by loss of water
vapour through the stomata.

Result

The release of water vapour from a plant through the leaves,

causing water to move through the plant.
 Why transpiration is important?

• Transporting mineral ions
• Providing water to keep cells turgid in order to support the plant
• Providing water to leaf cells for photosynthesis
• Keeping the leaves cool by evaporation

Affecting the rate of transpiration

 Light intensity decreases

 Temperature increases
 Air movement increases
 Humidity decreases
Minerals
 Plants need to take in a number of elements to stay alive= carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen

 In addition, plants need a number of minerals for healthy growth.

These are absorbed through the roots as mineral ions dissolved in
the soil water.

 2 important mineral ions:-

a) nitrate - for making amino acids, which
are needed to make proteins
b) magnesium - for making chlorophyll
 Deficiency
 If plant does not get enough minerals, it’s growth will be poor. It will suffer from
deficiency symptoms:
a) deficient in nitrate- stunted growth
b) deficient in magnesium- leaves turn
yellow