SCIENCE EXAM!!!
Photosynthesis: 6CO2 + 6H2O ========== C6H12O6 + 6O2
Reactants Products
Adaptations of a leaf for photosynthesis
Large surface area
Contains chloroplast with chlorophyll
It has veins so it can transport water and nutrients
Contains stomata for gas exchange and water evaporation
Cell organelles
Leaf cross section
Study in notebook
Conditions needed for photosynthesis
Humid. They need plenty of water
They need sun
They need nutrients from the soil
The biochemistry of photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is, in many ways, the reverse of respiration.
Water is split into electrons and hydrogen ions are transferred from water to CO2 forming
glucose.
The electrons increase in chemical energy is provided by light and released during
respiration.
Plant energy storage
Plants join glucose molecules together to form a carbohydrate called starch for storage.
Unlike glucose, starch is insoluble and can be easily stored in plant tissues.
Minerals and plants
They present a mineral deficiency
The present a lack of minerals
These are two ways of saying it; both are correct
Mineral deficiency Description of the plant What is the mineral for?
Essential for photosynthesis,
Shows symptoms on its older enzyme activation, nutrient and
leaves like yellowing, browning or water transport, stomata
Potassium scorching of the leaf tips and regulation, osmoregulation and
edges. Leaves curl and develop stress tolerance. Facilitates cell
purple spots and drop prematurely growth, improves crop quality.
Needed in cytoplasm.
Shows dark stunted growth and Key to energy transfer, cell
dark green to purplish foliage division, promotes healthy root
Phosphorus especially on older leaves. Smaller development, supports
leaves, poor root development, reproductive growth, enhances
delayed flowering and leaf death. early maturity and crop quality.
Slow and stunted growth resulting
Key component of chlorophyll,
in thin, pale yellowing leaves,
amino acids, and nucleic acids,
especially on older foliage. Smaller
Nitrogen (nitrate) enabling vital processes like
fruits, weakened stems, delayed
photosynthesis, growth and
flowering and leaves turning
protein synthesis.
brown.
Shows interveinal chlorosis, where
the areas between the leaves veins Component of chlorophyll,
turn yellow while the veins keep enabling photosynthesis and early
Magnesium
green. Stunted growth, premature production. Activates enzymes for
leaf drop and dead spots. Needed protein synthesis.
for making chlorophyll.
The carbon cycle
Fossil fuels contain carbon.
Carbon is continuously moving around the environment with photosynthesis the only natural
process which converts it into oxygen gas.
Carbon can only be stored for short periods in living things but can be stored indefinetely or
until burnt in fossil fuels.
The ocean stores CO2 in its depths through 2 processes:
Solubility pump: 1) Phytoplankton converts carbon into organic matter through
photosynthesis. 2) Zooplankton eat phytoplankton and produce organic matter which
sinks.
Solubility pump: CO2 is more soluble in cold water which is also more dense than warm
water making it more likely to sink.
Fossil fuels and CO2
Fossil fuels, formed from ancient organic matter, stores carbon and energy produced via
photosynthesis millions of years ago.
Combustion instantaneously releases that carbon in the form of CO2 with heat energy.
This CO2 absorbs reflected sunlight preventing heat from escaping the atmosphere.
Carbon capture
Capturing CO2 and storing it underground is one experimental method for reducing fossil fuel
CO2 emissions.
Carbon footprint
Our carbon emissions (footprint) may also be reduced by sustainable energy production,
improved efficiency, offsets and recycling.
Chicxulub asteroid impact and photosynthesis
Relative to surface-dwelling species, marine organisms were spared the worst of the initial
impact.
However, the dust cloud produced block out the sun, preventing photosynthesis which
caused marine and terrestrial food webs to collapse.
This caused mass extinction of 75% of all species.