Test your knowledge – Questions: Chapter 9

Plant Nutrition - Photosynthesis

1. Give a balanced molecular equation for the process of photosynthesis. [2]

2. These statements are stages in the process of photosynthesis.
A – oxygen produced as a waste product
B – light energy absorbed by chlorophyll
C – energy used to rearrange atoms of carbon dioxide and water
The stages are in the wrong order. Place them in the correct order. [1]
3. Explain why a plant growing in soil deficient in magnesium, stores far less
energy than one growing in soil rich in magnesium. [4]
4. Describe the differences between chlorophyll and a chloroplast. [6]
5. Describe the uses of glucose, the main product of photosynthesis, in plants. [6]
6. Outline the importance, to a plant, of the presence of stomata. [3]
7. The rate of photosynthesis can be limited by low levels of different factors.
State three factors that can limit the rate of photosynthesis. [3]
8. Oxygen is produced inside leaf cells and is released from the leaf as a waste
product of photosynthesis. Describe and explain the process by which oxygen
moves from inside the leaf cells to the outside of the leaf. [4]
9. State the three chemical substances released by a plant into the
environment. For each of the chemical substances, state its origin
and how it is removed from the plant. [9]
10. Outline the effect of temperature on the rate of photosynthesis. [3]
11. Crops can be grown under controlled conditions in large buildings.
Describe and explain how such buildings can provide the conditions
needed for maximum crop production. [5]
12. Plants that grow in poor infertile soils may show symptoms of deficiency.
They are stunted and their leaves are yellow. Explain how deficiencies of
magnesium ions and nitrate ions lead to the symptoms described. [4]
13. State two reasons why epidermal cells are important to a leaf. [2]
14. Explain the functions of the cuticle of a leaf. [2]

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15. A palisade mesophyll cell is adapted to carry out photosynthesis.
Table 15.1 lists some of the adaptations of a palisade mesophyll cell.
Complete Table 15.1 to show how these adaptations help the cell to
carry out photosynthesis. [4]
Table 15.1
adaptation how the adaptation helps photosynthesis
thin cell wall
arranged at right angles
to the leaf surface
large vacuole
chloroplasts can be
moved within the cell

16. Fig. 16.1 shows the external structure of a dicotyledonous leaf.

E
D
F
C
G
H
B I
A

Fig. 16.1
Supply names for the parts labelled A to I. [9]
17. Fig. 17.1 shows the internal structure of a dicotyledonous leaf.

A
A

K
L
J
D
I

G E
H
F Fig. 17.1

Supply names for the parts labelled A to L. [12]

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18. Fig. 18.1 shows a cross section through a typical dicot leaf.

P B

Q C

Fig. 18.1
(a) Name A to E. [5]
(b) On Fig. 18.1, draw straight lines to label three different cells which can carry
out photosynthesis. [3]
(c) Draw an arrow on Fig. 18.1 to show the pathway that carbon dioxide gas
must take to reach the cell labelled Q from the air outside the leaf. [2]
(d) Count the number of chloroplasts in the cells labelled P and Q in Fig. 18.1.
Which of the cells, P or Q, would produce most sugar in daylight? Explain
your choice. [2]
19. A learner carried out the following investigation using a plant with variegated
leaves. A variegated leaf has green and white stripes.

The learner:
 left the plant in the dark for 3 days to remove the starch
 fixed two pieces of card to a leaf on the plant
 left the plant in the light for 2 days
 removed the leaf from the plant
 tested the leaf for starch.

Figure 19.1 shows how the two pieces of card were attached to the leaf.

Fig. 19.1

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Figure 19.2 shows the same leaf after 2 days in the light.
The leaf has been tested for starch.

Fig. 19.2
(a) Give two conclusions from this investigation. Tick () two boxes. [2]
Carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis. 
Chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis. 
Light is needed for photosynthesis. 
Water is needed for photosynthesis. 
(b) Scientists investigated the effect of light intensity on the rate of
photosynthesis.
Figure 19.3 shows the scientists’ results.

Fig. 19.3
Describe the effect of increasing light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis.
You should include numbers from Figure 19.3 in your description. [3]
(c) At a light intensity of 250 arbitrary units, light is not a limiting factor of
photosynthesis.
(i) What is the evidence for this in Figure 19.3? [1]
(ii) State two factors that could be limiting the rate of photosynthesis at a
light intensity of 250 arbitrary units. [2]
(d) Describe the ways in which plants make use of the glucose produced by
photosynthesis. [6]

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20. Fig. 20.1 is a photomicrograph of a transverse section through a leaf of a tea
plant, Camellia sinensis.

440 µm

Fig. 20.1
(a) Use label lines and the letters W, X, Y and Z to label the following features
on Fig. 20.1.
W a spongy mesophyll cell
X a cell of the upper epidermis
Y a palisade mesophyll cell
Z a guard cell [4]

(b) Describe and explain how water moves from inside the leaf at point Q on
Fig. 20.1 to the atmosphere outside the leaf during transpiration. [4]
(c) The leaf of C. sinensis, shown in Fig. 20.1, has developed in a sunny position.
State three features of the leaf, visible in Fig. 20.1, which show that it has
developed in a sunny position. [3]
(d) The leaf is the main photosynthetic organ in most plants. For the
light-independent stage of photosynthesis to occur, carbon dioxide must
be present.
Describe how carbon dioxide enters the leaf. [2]
(e) Name three requirements and two products of photosynthesis. [5]
(f) What is meant by the term photosynthesis? [4]

21. Magnesium ions are needed to form the green pigment in plants.

(a) (i) State where magnesium ions enter the plant. [1]
(ii) Explain how magnesium ions enter the plant. [3]
(b) State the appearance of plants with a magnesium deficiency. [1]
(c) Outline two other functions of magnesium ions in plants. [2]
22. Describe the steps of how you would show that starch is produced in green
leaves. For each step, supply a reason for doing it. [7]

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23. Fig. 23.1 shows an experiment to investigate a gas (oxygen) produced by an
aquatic plant during photosynthesis.

X oxygen bubbles

Y
water

Z aquatic
plant

Fig. 23.1

(a) Name the apparatus labelled X, Y and Z. [1]

(b) Name the important external factor which must be present for the experiment
to be successful. [1]
(c) Give an example of an aquatic plant that can be used during
this experiment. [1]
(d) Explain the procedure to test for the gas collected in the test tube. [2]
(e) State and explain two precautionary measures taken into consideration when
conducting this experiment. [2]
(f) The rate at which photosynthesis takes place can be measured. One way
to do this is to count the bubbles of oxygen given off by a water plant in
one minute.
We can never be sure that a measurement tells us the true value of a quantity
being measured. Explain why trying to count the number of bubbles in one
minute in this experiment may not give a true value for the rate of
photosynthesis. [3]

24. Complete Table 24.1 about the uses of glucose in plants. [6]
Table 24.1
use of the main product (glucose) name the chemical it is
of photosynthesis in plants converted to in plants
storage in leaves
cellulose
sucrose
traps light energy
growth and enzymes
oils

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25. Plants that live in water are called hydrophytes. Fig. 25.1 shows a cross-section
of a leaf of the hydrophyte Nuphar lutea. The leaves of N. lutea float on the
surface of water.
B

A
C

Fig 25.1
(a) Write a word equation for photosynthesis. [2]
(b) Complete Table 25.1 by describing the function of each feature. The function
of feature A has already been completed. [3]
Table 25.1
feature function
A transparent to allow light to penetrate into the leaf
B
C
D
(c) State and explain three ways in which the leaves of N. lutea are adapted to
live in a water environment. [6]
(d) An experiment was carried out to determine if carbon dioxide is needed for
photosynthesis. The procedure is shown in Table 25.2.
Table 25.2
stage 1 Two plants, A and B, of the same size and species were
kept in a dark place for 48 hours.
A leaf from each was then tested for the presence of starch
stage 2 using iodine solution, to show that destarching was
complete.
Both plants were placed in sealed glass containers for 24
hours, as shown in Fig. 25.2. Plant A was in the presence of
stage 3 soda lime beads (which absorb carbon dioxide). Plant B was
in the presence of glass beads. All other conditions needed
for photosynthesis were provided for both plants.
stage 4 After 24 hours, a leaf from each plant was tested for the
presence of starch.

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 plant A glass plant B
cover
beads to glass
remove carbon beads
dioxide

Fig. 25.2
(i) The stages involved in testing a leaf for starch are shown below.
The stages are in the correct sequence, but the reasons are in the wrong
order. Use straight lines to match the stages with the correct reasons.
One has been done for you. [4]

(ii) Explain why chlorophyll is removed from the leaf before testing it for
starch. [1]
(iii) State two factors, other than carbon dioxide, that both plants would need
in order to photosynthesise. [2]
(e) Plant B was used as a control in the experiment. Explain the importance of
this control. [1]
(f) Explain why the plants were destarched. [1]
(g) Complete Table 25.3. Use ticks and crosses to show if the starch test, as
described in Table 25.2, for plants A and B would be positive () or negative
() at stage 2 and stage 4. In each case, explain your answer.
[3]

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 Table 25.3
stage leaf from plant starch test explanation
( or )

2 A and B

A
4

26. Fig. 26.1 shows how light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis of a plant.

B C

Fig 26.1

(a) Describe the relationship between light intensity and the rate of
photosynthesis. [5]
(b) When photosynthesis takes place in a leaf, glucose is produced. The plant
converts some of the glucose into other substances.
(i) Name one carbohydrate which the plant makes from glucose and which
is used to make cell walls. [1]
(ii) Carbohydrates contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Name one other
element which is contained in a chlorophyll molecule. [1]
(iii) Name another carbohydrate which the plant makes from glucose and
which is used for storage in tubers. [1]
(c) Many growers of crops in glasshouses use carbon dioxide enrichment to
improve yields.
Explain the advantages of carbon dioxide enrichment in glasshouses. [4]

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27. Fig 27.1 shows a leaf, with white and green regions, that is attached to a plant.
The plant had been kept in the dark for 48 hours and then a lightproof, black
paper cover was placed over part of the leaf.

B C

A
D
position of lightproof black
cover on both sides petiole – attachment
to plant

Fig. 27.1

The plant is left under a light for 24 hours. After this time, the leaf is removed
from the plant and is tested for the presence of starch.
(a) (i) Which chemical reagent is used to show the presence of starch? [1]
(ii) What name is given to leaves with white and green regions? [1]
(iii) Record, in Table 27.1, the colour you would see if you had carried out
this test, in each of the areas A, B, C and D.
Table 27.1
area colour
A
B
C
D

(b) Explain the results for each of the areas. [4]

28. Explain what is meant by the term limiting factors in the context of
photosynthesis. [5]
29. Describe how the structure of a leaf and its cells are adapted for carrying out
photosynthesis. [9]
30. Fig. 30.1 shows cells X and Y which were taken from different areas of the same
leaf.

Fig. 30.1

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Fig. 30.2 shows a leaf similar to the one from which these cells were taken.

Fig. 30.2

(a) On Fig. 30.2, use label lines and the letters X and Y to show where these leaf
cells came from. Explain your answer. [2]
(b) The leaf in Fig. 30.2 was then tested with iodine solution for the presence of
starch.
(i) On Fig. 30.3, draw the result of the starch test on this leaf.
Label the leaf with the colours that are observed in different areas.
[1]

Fig. 30.3

(ii) Explain why only parts of the leaf show the presence of starch. [2]

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