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7
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Green plants & algae make their own food from light energy. They make
food from air and soil; this enables growth, respiration and reproduction to
take place.
Photosynthesis equation:
- Carbon dioxide + water glucose + oxygen (plus light energy)
Cells in algae & leaves are filled with green parts known has chloroplasts
and have a green substance called chlorophyll.
Algae are aquatic; therefore can photosynthesis in water by absorbing
carbon dioxide dissolved in surrounding water.
- Light is absorbed by chlorophyll in chloroplasts. This produces energy that
changes carbon dioxide from the air and water (from to soil) to make
glucose (sugar).
- Waste chemical is known as oxygen.
- Glucose is used for respiration but other is stored as insoluble starch
(yellow brown liquid). This turns blue once combined with starch, you can
use this iodine test to see if photosynthesis has taken place in a plant.
Leaves of plants are adapted as they are:
- Large, this enables light to fall on them due to
surface area
- Contain chlorophyll &
chloroplasts
- Have air spaces that allow
carbon dioxide to get in cells
and oxygen to release (stomata
gas exchange through
diffusion)
- They have veins, that transport water
to cells of the leaf
a big
Adaption
Purpose
To absorb light
product.
The energy
respiration is
released for
used to turn smaller
molecules into a
bigger one. Glucose can
also be built up to make
more complex carbohydrates like cellulose, to strengthen
walls. This can also be used to make amino acids by
combining mineral and nitrate ions with sugars (both
plants and algae, however algae also take materials from
water). These make up proteins.
Glucose also used to make fats and oil which is stored, allows
cell walls to be stronger and now has an increased
amount of energy. Some algae are rich and can be an alternative for
biofuel in the future.
As glucose in soluble in water, it can affect the water balance of the plant
therefore needs to be stored as starch which is insoluble in water. This is
kept in a special storage and plants produce tubers (modified part of plant
which is used to store food as starch) and bulbs which help
The tomato plant on
them survive in colder weather. We eat potatoes and onions
the left is healthy; the
for their starch.
one on the right is
growing in conditions
where mineral ions are
Description
Environme
nt
Habitat
Population
Communit
y
Ecosystem