Autotroph Structure and Function

Discuss the structure of vascular and non-vascular plants

1. Distinguish between vascular and non-vascular plants.

o Answer

Vascular plants

Possess vascular tissue, which is specialised for transporting fluids (Not found
in leaves or roots)

 Xylem
 Phloem

Non-vascular plants

Non-vascular plants do not possess this system

2. Identify the two plant tissues.

o Answer

Xylem and phloem

3. Identify the two organs present in plants.

o Answer

Roots and leaves

4. Distinguish between xylem tissue and phloem tissue.

o Answer

Xylem

Transports water and inorganic nutrients (mineral ions) absorbed from the soil
up the plant

Phloem

Transports dissolved sugars produced by photosynthesis from the leaves

throughout the plant, and organic substances

5. Identify the three systems present in most plants.

o Answer

Vascular, root and shoot systems

Discuss the main functions of the leaves.

1. What is the cross-section of a leaf.

 o Answer

2. Identify the main functions of a leaf.

o Answer

Absorb sunlight and carbon dioxide, and produce glucose from photosynthesis

Exchange gases with the air

3. Describe the features of most leaves that allow them to absorb the maximum amount
of sunlight for photosynthesis.
o Answer

Thin and flat structure maximises their surface area allowing the optimum
absorption of light energy by chlorophyll

Thin shape enables internal cells to receive adequate light energy

4. Outline the function of the epidermal tissue.

o Answer

Protects inner tissue and prevents evaporation of water by secreting a waxy

cuticle

5. Outline the function of palisade and spongy mesophyll cells

o Answer

Photosynthesis (but spongy not as much as palisade mesophyll cells)

6. Describe the distribution of vascular tissue in the leaf and how this assists the leaf to
carry out its functions.
o Answer

Enables the leaf to carry out its functions

Distributed throughout like veins

Ensures cells receive the required nutrients and have a system to get rid of
waste

7. Discuss how the products of photosynthesis and respiration can be reused by the
plant.
o Answer

Oxygen (from photosynthesis) can be reused by the plant as an input of

cellular respiration
 Carbon dioxide (from cellular respiration) can be reused by the plant as an
input of photosynthesis

Explain how imaging technologies are useful

1. Describe how radioactive tracers can be used to trace the path of elements through
living plants.
o Answer

Radioisotopes

 Carbon-14 can be used to trace the movement of glucose after it has

been produced by photosynthesis by adding it to the carbon dioxide
supply of a plant
 Radiation emitted by the carbon-14 in the glucose can be traced so that
the glucose can be traced
 Photographic film is used to see where it had moved (dark areas)

Radioisotopes produce gamma radiation that could cause cancers or mutations

in living organisms

Gas Exchange Structures

Discuss the leaf structure of plants

1. What are stoma and where are they located.

o Answer

Specialised structures that allow for gas exchange through the leaves in plants

Each stoma consists of a pore and two guard cells

Located everywhere on a plant, except the roots

Most abundant on the bottom of leaves

2. Explain why plants need stoma.

o Answer

Exchange of gases

They release excess oxygen produced from photosynthesis and take up carbon
dioxide for photosynthesis

3. Distinguish between stoma, stomata, guard cells and lenticels.

o Answer

Stoma
 Pores on leaves, where carbon dioxide moves into the plants and oxygen is
released

Stomata

Plural of stoma

Guard cells

Bean-shaped cells in pairs on either side of stomata

Open and close stomata to regulate the exchange of gases

Lenticels

Pores for gas exchange on the woody parts of plants

4. Identify the three gases that are exchanged through stomata.

o Answer

Carbon dioxide, oxygen and water vapour

5. Describe the changes in the guard cells that cause the opening and closing of the
stomata.
o Answer

Fill with water

The thin outer walls stretch outwards while the thick inner walls do not move,
pulling them apart so the pore widens

Lose water (reverse)

The thin outer walls move together with the thick inner walls, moving them
together so the pore closes

6. Compare how gases move in and out of leaf cells with how they are transferred in root
cells.
o Answer

Through stomata in leaf cells

Diffusion in root cells

7. Describe conditions that affect the opening and closing of the stomata.
o Answer

Mainly light

Usually stomata will open at daybreak and close at night

 Amount of water in the plant

If water in the plant falls, the stoma will close to conserve water

If there is high humidity, the stomata will stay open as less water is evaporated

Amount of carbon dioxide

High concentration means the stomata will close, low means it will open

Discuss the respiratory systems of heterotrophs

1. What is meant by 'gas exchange'?

o Answer

Movement of oxygen and carbon dioxide in a membrane

2. Outline the necessary characteristics of a gaseous exchange surface.

o Answer
 Large surface area
 Moist surface
 Thin surface
 Maintained concentration gradient
 Close proximity to an efficient transport system
3. Where does oxygen enter the bloodstream in humans?
o Answer

In the capillaries that surround alveoli

4. What happens to oxygen once it enters the bloodstream?

o Answer

Attaches to the haemoglobin in red blood cells, forming oxyhemoglobin

Transported to the heart, which pumps the red blood cells containing oxygen
to the rest of the body

5. Identify the respiratory pigment in human blood and outline why it is advantageous
for humans to have this pigment in their blood.
o Answer

Haemoglobin increases the oxygen carrying capacity of blood

Enables cells to be more efficiently supplied with oxygen which enabling

humans to function more efficiently

6. Describe the gaseous exchange surfaces of fish.

o Answer

Fish use gills for gas exchange

 Gills are highly folded, giving them a large surface area for gas exchange

Blood flowing in the gill moves in a countercurrent flow to the water moving
over it

Maintains a concentration gradient, as oxygenated blood is constantly moved

away from the gills

7. Describe the gaseous exchange surfaces of insects.

o Answer

Insects use tracheal tubes to carry air directly to cells

The end of the tracheoles are filled with a watery fluid in which gases dissolve
and diffuse easier

Mammalian Digestive System

Discuss the function and structure of the digestive system

1. Illustrate the path of food from mouth to anus.

o Answer

2. Explain the significance of the microvilli in the small intestines.

o Answer

Increases the surface area for absorption

Examine the process of physical digestion

1. What are involved in physical digestion?

o Answer
 Teeth
 Bile
 Peristalsis
2. What is peristalsis.
o Answer

Muscle contractions of smooth muscle that moves food along the digestive
tract

3. Discuss the role of the teeth, stomach and bile in physical digestion.
o Answer

Teeth

Break up food by biting and chewing

 Smaller pieces have greater SA:V, allowing digestive enzymes to work better

Stomach

Digestive enzymes break down large organic compounds

Bile

Secreted by the liver to break large fat drops (lipids), does not contain any
digestive enzymes

Examine the process of chemical digestion

1. What is the function of digestive enzymes?

o Answer

Speed up the breakdown of large organic compounds into smaller molecules

Required nutrients can be supplied at a faster rate to the body

2. Explain why the stomach has an acidic pH.

o Answer

Gastric juice (containing hydrochloric acid) break down the extracellular

matrix that holds cells together

Denaturing the proteins in the food

3. Explain why pancreatic juice has an alkaline pH.

o Answer

High concentration of bicarbonate ions

Helps to neutralise the acidic gastric juice from the stomach

Examine the process of absorption

1. Compare absorption in the stomach, small intestine and the large intestine.
o Answer

Stomach

Poor absorption due to lack of villi

Small intestine

Absorbs most food particles through the villi and microvilli (high SA)

Peristalsis pushes food along the tract

 Large intestine

Absorb water and mineral ions into the bloodstream

2. After being absorbed into the intestinal capillaries, where are animo acids and glucose
transported?
o Answer

To the bloodstream

Examine the process of waste elimination

1. Distinguish between elimination and excretion.

o Answer

Elimination is the passing of undigested material out of the body

Excretion is the removal of metabolic waste produced in the body

2. Identity components that leave the body in faeces.

o Answer

Undigested material