Student name: Hồ Vũ Hoàng Khoa

ID: BTBTIU21065
Pre-lab for Practical 3:
Photosynthesis & Transpiration
Question:
1. What are autotrophs and heterotrophs? Give each one example.
- Autotrophs and Heterotrophs are the specific terms used for classifying
organisms based on their carbon sources.
+ Autotrophs are an organism class that constructs molecules for
cellular uses from inorganic carbon sources such as CO2. For
example, nitrosomonas bacteria or more specifically
Nitrosomonas aestuarii.
+ Heterotrophs are the other class that build molecules for cellular
uses from organic carbon like C6H12O6. An example for this
group is humans (Homo sapiens).
2. What is “photosynthesis”? How many stages are there in the photosynthesis?
Describe.
- Under the illumination of sunlight, a process occurs and consumes
inorganic carbons (usually CO2) and H2O then transfers those
substances to complex organic molecules and O2. Not only carbon, this
process also converts photon energy into chemical potential energy in
the form of organic bonds. The mentioned process is known as
photosynthesis. By convention, organisms that have basic
photosynthesis are plants. (not including cyanobacteria, sulfur and non-
sulfur bacteria because of differences in structures and mechanism of
action).
- The general reaction is:
6CO2 + 12H2O – (photon energy and chlorophyll) → C6H12O6 + 6H2O
- Generally, there are 2 stages in photosynthesis or to be more accurate,
2 phases: light phase (or light-dependent phase) and dark phase (or
light-independent phase).
+ Light phase occurs in the thylakoid membrane and strictly
requires sunlight to take place. In the membrane, there are two
possible ways of photosynthesis: cyclic and non-cyclic
photophosphorylation.
+ Dark phase occurs in the stroma of chloroplasts. Unlike the
name, if the light phase is not active, the dark phase is inhibited
because it needs products from the light phase. The main event
in the dark phase is the Calvin cycle which has three stages:
Carbon fixation, Reduction, Regeneration.
3. Where is the chlorophyll distributed in plants and animals?
- In plants, chlorophyll can be found in the thylakoid membranes of chloroplasts
located in the cytoplasm.
- However, animals basically do not have thylakoid or chloroplasts due to the
fact that they are heterotrophs.
4. What is the function of chlorophyll?
- Chlorophylls have a special structure that allows their electrons to get excited.
They absorb energy from photons at certain wavelengths depending on types
of chlorophyll (a or b). After the energy absorption, their electrons get excited
and move to a higher energy state. If there is no acceptor for those electrons,
they will return back to their ground state and release energy to the next
pigment (light-harvesting complex). In case of a pair of chlorophyll a in one
reaction-center complex, there is a primary electron acceptor to receive those
electrons. And the pair of chlorophyll a are compensated by other electrons
coming from H2O.
- Hence, these pigments would be a perfect part in the conveyance of energy
and electrons received from photons and H2O respectively.

5. Define the terms “transpiration” and “respiration”. What is the difference

between them?
- Transpiration is the process in which plants lose their water mainly through
stomata residing on the surface of leaves.
- Respiration on the other hand, is the process of breaking down organic
substances to yield energy for biological activities.
- These are two distinct terms that cannot be confused:

Transpiration Respiration

- Occurs mainly in intercellular - Occurs in cellular

spaces.
- Mechanism of action is the
regulation of opening and
closing stomata.
- Results:
- Lower internal
temperature.
- Create forces pulling
water in xylem.
- Because of stomata,
this process indirectly
lets CO2 get into leaves
and releases O2 to the
environment.
mitochondria
- Mechanism of action is the
catabolism involving
phosphorylation at substrate
level and oxidative
phosphorylation.
- Results:
- Indirectly raise the
internal temperature.
- Create energy to
maintain cellular
activities.
- Consume O2 and
release CO2.
- Create intermediate
substances taking part
in other pathways.

6. What are stomata and guardcells? Describe their distribution of the leaf.
- Stomata are holes or pores distributed on the leaves’ epidermis. However,
both sides of a leaf are not the same, the underside has more stomata than
the upper side. A certain stoma is a space between 2 opposing guardcells.

- Guardcells are adjacent cells of stomata (normally 1 stoma is created by 2

guardcells). These two cells generally have the shape like kidneys opposing
each other. Basically, where the stomata present, there are also guardcells.
And these cells help to regulate the size of stomata so that they control the
airflow for CO2 uptaking process.