Photosynthesis

carbon dioxide + water glucose + oxygen

6CO2 + 6H2O C6H12O6 + 6O2

1.Carbon dioxide is obtained from the air by stomata. ( diffusion)

2.Water is absorbed from the soil by the root hairs.

• It is transported by the xylem. (osmosis)

To complete this reaction, we need light energy to synthesize these

molecules.

How can get light energy?

• From Sunlight

Where does photosynthesis occur?

• Chloroplast of a plant cell ( mostly in the leaves)

How can absorb this?

• Plant cell has chloroplast.
• Chloroplast has pigment called Chlorophyll.
• Light is absorbed by chlorophyll.

After photosynthesis,
1.Oxygen is released into the air by the stomata. (diffusion)
2.Glucose is produced as a product of photosynthesis.
• The synthesized glucose molecules (food) are transported to the
parts of a plant to use by the phloem. (active transport)
• Some of glucose are stored as carbohydrates because glucose
molecules are soluble in water which makes it difficult to store.
• This kind of carbohydrate stored is called starch.
• A starch molecule is made of thousands of glucose molecules
linked together in a long chain so they are insoluble in water.
• That’s why starch can be stored in the chloroplasts of a plant cell.

Mineral salts for plants

Mineral salts are needed for the plants to grow larger and healthier.
Mineral salts are normally get from the soil.

Two important mineral salts for plants

1.Nitrate
• For making proteins and chlorophyll
2.Magnesium
• For making chlorophyll

Mineral salts deficiency

Nitrate deficiency
 • plant can’t make enough proteins, so it cannot make enough new
cells to grow well.
• a shortage of nitrate makes plant small and yellow

Magnesium deficiency
• a shortage of magnesium makes plant leaves go yellow

If the soil does not contain enough of some kinds of mineral salts, plants
need fertilisers.

Mineral salts in fertilisers

• Nitrate
• Phosphorus
• Potassium

• Mineral salts are transported in the form of ions so they can be

soluble in water.
• Dissolved mineral ions are transported to the parts of a plant by the
xylem through their root hair cells. (osmosis)
• Nutrients are transported to all parts of a plant by phloem. (active
transport).
Active transport = energy needed

Xylem - One way transport (upward)

Water and dissolved minerals (Osmosis)
Phloem- Muti way transport
Food, glucose, nutrients, minerals (Active transport)
 Plants and water
Functions of water
1.Support 2. Transport 3.Cooling 4.Photosynthesis

Support
• Plant cells contain water inside their vacuoles.
• Water makes plant strong and firm.
• When a plant cell doesn’t contain enough water, it becomes soft
and floppy.

Transport
• Water and dissolved minerals by xylem

Cooling
• Water in xylem gets into the leaves.
• Water in leaf evaporates into the air spaces and release into air
through stoma as water vapour.
• When water evaporates, it absorbs heat energy.
• This gives cooling to the plant and environment.

Photosynthesis
• Water is one of the reactants in photosynthesis