6.

7 Plants and Minerals

Lesson objectives:
•Identify variables in an experiment.
•Describe the importance of magnesium and
nitrate (nitrogen) ions.
•Use hydrogencarbonate solution to
investigate gas exchange of an aquatic plant.

HOMEWORK: Review chapter 6, and prepare for

chapter test.
 Practical: Photosynthesis and
respiration in plants

• Follow the steps 1 to 5 in textbook page 67.

• Clearly label your test tubes and you will

check them in the next lesson.
What substances does a plant need to grow?
• Carbon dioxide
• Water Substances
• Oxygen transported in
• Glucose/sugars plants.
• Minerals from soil
Plants absorb
minerals via
their roots.

Key term:
absorb = take in
When plants lack (are
deficient in) minerals they
have bad health.

Key term:
deficient = not enough
TASK: Virtual Experiment
click here to go to VIRTUAL lab
TASK: Virtual Experiment

Key term:
Minerals =
TASK: Virtual Experiment
Key term:
Deficiency
= lack of…

N
P

K
 NPK deficiency

N
 Signs of a
nutrient
deficiency.

For a GCSE exam, you need

to describe the effects of a
lack of nitrogen (nitrates) and
magnesium.
Magnesium deficiency
(vascular bundle)
 The importance of Magnesium

Magnesium is a part of the green pigment

called chlorophyll.

Why is chlorophyll
important?

palisade cells
Magnesium deficiency

A lack of magnesium
means the plant cannot
make chlorophyll.

Appearance: less green

Problem: can’t do as
much photosynthesis.
Nitrogen deficiency
Objective: to summarise the importance of
magnesium and nitrogen for a plant.

Mineral Magnesium Nitrogen

The ions
What it is
needed for.
Appearance of
plant when
there is a
deficiency

HOMEWORK: Review chapter 6 and prepare for a

quiz and a chapter test.