6.

PLANT
NUTRITION
 Photosynthesis Theory: Basics
 Green plants make the carbohydrate glucose from the raw
materials carbon dioxide and water.

 At the same time oxygen is made and released as a waste

product.

 The reaction requires energy which is obtained by the pigment

chlorophyll trapping light from the Sun.

 The light energy is converted into chemical energy in

the bonds that are holding the atoms in the glucose molecules
together
 Definition:
Photosynthesis is a process by which plants synthesise
carbohydrates from raw materials using energy from light.

Word equation:

light energy
carbon
dioxide + water > glucose + oxygen
chlorophyll

Balanced Chemical equation:

light energy
6 CO2 + 6 H2O > C6H12O6 + 6 O2
chlorophyll
The fate of glucose: Uses of glucose
 TESTING A LEAF FOR STARCH
 The starch test does not work by placing iodine solution on
fresh leaves, it is not absorbed.
STAGE REASON SAFETY POINTS
1. Boil the leaf in To break the cell membranes, Danger of scalding/
water this makes it permeable burning

2. Boil the leaf in To decolorize the leaf- No naked flames-

ethanol chlorophyll dissolves in ethanol ethanol is highly
flammable
3. Rinse the leaf in Boiling the leaf in ethanol  
water makes it brittle- water softens it

4. Take the leaf out on So that the results are easy to  

white tile see

5. Add iodine solution To test for the presence of starch Avoid skin contact with
to the leaf iodine solution
Testing a variegated leaf for starch
Experiment :To see if carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis
 Destarch a plant. Set up the experiment as shown in the figure.
Test the leaves for starch.
 Control is the flask with leaf & distilled water.
 Experimental leaf shows the absence of starch as it is deprived of
carbon dioxide due to the presence of potassium hydroxide or
limewater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lji6Zx3_E30
Experiment : To see if light is needed for photosynthesis

 Destarch a plant. Set up the experiment as shown in the

figure. Test the leaves for starch.
 Control is the uncovered part of the leaf which gives a
positive test for starch.
 Experimental leaf is the covered part of the leaf, shows
absence of starch in the absence of light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-HiZdafzt4
 Experiment :To see if chlorophyll is needed for photosynthesis

 Leave a plant with variegated leaves (green and white) in a warm,

sunny spot for a few days.
 Test the leaves for starch;
 the control is the green part of the variegated leaf and
 the experimental leaf is the white part of the variegated leaf
 Result: green part will give a positive test (blue – black color) for
starch due to the presence of chlorophyll.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhHvb76wVVQ
 Is chlorophyll needed for photosynthesis?
Chlorophyll cannot be removed from a plant without killing
the plant. Instead, variegated leaves can be used to show
chlorophyll is essential for photosynthesis.
Variegated leaves have pale parts,
which do not contain chlorophyll.
The green parts of the leaf contain
chlorophyll and are the control.
Which areas will react with iodine?
Only the green areas of the leaf
react with the iodine and turn
blue-black. Without chlorophyll,
the pale areas have been unable
to produce starch and do not turn
blue-black.
Jan Ingenhousz
What is the rate of photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction and so has a rate.
Like many reactions, photosynthesis requires enzymes.

Which factors do you think affect the rate of photosynthesis?

The rate of photosynthesis not always the same.

light carbon dioxide temperature

The Rate of Photosynthesis Using a Water Plant

 The plants usually used are Elodea or Camboba – types of

pondweed.
 As photosynthesis occurs, oxygen gas produced is released.
 As the plant is in water, the oxygen released can be seen
as bubbles leaving the cut end of the pond weed.
 The number of bubbles produced over a minute can be counted to
record the rate.
 The more bubbles produced per minute, the faster the rate of
photosynthesis.
 A more accurate version of this experiment is to collect the oxygen
released in a test tube inverted over the top of the pondweed over a
longer period of time and then measure the volume of
oxygen collected.
Effect of Light intensity on the rate of Photosynthesis
• Plants need light energy to make the chemical energy
needed to create carbohydrates. 
• Increasing the light intensity will boost the speed of
photosynthesis.
• However, at high light intensities the rate
becomes constant.
 Experiment 
• Place a pond weed Elodea upside in a test
tube containing water.
• Place the tube in a beaker of fresh water at
25°C. This helps to maintain a constant
temperature around the pond weed.
• Place excess sodium bicarbonate
(NaHCO3) in the water to give a constant
saturated solution of CO2.
• Place the lamp (the only light source) at
distance from the plant.
• Count the number of oxygen bubbles given
off by the plant in 1 minute period. 
• This is the rate of photosynthesis at that
particular light intensity.
• The gas should be checked to prove that it
is indeed oxygen - relights a glowing splint.
• Repeat at different light intensities by
moving the lamp to different distances.
Graph the results placing light intensity on the x-axis.

Explanation 
•Light energy absorbed by chlorophyll is converted to ATP.
•At very low light levels the plant will be respiring only, but not
photosynthesising.
•As the light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases.
However, the rate will not increase beyond a certain level of light intensity.
•At high light intensities the rate becomes constant, even with further
increases in light intensity, there are no increases in the rate.
•The plant is unable to harvest the light at these high intensities and the
chlorophyll system can be damaged by very intense light levels.
Effect of Carbon Dioxide on the Rate of Photosynthesis
When the concentration of CO2 is low the rate of
photosynthesis is also low. (the plant has to spend
time waiting for more CO2 to arrive). Increasing the
concentration of CO2 increases the rate of
photosynthesis. 
 Experiment

 Place a pond weed Elodea upside in a test tube

containing water at 25°C.
 Place the tube in a beaker of fresh water.
 Place excess sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) in
the water to give a constant saturated solution
of CO2.
 Place the lamp (the only light source) at a
fixed distance from the plant.
 Maintain the room temperature at 20°C.
Count the number of oxygen bubbles given off by
the plant in a one -minute period.
 This is the rate of photosynthesis at that
particular concentration of CO2.
 The gas should be checked to prove that it is
indeed oxygen - relights a glowing splint.
 Repeat at different lower CO2 concentrations by
using different dilutions of a saturated solution.
 Graph the results placing CO2 concentration on
the x-axis.
 Explanation

•The rate of photosynthesis increases

linearly with increasing CO2 concentration
(from point A to B ).
•The rate falls gradually, and at a
certain CO2 concentration it stays constant
(from point B to C). Here a rise in CO2 levels
has no effect as the other factors such as light
intensity become limiting.
Effect of Temperature on the Rate of Photosynthesis

• When the temperature rises the rate of photosynthesis rises also.

• There is an optimum temperature  at which the rate of photosynthesis is
maximum.
• Beyond this temperature, the reaction quickly comes to a halt.
Experiment

 Place a pond weed Elodea upside in a test tube

containing water at 25°C.
 Place the tube in a beaker of fresh water.
 Place excess sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) in the
water to give a constant saturated solution of CO 2.
 Place the lamp (the only light source) at a
fixed distance from the plant.
  Maintain the room temperature at 20°C.
 Count the number of oxygen bubbles given off by
the plant in a one -minute period. This is the rate
of photosynthesis at that particular temperature.
 The gas should be checked to prove that it is
indeed oxygen - relights a glowing splint.
 Repeat at different temperatures: 0°C - surround
the beaker with an ice jacket; greater than room
temperature (25°C, 30°C, 35°C, 40°C, 45°C,
etc.,) by using a hot plate.
 Graph the results placing temperature on the x-
axis.
 Explanation
• At low temperature, the enzyme does •At the optimum temperature, the
not have enough energy to meet many enzyme is most efficient and the
substrate molecules, so the reaction is rate is maximum. 
slowed. 
• When the temperature rises, the
particles in the reaction move quicker
and collide more, so the rate of
photosynthesis rises also.
• At temperatures above 40°C the rate slows down.
• This is because the enzymes involved in the chemical reactions
of photosynthesis are temperature sensitive and destroyed
(denatured) at higher temperatures.
 What is the ideal combination of factors for the maximum rate
of photosynthesis?

 enough light
 enough carbon dioxide
 ideal temperature (not too hot or cold).

 How does restricting one of these facts affect the rate?

If one of the factors is restricted, the rate of photosynthesis
will be below the maximum possible rate.

What is a limiting factor?

Limiting factors: is the internal/external factors such as
CO2/light/temperature/water present in the environment in
such short supply that it restricts life processes..
Effect of gas exchange of an aquatic plant kept in
the light and in the dark:
 Hydrogen carbonate indicator is used to show carbon dioxide
concentration in solution. It is:
 yellow in high concentrations of carbon dioxide
 red in equilibrium with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
 purple in low concentrations of carbon dioxide

 Place a leaf from a plant in a stoppered boiling tube containing

some hydrogen carbonate indicator. You can then investigate
the effect of light over a period of a few hours.
 Plant cells respire in the light and the dark, releasing
carbon dioxide.
 In the light, photosynthesis can also happen, and
carbon dioxide is absorbed from the air.
 If the light is bright enough, the rate of absorption
becomes greater than the rate of release.
 Mineral requirements
• The plant needs mineral ions to control chemical
activities, grow, and produce materials.
 Nitrate ions (NO3-) are needed by  Magnesium ions (Mg2+) are
plants as a source for making needed to form chlorophyll.
amino acids.  This metallic element is also
 Amino acids are important obtained in salts from the
because they are joined together soil.
to make proteins, needed to form
enzymes and cytoplasm of the
cell.
 Nitrate are absorbed from the
soil by the roots.
 Effects of nitrate ion and magnesium ion
deficiency on plant growth:
 Ifany mineral element is lacking, or deficient, in the
soil then the plant may show visible deficiency
symptoms.
 If nitrate ions are in short  If the plant is deficient in
supply, the plant will show magnesium, it will not be
stunted growth. able to make chlorophyll.
 The stem becomes weak.  The leaves turn yellow
 The lower leaves become from the bottom of the
yellow and die. stem upwards (a process
 The upper leaves turn called chlorosis).
pale green.
 6.2 Leaf structure
 Tip: allows the water to drip off and
not block light or damage leaf.
 Mid-rib: contains the xylem and
phloem.
 Vein: contains the xylem and
phloem.
 Lamina: the site of photosynthesis
and production of useful substances.
 How are leaves adapted for photosynthesis?
To increase photosynthesis, leaves have certain key features:
 thin – this allows gases to
reach cells easily
 wide and flat – this create a
large surface area to absorb
as much light as possible
 veins – these carry water to the
cells and carry glucose away
and also support leaves
 stomata – these are pores on
the underside of leaves through
which gases move in and out.
Internal structure of Leaf
 Cuticle: Made of wax, waterproofing the leaf. It is
secreted by cells of the upper epidermis.
 Upper epidermis: These cells are thin and transparent
to allow light to pass through. No chloroplasts are
present. They act as a barrier to disease organisms.
 Palisade Mesophyll: a layer of palisade cells which
carry out most of photosynthesis
 Spongy Mesophyll: a layer of spongy cells beneath
the palisade layer, they carry out photosynthesis and
store nutrients.
 Vascular Bundle: it is a group of phloem and xylem
vessels that transport water and minerals to and from
the leaves. (called translocation)
 Lower epidermis: This acts as a protective layer.
Stomata are present to regulate the loss of water
vapour (called transpiration). It is the site of gaseous
exchange into and out of the leaf.
 Guard cells and Stomata: Each stomata is
surrounded by a pair of guard cells. These can control
whether the stoma is open or closed. Water vapour
passes out during transpiration. Carbon dioxide
diffuses in and oxygen diffuses out during
photosynthesis.
 Adaptation of leaves for photosynthesis
1. Their broad, flat shape offers a large surface area for
absorption of sunlight and carbon dioxide.
2. Most leaves are thin and the carbon dioxide only has to
diffuse across short distances to reach the inner cells.
3. The large spaces between cells inside the leaf provide an
easy passage through which carbon dioxide can diffuse
4. There are many stomata in the lower surface of the leaf.
These allow the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen
with the air outside. 
5. There are more chloroplasts in the upper (palisade) cells
than in the lower (spongy) cells. The palisade cells, being
on the upper surface, will receive most sunlight and this
will reach the chloroplast without being absorbed by too
many cell walls.
6. The branching network of veins provides a good water
supply to the photosynthesising cells. No cell is very far
from a water-conducting vessel on one of these veins.
How do gases enter and leave plants?
On the underside of leaves are small holes, or pores,
called stomata. A single hole is called a stoma. Each
stoma is surrounded by two guard cells.

When guard cells gain water, they

curve outwards. This opens the
stoma, allowing gases in and out.

Losing water causes the guard cells to

come closer together, closing the stoma.
This stops the movement of gases, but
also prevents water loss.