SB10.1p Limiting Factors in Photosynthesis

SB10.
1p
Limiting factors in
photosynthesis
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SB10.1p Limiting factors in photosynthesis
What are limiting factors?

Here is the equation that describes photosynthesis.
Question
Explain why plants need carbon dioxide and light for
photosynthesis.
Answer
Carbon dioxide is one of the reactants.
The energy transferred from light is stored in glucose.
The effect of carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of

photosynthesis is shown in the graph.
Question
What does the red line show?
Answer
As carbon dioxide increases, the
rate of photosynthesis increases.
Question
How does this show that carbon
dioxide is a limiting factor?
Answer
The amount of carbon dioxide is limiting (controlling) the
rate of photosynthesis.
As carbon dioxide concentration increases further, the

relationship changes.
Question
What does the red line show in the
right-hand part of the graph?
Answer
Increasing carbon dioxide has no
effect on the rate of photosynthesis.
Question
Explain the change in the graph.
Answer
Carbon dioxide no longer limits (controls) the rate of
photosynthesis, therefore another factor is limiting.
The relationship between light intensity and rate of

photosynthesis is similar to that of carbon dioxide.
Question
Explain what the shape of
the graph means at point A
and point B.
Answer
A: Light intensity is a limiting
factor because increasing
light intensity increases the
rate of photosynthesis.
B: Increasing light intensity has no further effect, so
something else is a limiting factor.
Temperature also affects the rate of photosynthesis.

Question
Explain the effect of temperature
on the rate of photosynthesis:
(a) up to 25 °C
(b) above 25 °C.
(Hint: photosynthesis reactions
are controlled by enzymes.)
Answer
(a) Enzymes work faster as temperature increases, so the
rate of photosynthesis increases.
(b) Above an optimum temperature, enzymes no longer work
properly, so the rate of photosynthesis decreases.
H SB10.1p Limiting factors in photosynthesis
Interaction of limiting factors

In reality, the factors that affect photosynthesis are acting
at the same time, not separately.
Question
Explain which factor is limiting
the rate of photosynthesis at
point A.
Answer
Carbon dioxide is the limiting
factor, because when it is
increased (in the upper curve)
the rate of photosynthesis
increases.
Question
Explain what is limiting the rate of photosynthesis at point B
in the graph.
Answer
Light intensity and carbon
dioxide, because increasing
either factor increases the rate
of photosynthesis.
Question
Which factor can you be certain is affecting the rate at point C?
Answer
Light intensity (there is no higher carbon dioxide to compare
with).
Question
What do you know about the
limiting factors at point D?
Answer
Some factor other than carbon
dioxide and light intensity is
limiting.
In proportion
If two variables are in direct proportion, when one is zero,
so is the other. When one increases, the other increases by
the same percentage. For example, if one doubles, the
other doubles.
This is what is seen in the first
stage of a graph showing the
relationship between the rate of
photosynthesis and a limiting
factor.
Question
Explain whether the graph shows
that the rate of photosynthesis is
in direct proportion to the amount
of carbon dioxide.
Answer
Yes, because the line passes
through (0,0), and as one variable
increases, so does the other in
the same proportion.
When two factors vary in

proportion, but one
decreases as the other
increases (such as the
faster you travel, the
shorter the time it takes to
get there), we say they are
inversely proportional.
Question
Explain why light intensity is inversely proportional to the
distance from the light source.
Answer
The greater the distance from the source, the lower the
light intensity.
The relationship is described by:

light intensity ∝
Where ∝ means ‘proportional to’. The formula means that

the light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of
the distance.
Question
Measurements of photosynthesis have been made with the
light source 6 cm from algal cells. The measurements are
repeated with the light source 12 cm and 18 cm from the
algal cells. Calculate the light intensity at these positions
compared to the light intensity at 6 cm.
Answer
At 12 cm the source is twice as distant, so the light
intensity has decreased by = 1/22
= 1/4.
At 18 cm the source is three times the distance, so the light
intensity has decreased by = 1/32
= 1/9.

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SB10.

What are limiting factors?

The effect of carbon dioxide concentration on the rate of

As carbon dioxide concentration increases further, the

The relationship between light intensity and rate of

Temperature also affects the rate of photosynthesis.

Interaction of limiting factors

When two factors vary in

The relationship is described by:

Where ∝ means ‘proportional to’. The formula means that

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