photosynthesis

A summary of what you should

know

WITH THANKS TO LRGS
Revision of third form photosynthesis
Photosynthesis
What happens to the glucose formed in photosynthesis?
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
GLUCOSE STARCH
CELLULOSE
LIPIDS
PROTEINS
CARBON
DIOXIDE AND
WATER
Required to make plant cell walls. It is made
of 100s of glucose molecules bonded
together.
Glucose is chemically converted to fatty acids and
glycerol to make lipids, which are needed to make
plant cell membranes and seed storage oils.
Is used by roots and leaves to store excess
glucose in an osmotically inactive form. It is
made of 100s of glucose molecules.
Using nitrate ions absorbed by plant roots,
glucose is converted first to amino acids
then to protein.
The carbon dioxide can be used again in
photosynthesis or may diffuse out of the
leaf via the stomata
respiration
ATP
Factors necessary for photosynthesis
Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
light intensity
The main external factors affecting
the rate of photosynthesis are:
R
a
t
e

o
f

p
h
o
t
o
s
y
n
t
h
e
s
i
s

temperature (degrees C)
Heat energy increases
kinetic energy. More
collisions, with more force,
thus the rate increases
Enzyme protein
denatures. They lose
their catalytic ability to
catalyse
photosynthesis
Optimum
Increasing light intensity increases the energy
entering chlorophyll and thus the amount of ATP
and produced to drive photosynthesis
The effect of light intensity
on photosynthetic rate
The effect of
temperature on
photosynthetic
rate
The rate is limited by another
factor such as carbon dioxide
concentration
Light
intensity
limiting.
light wavelength
light intensity
temperature
carbon dioxide
Notice how increasing the light intensity
beyond a certain point causes no further
increase in rate of photosynthesis.
Something else is now holding the reaction
back. Light is no longer the limiting factor.
Photosynthetic sugar production is catalysed by
enzymes. If the temperature is raised too high
the enzymes denature and photosynthesis stops.
Factors necessary for photosynthesis
Limiting factors
25
O
C and 0.04% CO
2
25
O
C and 0.4% CO
2
15
O
C and 0.04% CO
2
R
a
t
e

o
f

p
h
o
t
o
s
y
n
t
h
e
s
i
s

Light intensity
0 5 10 15 20 25
R
a
t
e

o
f

p
h
o
t
o
s
y
n
t
h
e
s
i
s

temperature (degrees C)
High light intensity
Low light intensity
The effect of temperature
and light
At low light intensities increasing the temperature has little
effect on the rate of photosynthesis.
At high light intensities the rate of photosynthesis increases
much more rapidly over the same temperature range.
This is an example of the law of limiting factors.
THE LAW OF LIMITING FACTORS If a
process is influenced by more than 1
factor, the rate will be limited by the
factor nearest its lowest value
Here is another example of
the law of limiting factors
What 3 factors are limiting in regions A, B, C
respectively?
ANSWERS:
At B temperature limiting
At A CO2 limiting
A
B
C
At C light limiting
Plant mineral requirements
Plants require small quantities of minerals for healthy growth
Minerals are absorbed by the root hairs, either by diffusion or active
transport, depending on their concentration in the soil see next topic.
The most important minerals for plants are:
Nitrogen

Potassium
Magnesium
Iron
Phosphorous
usually as nitrate, nitrite or ammonium ions, NO
3
-
, NO
2
-
, NH
4
+
often in the form of phosphate ions, PO
4
- ions.
in the form of K
+
ions.
in the form of Mg
2+
ions
in the form of Fe
2+
ions
Mineral requirements of plants
Nitrogen (nitrate ions: Needed
to make proteins and
chlorophyll
Deficiency: Poor growth and
leaf yellowing
NO
3
-
Potassium: Helps enzymes in
photosynthesis and respiration
Deficiency: Yellow leaves with
dead spots
K
+
Phosphorous: Required for
photosynthesis and respiration
Deficiency: Poor root growth
and purple younger leaves
PO
4
-
Iron is required by the enzymes
that make chlorophyll
Deficiency: Leaf yellowing
Fe
2+
Magnesium is required as part
of the chlorophyll molecule
Deficiency: Yellowing of
leaves and poor growth
Mg
+
REMEMBER
THESE ARE
REQUIRED
IN IONIC
FORM!
The photosynthesis word equation. That light energy is absorbed by chlorophyll in
chloroplasts and used to make sugar from carbon dioxide. Oxygen is a by-product.
The rate of photosynthesis may by limited by: low temperature, shortage of carbon
dioxide, shortage of light.
The glucose produced in photosynthesis may be converted to insoluble starch. Start does
not attract water by osmosis.
The energy from respiration is used to build smaller molecules into larger ones, including:
sugars into starch, sugars into cellulose for cell walls, sugars, nitrates and other nutrients
into amino acids and then proteins. Sugars into lipids for seed storage.
For healthy growth plants need mineral ions including: nitrate for protein synthesis,
phosphate and potassium for photosynthesis and respiration.
Symptoms shown by mineral ion-deficient plants include:
Any 1 of light, temperature and carbon dioxide will be limiting the rate of photosynthesis at
any particular time.
WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW AT THE END
OF THIS UNIT
Plant cells use some of the photosynthetic glucose for respiration. In addition, nitrates,
absorbed by the roots, are needed for healthy growth.
Stunted growth and yellow older leaves if nitrate ions are deficient
Poor root growth and purple younger leaves if phosphate ions are deficient
Yellow leaves with dead spots if potassium ions are deficient.