Core Ch 21 Photosynthesis

21.1 Basic concepts

-anabolic process (synthesis of complex organic molecules from simple molecules)
light energy
CO2 + water ------------> carbohydrates + oxygen (by-product)
chlorophyll

-intermediates of photosynthetic reactions + minerals from soil

lipids and proteins

21.2 Adaptive features of leaves for photosynthesis

Structure of leaf Feature Adaptation for
photosynthesis
Leaf blade Broad and flat Provides a large surface
area for absorbing sunlight
Thin Gases and light can reach
the photosynthetic cells
easily
Palisade mesophyll -consists of tightly packed Allows effective absorption
cells that contain many of sunlight
chloroplasts
-located on the upper side
of the leaf
Spongy mesophyll -consists of loosely packed -allows gases to diffuse
cells with many air spaces freely inside the leaf
-cells contain chloroplasts -allows absorption of
sunlight
Upper epidermis and lower Covered by a thin layer of Reduce water loss from the
epidermis cuticle leafcells are kept turgid
-contain numerous Regulates the passage of
stomata gases and water vapour
-each stoma is surrounded into and out of the leaf
by a pair of guard cells (stomata open when
conditions are favourable
for photosynthesis; close
when conditions are less
favourable)
 Midrib and veins Contain vascular bundles -allow efficient transport of
(xylem & phloem) water & food into and away
from the leaf
-support & spread the leaf
blade

21.3 Adaptive features of chloroplasts for photosynthesis

Structure of chloroplast Description Adaptation for

photosynthesis
Stroma Jelly-like fluid -contains enzymes that
catalyse photosynthetic
reactions
-holds starch grains which
are temporary stores of
photosynthetic products
Thylakoid -membranous sacs with -provides a large surface
space inside area to pack more
-large in number, arranged chlorophyll
in stacks called grana
Grana are interconnected -allows efficient transport
of photosynthetic products
within the chloroplast
21.4 How do we know if photosynthesis has occurred?

1. Detecting the presence of starch:

Procedures:
(i) Boil the leaf in a beaker of water for 1 min (destroy the cell membrane and
make it more permeable/porous)

(ii) Turn off the Bunsen burner; transfer the leaf to a boiling tube half filled with
alcohol; put the tube into a beaker of hot water (alcohol serves as an extracting
solvent to remove the chlorophyll molecules out of the cells—high
temphigher rate of extracting process)

(iii) When the leaf is decolourized, transfer it from the tube to hot water again
(soften the leaf)

(iv) Spread the leaf on a white tileadd a few drops of iodine solution onto its
surfaceobserve any colour change (if iodine solution turns blue-black, starch
is presentphotosynthesis has occurred)

2. Detecting the release of oxygen

-test for the presence of oxygen (by-product of photosynthesis) by using a glowing
splint—if glowing splint relights, oxygen is presentphotosynthesis has occurred

21.5 Investigation of the requirements for photosynthesis

- plants used in such investigations must first be put in the dark for at least 24 hours to
remove all the starch in the leaves (destarching)ensure that the starch detected at
the end of the investigation was made during the investigation
- chlorophyll, CO2, light and water are required for photosynthesis
21.6 Factors affecting the rate of photosynthesis
Internal factors:
-chlorophyll content/chloroplast density
-leaf arrangement

External factors (physical/abiotic):

-light intensity
-CO2 concentration
-temperature (affects enzyme’s activity)

(i) Effect of light intensity

-initially, rate of photosynthesis increases proportionately with light intensity as
more energy is supplied to the photochemical reactions
-as light intensity increases, the rate levels off when the light intensity reaches a
saturation point (optimum light intensity)—rate of photosynthesis is now
limited by other factors (e.g. CO2 conc, temp)
-at very high light intensities, chlorophyll may be damagedrate of
photosynthesis drops

(ii) Effect of CO2 conc

-initially, rate of photosynthesis increases proportionately with CO2 conc as
more substrates are supplied to the Calvin cycle (carbon fixation)
-as CO2 conc increases, the rate levels off because the rate is now limited by
other factors (e.g. light intensity, temp)
-if conc of CO2 is too high, it will affect cell’s pHaffect enzyme activityaffect
dark reactionsrate of photosynthesis drops
 Question bank 

1. What is the use of (i) sodium hydrogencarbonate solution, (ii) soda lime?
-(i): provide sufficient carbon dioxide
-(ii): absorb carbon dioxide

2. Explain the importance of the following features of leaves in relation to the

photosynthetic function of leaves—(i) they are thin, (ii) they are green in colour
-(i) it allows the mesophyll cells (1)
to have a rapid supply of gases (1)
and adequate supply of light (1)

-(ii) because mesophyll cells contain chlorophyll (1)

to absorb sunlight (1)

3. Describe what happens to water and carbon dioxide in mesophyll cells during
photosynthesis.
-water is split into hydrogen and oxygen (1)
-hydrogen combines with carbon dioxide (1)
-to form carbohydrate inside mesophyll cells (1)

4. Explain why the plant can be destarched by keeping it in darkness for 48 hours.
-in darkness, starch in the leaves is converted to sugars (1)
-which are transported away from the leaves/oxidized in respiration (1)

5. After several hours, the leaves were detached and tested to see whether
photosynthesis had taken place. Describe how the test should be carried out.
-put the leaf in boiling water (1)
-immerse the leaf in hot alcohol (1)
-immerse it in water (1)
-add iodine solution onto the leaf (1)
6. Explain why the water level in the pipette will drop when the set-up is put under
bright light condition.
-under bright light condition, the rate of photosynthesis of the plant becomes greater
than the rate of respiration (1)
-thus there is net production of oxygen by the plant (1)
-meanwhile, the carbon dioxide level inside the syringe remains constant (sodium
hydrogencarbonate solution provides sufficient carbon dioxide) (1)
-this results in an increase in air pressure inside the syringe (1)
so the water level in the pipette drops

7. The set-up can be modified to measure the rate of respiration of the plant. State
three necessary modifications.
-remove the sodium hydrogencarbonate solution (1)
-put a vial of soda lime/sodium hydroxide solution into the syringe (1)
-wrap the syringe with black paper/aluminium foil (1)
8. You are provided with a destarched potted plant. Draw a labeled diagram of an
experimental set-up which can be used to show that carbon dioxide is necessary for
the plant to make food.

9. What is the purpose of destarching the plant before the experiment? State how you
would destarch the plant.
-to make sure that the starch detected at the end of the experiment was made during
the experiment (1)
-by keeping the plant in darkness for 48 hours (1)

10. Describe and explain the change in the rate of photosynthesis with light intensity.
{CE 06 8aiii}
-from 0.4-5.0 arbitrary units light intensity, the rate of photosynthesis increases with
increasing light intensity (1)
-because there is more energy trapped for dark reaction (1)
-above 5.0 arbitrary units light intensity, the rate of photosynthesis remains the
same (1)
-because there is insufficient supply of carbon dioxide at high light intensity (1)
(other limiting factors)

11. What is the functional relationship between thylakoid membrane and stroma?
-photochemical reaction takes place in thylakoid membrane (1)
-which supplies ATP and NADPH (1)
-for carbon fixation that takes place in stroma (1)
OR
-carbon fixation takes place in stroma (1)
-which regenerate NADP (1)
-for photochemical reactions that take place in thylakoid membrane (1)
12. What is the assumption behind using the volume of oxygen released per unit time to
indicate the photosynthetic rate? Explain your answer.
-the rate of respiration remains constant throughout the experiment (1)
-so that any change in the net production of oxygen can be ascribed to the change in
the photosynthetic rate (1)

13. What is the significance of the two products of the photochemical reactions to the
whole photosynthetic process?
-photochemical reactions produce ATP (1)
-which provides energy to drive the light-independent reactions/for the
regeneration of CO2 acceptor (1)
-photochemical reactions also produce NADPH (1)
-which provides reducing power for the reduction of 3-C compound to form glucose
(1)

Photosynthesis & Gas Exchange in Plants(★★★★)

1. Photosynthesis vs. Respiration

(a) Membranous features of chloroplast & mitochondrion in relation to their
functions {AL 05 PIIA-3(b), ▲AL 10 PIIC-7}
(b) Energy processing/transformation in chloroplast & mitochondrion
respectively
{▲AL 06 PIIB-5(a), AL 07 PIIC-7, ▲AL 10 PIIC-7, ▲AL 11PIIB-6(a)}
2. Structural adaptations of a leaf to the process of photosynthesis/gas exchange
{DSE 16 P1-11, CE 00-1(b), CE 07-3(a)(b)}
3. Calvin Cycle
(a) Occurrence
(b) Structural adaptation of chloroplasts
(c) Metabolic pathway
(d) The role of NADPH and ATP formed in photochemical reactions in driving the
Calvin Cycle
(e) Fate of TP
{DSE 17 P1-7(c), DSE 16 P1-3, AL 08 PIA-9, AL 04 PIIA-2, AL 01 PIIA-2(a)}
4. Effect of deficiency of water/minerals on the growth of plant
(a) Induce root growth/root density increases
(b) Deficiency symptoms of Mg, N and P
{DSE 16 P1-9, AL 03 PIB-10, AL 08 PIB-12}
5. The necessity of CO2 and chlorophyll in photosynthesis {CE 97-4(a), CE
 03-4(a)(iv)}
6. Light as a factor affecting the rate of photosynthesis
{DSE 17 P1-7(a)(b), DSE 12 P1-5, CE 01-2(b), CE 04-2(b), CE 06-8(a)}
(a) Light intensity (on a water plant/generally refers to all natural plants during a
24-hour period)
(b) Quality of light (Red, Blue and Green Light)
7. The reason for destarching; the steps for testing the presence of starch in leaves