Chapter 6: Plant Nutrition
Definitions:
1. Photosynthesis: process by which plants synthesis carbohydrates from raw
materials using energy from light
2. Limiting factor: a factor that is in short supply such that it limits the rate of
reaction.
Important pointers:
● Carbon dioxide + water — sunlight + chlorophyll → oxygen + glucose
● 6CO2 + 6H2O → C6H12O6 + 6O2
● A chloroplast contains chlorophyll,a green pigment which captures energy
from light and converts it to chemical energy for photosynthesis.
● Carbohydrates synthesised can be:
○ Converted to starch as an energy source
○ Converted to cellulose to make cell walls
○ Used as glucose for respiration
○ Converted to sucrose for translocation
○ Made into nectar to attract insects
● Plants require:
○ Nitrate ions to synthesise proteins, make new cells and synthesise
DNA in new cells.
○ Magnesium ions to make chlorophyll
● Factors that cause an increase in photosynthesis rate
○ Temperature increase
○ Carbon dioxide concentration increase
○ Humidity decrease
○ Light intensity increase
● Adaptations of Leaves
○ They have a large surface area to allow large amounts of sunlight to
fall on [Link] surface area also allows faster gas exchange
○ They are very thin so that sunlight can pass through easily so that all
cells can photosynthesise. Due to being thin, carbon dioxide can reach
all cells quicker by diffusion
● Tissues of Leaves in a dicotyledonous plant and their Adaptations
○ Waxy Cuticle: A waxy, transparent layer that prevents water loss from
the top of leaves
○ Upper Epidermis: The cells in the epidermis are tightly packed together
to minimise loss of water vapour. The cells are transparent to let light
through.
○ Palisade Mesophyll: Contains tightly packed cells with a lot of
chloroplasts to do photosynthesis. They are close to the top so they get
maximum sunlight. Tall, Columnar shape to absorb maximum sunlight.
○ Spongy Mesophyll: These cells also contain chloroplasts, but they are
not tightly packed. They have air spaces between them to allow gas
exchange for photosynthesis.
○ Vascular Bundles: Xylem transports water with dissolved minerals.
Phloem transports amino acids and sucrose
○ Lower Epidermis: They have openings called stomata which are
controlled by guard cells to allow the diffusion of gases into and out of
the leaves.
○ Guard Cells and Stomata: They are a pair of cells that open and close
to allow gas exchange in and out of the leaf.
Chapter 8: Transport in plants
Definitions:
1. Transpiration: the loss of water vapour from leaves
2. Transpiration Pull: A force produced by the loss of water vapour from a leaf,
which reduces the pressure at the top of xylem vessels
3. Translocation: the movement of sucrose and amino acids in phloem from
sources to sinks
4. Source: parts of plant from where sucrose and amino acids are transported.
5. Sink: parts of plant to which sucrose and amino acids are transported
Important Points:
● Xylem Vessels
○ The walls of xylem vessels contain lignin, which is a very strong
material, helping in providing support and structure to the plant.
○ Lignin also makes sure the vessels don’t collapse.
○ The vessels are made up of dead cells so that water can easily flow
through the tube.
○ The cells in xylem are joint end to end, so there is a continuous
pathway of water from the roots to the leaves.
● The Pathway of Water
○ Water enters the root hair cells by osmosis
○ Water passes across the root cortex cells from cell to cell, by osmosis
○ Water is drawn up the xylem vessels due to transpiration
○ Water moves from the xylem vessels to the mesophyll cells by osmosis
○ Excess water evaporates from the surface of the mesophyll cell walls
○ The air spaces contain water vapour
○ The water vapour diffuses out of the air spaces, through the stomata
● Transpiration
○ Water enters root hairs by osmosis
○ Water containing dissolved mineral ions moves up the root and stem in
the xylem vessels
○ Water evaporates from the leaves
● How does transpiration happen
○ Water vapour is constantly diffusing out of the leaves through the
stomata
○ This reduces the pressure at the top of the xylem vessels
○ Due to this, the water at the bottom of the xylem vessels, being at a
high pressure, flows up the xylem vessels.
○ As the water moves up, the water potential at the bottom decreases, so
water moves into the roots through osmosis.
○ This is a continuous cycle, called the transpiration pull.
● Conditions that increase the rate of transpiration
○ Temperature increase
○ Wind speed increase
○ Humidity decrease
○ If humidity is too low or temperature is too high and transpiration
becomes too high, the plant will lose too much water. To prevent that,
guard cells close.
● If less water is available, transpiration is less, so supply of water to plant cells
decreases. Due to this, they lose their turgor pressure, and this causes plants
to wilt.
● When a plant is actively photosynthesising, the leaves are generally the
sources
● But during dry seasons like winter, when plants cannot photosynthesise, the
storage area of the plants become the sources
● Root hair cells have a large surface area to increase absorption.
