Plant

Nutrition
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 Content

Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
Structure of a leaf

More about photosynthesis

The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil
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 How do plants get their energy?

We get our energy by eating food

But plants dont eat food!!

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 How do plants make their own food?

One of the raw materials that plants need to make food

does come from the soil, the other comes from the air.
What are these two raw materials called?

carbon dioxide
(from the air)
water
(from the soil)
Plants use carbon dioxide and water to make their own
food in a chemical reaction. What is the name of this
reaction?
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 How do plants make their own food?
Plants make their food from carbon dioxide and water in a
chemical reaction called...
photosynthesis.

carbon dioxide glucose

(from the air)
oxygen
water
(from the soil)
The food made by photosynthesis is the sugar glucose.
Oxygen gas is also made as a by-product of
photosynthesis.
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 How do plants grow?
Plants need energy for photosynthesis to take place.
Where does this energy come from?

light energy

carbon dioxide glucose

(from the air)
oxygen
water
(from the soil)
The energy for photosynthesis comes from the Sun.
Where in a plant does photosynthesis take place?
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 How do plants grow?
Plant cells in the upper surface of leaves have
chloroplasts which contain the green pigment called
chlorophyll.
light energy

chlorophyll
carbon dioxide glucose
(from the air)
oxygen
water
(from the soil)

It is chlorophyll that absorbs light energy from the Sun

to make photosynthesis happen.
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 Photosynthesis

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 Contents

Plant Nutrition

How do plants make

food?
What is photosynthesis?
Structure of a leaf

More about photosynthesis

The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

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 What is
photosynthesis?
Plants make their own food by photosynthesis.
This process is a chemical reaction that uses light energy.

light energy

The word photosynthesis comes

from the Greek language:
photo means light
synthesis means putting together
Photosynthesis just means putting together with light.

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 Photosynthesis:
summary
Summarize the process of photosynthesis in one sentence.

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction

that takes place in the chloroplasts
in green plant cells, where light energy
is used to convert carbon dioxide and water
into glucose and oxygen.

Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction which means it can

also be summarized in a word equation.
What is the word equation for this vital chemical reaction?

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 Photosynthesis: word
equation
light energy
carbon water glucose oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll

light
energy

chlorophyll

carbon oxygen
dioxide
glucose
water
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 Photosynthesis: chemical
formulae?
Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction involving molecules.
light energy
carbon water
dioxide glucose oxygen
chlorophyll

CO2 H2O C6H12O6 O2

The chemical formula of a glucose molecule is C6H12O6.

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 Symbol equation for photosynthesis
The reaction of photosynthesis can be represented
by the following equation:
light energy
carbon + water glucose + oxygen
dioxide chlorophyll

What is the symbol equation for this reaction?

light energy
6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O2 + 6 O2
chlorophyll

Is this a balanced symbol equation?

How would you balance the
equation?
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 Contents

Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
Structure of a leaf

More about photosynthesis

The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

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 Leaves: maximizing
photosynthesis
Leaves are the most efficient
solar panels on Earth!
Why can they be called this?

Light energy is absorbed

by the chlorophyll in leaves
and used to carry out
photosynthesis.

Leaves come in all shapes

and sizes but what features
do they have in common
to maximize photosynthesis?

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 Large, broad, flat surface: Veins: branch many times so
all cells are close to a
large surface area for
vein
absorbing as much
available sunlight as
possible
Thin:
light and CO2
can reach the
cells easily

Stalk: Midrib:
- supplies the leaf with - Supports leaf
water from the stem - contains vascular bundle
and roots which supplies water to
- transports sugar from the the cells of the leaf
leaves to the rest of
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the plant
 The Leaf - Internal Structure
cuticle
(waterproof layer)
upper
epidermis chloroplast
(contains chlorophyll)

vacuole
palisade
layer

xylem
(carries water and minerals into the leaf)

phloem
(carries sugar made by
spongy photosynthesis out of the leaf)
layer

lower epidermis

guard cell air space in spongy layer

stoma (pore) (plenty of room for gaseous exchange)

Chloroplasts are present in the mesophyll cells and guard cells.

Chloroplasts are not present in the xylem, phloem or epidermis.
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 Leaf structure

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 Leaf structure

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 Contents

Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
Structure of a leaf
More about photosynthesis
The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

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 Plants uses of plant
Raw material for
glucose
Used immediately to
growth, repair and provide energy source for
replacement of respiration
damaged parts

Energy used to turn

To make fats & oils sugars, nitrates &
(energy stored in seeds) other nutrients into
amino acids which
Glucose build up proteins

Energy stored as
sucrose (in fruit)

Energy stored as starch

(in leaves, seeds, roots To make cellulose, the
and tubers) main structural material in
cell walls
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 Contents

Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
Structure of a leaf
More about photosynthesis
The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

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 The rate of
photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is a chemical reaction and so has a rate.
light energy
carbon water glucose oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll

Is the rate of photosynthesis always the same?

The rate of photosynthesis varies depending on three

main factors:
light carbon dioxide temperature

How do these factors affect the rate of photosynthesis?

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 Light and the rate of photosynthesis
Light energy has to be absorbed by chlorophyll
for photosynthesis to take place.
light energy
carbon water glucose oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll

The brighter the light, the more light energy there is,
so will photosynthesis be faster or slower?

More light energy means that photosynthesis will be faster.

If light intensity is too high plant cells can be damaged.

How is photosynthesis affected if this happens?

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 Investigating photosynthesis apparatus

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 Investigating photosynthesis experiment

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 Investigating photosynthesis results

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 Carbon
Carbon dioxide
dioxide is one and
of thethe
rawrate of photosynthesis
materials
used by plants to make their food.
light energy
carbon water glucose oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the air (0.03%)

is actually quite low.

Why is the concentration of carbon dioxide in

commercial greenhouses often raised to about 0.1%?

More carbon dioxide means more photosynthesis,

so plants make more food and grow quicker.

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 Temperature and the rate of photosynthesis

Photosynthesis is controlled by enzymes.

Enzymes usually work best at warmer temperatures.
light energy
carbon water glucose oxygen
dioxide
chlorophyll

Why is the rate of photosynthesis slower on a sunny day

in winter compared to in summer?

If the temperature gets too hot (above 40 C), plant enzymes

begin to break down and are destroyed or denatured.
Why does photosynthesis stop under such conditions?

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 What is a limiting
What is the ideal combination of factors
for the maximum ratefactor?
of photosynthesis?
enough light
enough carbon dioxide
ideal temperature (not too hot or cold)

How is the rate affected if one of these factors is restricted?

If one of the factors is restricted, the rate of photosynthesis

will be below the maximum possible rate.

The restricted factor controls how quickly photosynthesis

occurs and so limits the rate. It is called the limiting factor.

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 How does the amount of light
Photosynthesis affect the
and light rate factors
limiting
of photosynthesis on this labelled graph?

1 As the amount of light

increases, so does the rate.
rate of photosynthesis

The limiting factor is light.

2
2 Here, increasing the amount
of light has no affect on the
rate. The limiting factor is
now carbon dioxide or
1 temperature.
What must be increased for
light intensity the rate to increase?

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 Photosynthesis
How does the amountand
ofcarbon
carbondioxide limiting
dioxide affect factors
the rate of photosynthesis on this labelled graph?

1 As the amount of carbon

dioxide goes up, so does
rate of photosynthesis

the rate. The limiting

2 factor is carbon dioxide.

2 Here, increasing the

amount of carbon dioxide
has no affect on the rate.
Light or warmth is now
1
the limiting factor.
What must be increased
concentration of
for the rate to increase?
carbon dioxide

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 Photosynthesis and temperature limiting
How does temperature factors
affect the rate of
photosynthesis on this labelled graph?

11. As temperature increases,

rate of photosynthesis

so does the rate because

photosynthetic enzymes
work best in the warmth.
Here, the limiting factor is
temperature.
2
2 Most plant enzymes are
1 destroyed at about 45C.
Here, photosynthesis stops
0oC
and the rate falls to zero.
temperature 45oC
What is the limiting factor?

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 Limiting factors activity

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 Limiting factors in the greenhouse

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 Contents
Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
More about photosynthesis

The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

Multiple-choice quiz
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 What do plants need for a
Plants need carbon dioxide and water for photosynthesis.
balanced diet?
Do they need any other nutrients to keep healthy?

Just like humans, plants need a balanced diet

that includes small amounts of mineral elements.
What mineral elements do they need?
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 What minerals do plants
Plants need mineral elements for healthy growth.
need?
Some of the most important minerals needed by plants are:

nitrogen nitrates
phosphorus phosphates
potassium potassium ions
magnesium magnesium ions
How do plants obtain these minerals?
The mineral elements are found in salts dissolved in water.
Plants obtain minerals when they absorb water from the soil.
What type of salt are each of these elements found in?
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 What are minerals needed for?
How do plants use these mineral elements?

Mineral element How mineral is used in plants

nitrogen (N) making leaves

phosphorus (P) making roots

potassium (K) making flowers and fruit

magnesium (Mg) making chlorophyll

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 Plant and minerals summary activity

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 Where do minerals come from?
What are the sources of minerals in the soil?

Rocks: The minerals in rocks are

slowly dissolved by slightly acidic
rainwater. These minerals are
washed into the soil.
Natural fertilizers: Animal faeces
and the decay of dead plants and
animals return minerals to the soil.

Artificial fertilizers: These

contain a ready-made mixture
of the minerals needed by plants.

Why do farmers add fertilizers to their soil?

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 Not enough minerals!
What happens if plants do not get enough minerals?
Plants do not grow properly if they are deprived of minerals
and begin to look unhealthy.

If a plant does not get enough of a mineral it is said

to have a mineral deficiency.
Do mineral deficiencies affect a plant in the same way?
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 Mineral deficiency no nitrogen!
Nitrogen is used for making leaves and is probably
the most important mineral for plant growth.
What is the effect of nitrogen deficiency?

upper leaves
pale green

lower leaves
yellow and dead

weak stem

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 Mineral deficiency no phosphorus!
Phosphorus is used for making roots and is important
for all the other minerals used by plants.
What is the effect of phosphorus deficiency?

purple leaves

small roots

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 Mineral deficiency no potassium!
Potassium is used for making flowers and fruit, so
crops are given extra potassium before they start to fruit.
What is the effect of potassium deficiency?

poor flower
and fruit growth

yellow leaves
with dead spots

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 Mineral deficiency no magnesium!
Magnesium is used for making chlorophyll
and so is vital for the process of photosynthesis.
What is the effect of magnesium deficiency?

upper leaves normal

(leaves turn yellow
from bottom upwards)

lower leaves pale green

or yellow

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 Mineral deficiency experiment

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 Plant and minerals summary
Complete this table of plant mineral needs and deficiencies.

Mineral Use in plant Deficiency signs

nitrogen making leaves stunted growth and
yellow leaves
phosphorus making roots poor roots and
purple leaves
potassium making flowers yellow leaves with
and fruits dead spots
magnesium making chlorophyll leaves turn yellow
from the bottom

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 Contents
Plant Nutrition

How do plants make food?

What is photosynthesis?
More about photosynthesis

The rate of photosynthesis

Minerals from the soil

Multiple-choice quiz
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 Multiple-choice quiz

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