Amino acids - formed by glucose and nitrate

which are built up into proteins.

By-product - it's not the main product but there's

usually more than needed.

Carbon dioxide - raw materials for

photosynthesis which diffuses in the leaves from
the air.

Carbon dioxide concentration - is a limiting

factor on the rate of photosynthesis. Increasing
the carbon dioxide concentration increases the
rate of photosynthesis when no other factor is
limiting.

Cellulose - is the change of glucose which is

needed to make cell walls
Chlorophyll - a green pigment that absorbs the
energy from light, Chlorophyll is in the
chloroplasts of the leaf.

Chloroplasts - contain chlorophyll which

absorbs light energy that is used in
photosynthesis.

Cuticle - : waterproof layer that also cuts down

the water lost by evaporation.

De-starching - leave the plant in the dark for at

least 48 hours to make sure the leaves have no
starch at the start of the investigation.

Glasshouse production - carbon dioxide

concentration, light intensity, humidity and
temperature are controlled in modern
glasshouse systems to give optimum conditions.
This ensures that the rate of photosynthesis is
kept high so plants produce maximum yields.
Glucose - used for respiration in the leaf

Guard cells - : open and close stomata. Water

passes into the guard cells by osmosis.

Humus - the part of dirt or soil which comes from

organic matter, such as from dead and decaying
plants and animal remains which improves the
structure of soil.

Leaves - - A large surface area - to absorb light

rays.
- A thin shape - so gases can diffuse in and out
easily
- Many chloroplasts - to absorb light for the
reactions that take place in the photosynthesis
- Veins - to support the leaf surface
Light - provides energy for the process of
photosynthesis

Light intensity - influences the rate of

photosynthesis. An increase in light intensity
will result in an increase in rate of
photosynthesis and it doesn't matter if other
factors change.

Limiting factor - something present in the

environment in such short supply that it restricts
life processes. Limiting factors of
photosynthesis are: light intensity, temperature,
and carbon dioxide concentration.

Lower epidermis - no thick cuticle. Has lots of

tiny holes called stomata (singular stoma). These
allow gases to diffuse in and out.

Magnesium ions - are absorbed by plants and

used to make chlorophyll.
Nitrate ions - to make amino acids which are
used to make proteins.

NPK fertilisers - - Nitrogen (N) (in the form of

nitrate ions) for growth of leaves and stems
- Phosphorus (P) ( in the form of phosphate ions)
for healthy roots
- Potassium (K) ( in the form of potassium ions)
for healthy leaves and flowers

Optimum temperature - the point when maximum

rate of photosynthesis occurs. The rate of
photosynthesis starts to decrease at higher
temperature because the enzymes in the
chloroplasts denatured.

Palisade mesophyll - cells contain lots of

chloroplasts. Most photosynthesis occurs here.
Phosphate - needed for making compounds
such as DNA and for respiration.

Photosynthesis - the process by which plants

make glucose from raw materials using energy
from light. Word equation: carbon dioxide +
water (light& chlorophyll) → glucose + oxygen.
Chemical equation: 6CO₂ + 6H₂O (light &
chlorophyll) → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂.

Spongy mesophyll - more rounded cells with lots

of air spaces between them.

Starch - is the change of glucose which stores in

the leaves for use in the future

Stomata - are small pores (holes) in the

epidermis which control the diffusion of gases
into and out of a leaf.
Sucrose - is converted from glucose and
transported to other parts of the plant in the
phloem.

Sugars - are converted to oils, which are an

efficient way to store energy in seeds.

Test for need of carbon dioxide in

photosynthesis - - Enclose a de-starched plant in
a plastic bag which contains soda lime to absorb
carbon dioxide.
- Leave the plant in the light for a few hours, test
for starch and should get negative result.
- A control experiment is set up exactly the same
way but without soda lime to make sure lack of
starch is caused by the absence of carbon
dioxide.

Test for need of chlorophyll in photosynthesis - -

Place de-starched, variegated plant in sunlight
for 6 hours.
- Test for starch and find only the green parts go
blue-black.

Test for need of light in photosynthesis - - Cover

part of leaf from de-starched plant with some
aluminium foil to prevent light getting through.
- Leave the plant for a few hours and test for
starch (the only parts that were left uncovered
go blue-black).

Testing for starch - - Making it easier to extract

the chlorophyll by submerging the leaf in water
for one minute.
- Turn off Bunsen burners and put the leaf into a
test-tube of ethanol. The chlorophyll is extracted
by dissolving into the ethanol.
- Stand the test-tube in a beaker of hot water for
about 10 minutes.
- Removes the ethanol and re-hydrates the leaf
which softens it and makes it easy to spread out
by washing the leaf in cold water.
- Drop iodine solution on it. If the leaf goes blue-
black, starch is present. If it stays red/ brown,
there is no starch.

Upper epidermis - single layer of cells with no

chloroplasts. Light goes straight through.

Vein - contains xylem vessels that bring water

and salts to the leaf and phloem tubes that take
dissolved food away.

Water - raw materials for photosynthesis which

is absorbed by the plant's roots from the soil.