How does trees on the fertile plain obtain their food?

Or the
cacti in the
desserts ?

Or the algae in the sea ?

• Which mode of nutrition do the green
plants carry out?

A. Autotrophic nutrition

B. Heterotrophic nutrition
• Heterotrophic nutrition is the mode of
nutrition in which organisms have to depend
on other organisms or dead organic matters
as their food sources.

• Green plants, however, can make organic

food by themselves using simple inorganic
substances.
 Very Good!
• Autotrophic nutrition is the mode of
nutrition in which organisms can make
organic food by themselves using simple
inorganic substances.
• The process by which the green plants
obtain nutrients is called :

Photosynthesis
 Nature of photosynthesis
• Takes place in Chloroplast
• Necessary factors :
Carbon dioxide

Water

Sunlight

Chlorophyll
Route of Carbon Dioxide
for Photosynthesis
 Chloroplast

Spongy Mesophyll
Cell

Air Space

Stoma

CO2
 Chloroplast

Palisade Mesophyll
Cell

Air Space

Stoma

CO2
 Light reaction
 Light energy is trapped by chlorophyll in
chloroplast
 Light energy absorbed by chlorophyll splits
water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen
 Oxygen is released as a gas through stoma
to outside
 Hydrogen is fed into dark reaction
ebr os ba t hgil f
o %
ll yhpor ol hc
blue
green
red
6
Oxygen is produce as the by-product of photosynthesis.
 Dark reaction
No light is required; can take place
either in light or darkness
Hydrogen produced in light reaction
combines with CO2to form carbohydrates
Water is formed as a by-product
 Summary of Photosynthesis
6 CO2 + 6 H20 C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Light Carbon Dioxide

Water
H
Light Reaction Dark Reaction

Oxygen Glucose

(C6H12O6)
Fate of carbohydrate
products in the
plant
 carbon dioxide and water
photosynthesis

carbohydrates (e.g. glucose)

release energy by respiration

 carbon dioxide and water
photosynthesis

carbohydrates (e.g. glucose)

convert into starch for storage because

glucose is not a very good storage molecule
 carbon dioxide and water
photosynthesis

carbohydrates (e.g. glucose)

change into sucrose and is transported

to other parts through phloem
 carbon dioxide and water
photosynthesis
carbohydrates (e.g. glucose)

fatty acids glycerol

combine to form fats and oils to form cell

membranes and as a food store
 carbon dioxide and water
photosynthesis
mineral salts from soil
carbohydrates (e.g. glucose)
(e.g. NO3-, SO42-)

amino acids

join together to become

protein molecules
Experiments on

photosynthesis
• Reason:
Destarching
– To avoid any existing starch in the leaves
interfering with the result, and to show that
any starch found after the experiment is
produced during the period of
investigation
• Method:

– By placing the plant in dark for at least 48

hours
To test a leaf for the presence
of Starch
 boiling
boiling alcohol hot water
water
iodine

turn off turn off

Bunsen Bunsen
burner white tile
burner

Why is the leaf first boiled in water ?

Ans: Because the process can soften the leaf, break
down the cuticle and kill the leaf.
 boiling
boiling alcohol hot water
water
iodine

turn off turn off

Bunsen Bunsen
burner white tile
burner

Why is the leaf then boiled in alcohol ?

Ans: To decolourize the leaf (to remove chlorophyll).
 boiling
boiling alcohol hot water
water
iodine

turn off turn off

Bunsen Bunsen
burner white tile
burner

Why is it important to turn off the Bunsen burner when you

are heating the alcohol ?
Ans: Because alcohol catches fire easily.
 boiling
boiling alcohol hot water
water
iodine

turn off turn off

Bunsen Bunsen
burner white tile
burner

Why is the leaf put in hot water after being boiled in

alcohol ?
Ans: Since the leaf becomes brittle after boiling in
alcohol, so dipping it into hot water enables it to be
softened.
 boiling
boiling alcohol hot water
water
iodine

turn off turn off

Bunsen Bunsen
burner white tile
burner

What colour change can be observed if starch is present ?

Ans: The leaf becomes blue-black when iodine solution
is added to it.
 To show that Chlorophyll is
necessary for Photosynthesis
 purple part

green part

Which part of the leaf turns blue-black when treated with

iodine solution ?
Ans: Only the green part.
 purple part

green part

Is chlorophyll necessary for photosynthesis ?

Ans: Yes.
 purple part

green part

What is the control in this experiment ?

Ans: The green part of the leaf acts as the control.
 To show that Carbon
Dioxide is necessary for
Photosynthesis
 sunlight

B
A potassium
water hydroxide solution

Why is potassium hydroxide solution put in one of the

flasks ?
Ans: To absorb all the carbon dioxide in flask B.
 sunlight

B
A potassium
water hydroxide solution

What happens to each leaf after testing the presence of

starch at the end of the experiment ?
Ans: The leaf in flask A changes to blue-black while the
leaf in flask B stains brown.
 sunlight

B
A potassium
water hydroxide solution

What do your results suggest about the relationship

between carbon dioxide and photosynthesis ?
Ans: Carbon dioxide is necessary for
photosynthesis.
Factors affecting
the rate of
photosynthesis
 Light intensity
 Rate of
Photosynthesis
  Carbon
dioxide
concentration
 Rate of
Photosynthesis
  Temperature
 Rate of
Photosynthesis
Temperature > 40℃
Rate  & Stop soon
If no water, stomata close
no gaseous exchange
photosynthesis ceases
 Why is Photosynthesis
important ?
Green plants: the only organisms
capable of trapping light
to manufacture food from
simple inorganic
substances
 Why is Photosynthesis
important ?
Green plants(producers) starts the
food chain & provide food for
other organisms
 Why is Photosynthesis
important ?
Atmospheric carbon dioxide is absorbed
& oxygen is released into the atmosphere
which maintains the composition of the
atmosphere constant
 Parts of plant where
photosynthesis takes place
Mainly in the leaf because
– it contains a lot of chloroplasts
– it is well adapted for performing
photosynthesis
 Internal
Structure of Leaf
 cuticle
upper epidermis
palisade mesophyll
chloroplasts

spongy mesophyll

intercellular space
(air space)
guard cell
lower epidermis
cuticle
stoma
Cross-section
of a leaf of
dicotyledon
upper
epidermis
protect internal
tissues from
mechanical
damage and
bacterial &
fungal invasion
Cuticle
• a waxy layer
• prevent
water loss
from the leaf
surface
• protect the
leaf
mesophyll
palisade
mesophyll
(layer)
columnar cells

cool nstealiynspa
m c a kn e y d
ctohgloerthoeprla
sts
absorb light
more efficiently
irregular cells
loosely packed
together to leave
nsoummeer(ofueswl

earmregeasair
 l oopwhryalpl
)id
sdthipaf auncespisoalisade
c h l o ro pnal osf
tgsafsoers
tphhrootuogshyonu
tthtehseilseaf

spongy
mesophyll
(layer)
 same as
upper
epidermis
except
the
cuticle is
thinner
lower
epidermis
 opening which
allows gases
to pass
through it to go
into or out of
the leaf
stoma
(stomata)
guard cells
control the
size of stoma
Stoma

Guard cells

thinner outer wall

thicker inner wall

stoma
vascular
bundle
(vein)
Internal Structure of Leaf
xylem

phloem
xylem
• to transport water
and mineral salts
towards the leaf

• for mechanical
support
phloem

• to transport
organic
substances
(food/sugar/
glucose/
sucrose) away
from the leaf
Adaptation of leaf
to
photosynthesis
The leaf is thin
decrease diffusion
distance for gases &
light

The leaf is broad &

flattened
increase surface area
to absorb more
sunlight
Cuticle exists in
upper epidermis and
is transparent
Allows most light to
pass into
photosynthetic
mesophyll tissues
Palisade mesophyll
cells are closely
packed and contain
many chloroplasts
To carry out
photosynthesis more
efficiently
Spongy mesophyll
cells are loosely
packed with numerous
large air spaces
To allow rapid diffusion
of gases throughout
the leaf
Numerous stomata
on lower epidermis
To allow rapid
gaseous exchange
with the
atmosphere
Extensive vein system
• Allow sufficient
water to reach the
cells in the leaf
• To carry food away to
other parts of the
plant
 Mineral requirements
in plants
• In order to synthesize amino acids, nitrate ions
which must be taken into the plant from the soil
through the root
• Other minerals are also necessary to maintain
the life of the plant (N, Mg, P, K, S, etc)
 The importance of nitrogen
• For synthesis of proteins, chlorophyll, etc
• Taken in form of nitrate ions
• Deficiency symptoms:
– Little growth ( - no protein made)
– Yellowing of leaves ( - no chlorophyll
made)
The importance of magnesium
• Essential component of chlorophyll
• Deficiency symptoms:
– Yellowing of leaves (no chlorophyll made)
– Poor growth (no food manufactured
because of lack of chlorophyll)
 Use of fertilizers in
agriculture
• Continuous harvesting crops removes
valuable mineral salts from soil
Fertilizers are added to replace
such loss
• Two kinds of fertilizers:
– Natural fertilizers
– Chemical fertilizers
 Natural fertilizers
• From manure
• Organic compounds in it are
decomposed by the bacteria in
soil to form mineral salts
 Chemical fertilizers

• Mainly nitrogenous and phosphorous

compounds manufactured
artificially
 Comparison between natural
and chemical fertilizers
Natural fertilizers
Contain humus which can
improve soil texture
Less soluble in water so less
likely to be washed away
Chemical fertilizers
No humus so cannot improve
soil texture
Very soluble in water so more
likely to be washed away
 Comparison between natural
and chemical fertilizers
Natural fertilizers
Much cheaper
Less soluble in water so more
difficult to be absorbed
Time is needed for the
decomposition to complete
before nutrients are available
to plants
Chemical fertilizers
Very expensive
Very soluble in water so
easier to be absorbed
More readily to be used by
the plants