Unit 6: Investigative Skills
Project research
Aim A: Undertake a literature search and review to produce an investigative project proposal
, Introduction:
In my project, I will explore how environmental factors like light intensity, temperature, and carbon dioxide
concentration affect the rate of photosynthesis in plants. Photosynthesis is a vital process that sustains plant life
and impacts ecosystems globally. By studying these factors, I aim to better understand how plants optimise their
energy production and how this knowledge could improve agricultural practices or contribute to sustainable
solutions in energy and climate change.
Literature review: Photosynthesis
Introduction
Photosynthesis is one of the most important biological processes on Earth, as it produces the organic
compounds that sustain nearly all life forms. It forms the base of most food chains and plays a crucial role in
regulating atmospheric gases, particularly oxygen and carbon dioxide. Extensive scientific research has been
carried out to understand how photosynthesis works, the factors that affect its rate, and how it can be measured
accurately. This literature review explores the fundamental principles of photosynthesis, the methods used to
measure its rate, and evaluates key scientific studies that have contributed to the current understanding.
A.P1 Carry out a literature search and review into a chosen scientific area.
What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is a complex biochemical process carried out by green plants, algae, and certain photosynthetic
bacteria that converts light energy into chemical energy. This process is essential because it provides the primary
source of organic molecules used by living organisms and is responsible for maintaining oxygen levels in the
Earth’s atmosphere. In plants, photosynthesis mainly takes place in specialised organelles called chloroplasts,
which are found in large numbers in the palisade mesophyll cells of leaves. These cells are adapted to maximise
light absorption due to their position near the upper surface of the leaf.
Within the chloroplast, the pigment chlorophyll plays a key role by absorbing
light energy, particularly in the red and blue regions of the visible spectrum. The
absorbed energy is used to drive a series of enzyme controlled reactions that
convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose. Glucose acts as an energy source
for respiration and is also used to form structural compounds such as cellulose, as
well as storage molecules like starch. Oxygen is released as a by product when
water molecules are split, and this oxygen diffuses out of the leaf through the
stomata.
Photosynthesis can be divided into two interconnected stages that occur in
different parts of the chloroplast. The light-dependent reactions take place in the thylakoid membranes, where
light energy is used to split water molecules in a process known as photolysis. This produces oxygen, protons,
and electrons, and leads to the formation of ATP and reduced NADP, which are temporary energy carriers. The
Project research
Aim A: Undertake a literature search and review to produce an investigative project proposal
, Introduction:
In my project, I will explore how environmental factors like light intensity, temperature, and carbon dioxide
concentration affect the rate of photosynthesis in plants. Photosynthesis is a vital process that sustains plant life
and impacts ecosystems globally. By studying these factors, I aim to better understand how plants optimise their
energy production and how this knowledge could improve agricultural practices or contribute to sustainable
solutions in energy and climate change.
Literature review: Photosynthesis
Introduction
Photosynthesis is one of the most important biological processes on Earth, as it produces the organic
compounds that sustain nearly all life forms. It forms the base of most food chains and plays a crucial role in
regulating atmospheric gases, particularly oxygen and carbon dioxide. Extensive scientific research has been
carried out to understand how photosynthesis works, the factors that affect its rate, and how it can be measured
accurately. This literature review explores the fundamental principles of photosynthesis, the methods used to
measure its rate, and evaluates key scientific studies that have contributed to the current understanding.
A.P1 Carry out a literature search and review into a chosen scientific area.
What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is a complex biochemical process carried out by green plants, algae, and certain photosynthetic
bacteria that converts light energy into chemical energy. This process is essential because it provides the primary
source of organic molecules used by living organisms and is responsible for maintaining oxygen levels in the
Earth’s atmosphere. In plants, photosynthesis mainly takes place in specialised organelles called chloroplasts,
which are found in large numbers in the palisade mesophyll cells of leaves. These cells are adapted to maximise
light absorption due to their position near the upper surface of the leaf.
Within the chloroplast, the pigment chlorophyll plays a key role by absorbing
light energy, particularly in the red and blue regions of the visible spectrum. The
absorbed energy is used to drive a series of enzyme controlled reactions that
convert carbon dioxide and water into glucose. Glucose acts as an energy source
for respiration and is also used to form structural compounds such as cellulose, as
well as storage molecules like starch. Oxygen is released as a by product when
water molecules are split, and this oxygen diffuses out of the leaf through the
stomata.
Photosynthesis can be divided into two interconnected stages that occur in
different parts of the chloroplast. The light-dependent reactions take place in the thylakoid membranes, where
light energy is used to split water molecules in a process known as photolysis. This produces oxygen, protons,
and electrons, and leads to the formation of ATP and reduced NADP, which are temporary energy carriers. The
