Chapter 4 - Plant Nutrition
I. Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is converted to chemical
energy in the form of sugar
a. Chlorophyll
The substance plants use to trap the energy from light
Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives green plants their color. It is stored inside
chloroplasts in the leaves
The energy is used to add carbon molecules to a premade 5 carbon
molecules to make glucose (carbon fixation)
Light energy → chemical energy
b. The Photosynthesis Equation
II. Leaves
a. Leaf Structure
Leaves consists of wide lamina around veins branching out from the midrib
Vasular bundles running through the petioles, up the midrib and through the
veins supply water and carry products from photosynthesis to where it is
needed
Cuticle waxy layer that protects the leaf from drying out
stops water from evaporating from the leaf
covers the epidermis on the top and bottom of the leaf
no chloroplast
Upper epidemis single layer of cell
contains little to no chloroplast
cells secrete a waxy substance that lies on top (cuticle)
I. Photosynthesis
Photosynthesis is the process in which light energy is converted to chemical
energy in the form of sugar
a. Chlorophyll
The substance plants use to trap the energy from light
Chlorophyll is a pigment that gives green plants their color. It is stored inside
chloroplasts in the leaves
The energy is used to add carbon molecules to a premade 5 carbon
molecules to make glucose (carbon fixation)
Light energy → chemical energy
b. The Photosynthesis Equation
II. Leaves
a. Leaf Structure
Leaves consists of wide lamina around veins branching out from the midrib
Vasular bundles running through the petioles, up the midrib and through the
veins supply water and carry products from photosynthesis to where it is
needed
Cuticle waxy layer that protects the leaf from drying out
stops water from evaporating from the leaf
covers the epidermis on the top and bottom of the leaf
no chloroplast
Upper epidemis single layer of cell
contains little to no chloroplast
cells secrete a waxy substance that lies on top (cuticle)
