Vanda National Junior Science Olympiad Training Program

PRIMARY 6

Energy Forms & Uses: Photosynthesis and

Transportation System
in Plants

Notes

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Date:

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 Energy Forms and Uses: Photosynthesis
Plants use the daytime for photosynthesis. This is the time of the day when plants produce their
food. Through their stomata, plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during
photosynthesis.

Plants exchange gases with their environment just like animals do. The exchange happens via
microscopic pores known as stomata. A stoma/stomal pore is an opening through which the
exchange of gases takes place. Usually located on the underside of the leaf, away from the source
of light, are stomata. This keeps the plant's internal water from evaporating (transpiration) through
the stomata.

Structure of Stomata: Open and Closed

Plant Respiratory System & Photosynthesis

Respiration

All living things go through the metabolic process of respiration. It is a biochemical process that
takes place in living things' cells. During this process, glucose is broken down to produce energy,
which is then used by the cells for a variety of purposes. All living things, including dominant
multicellular organisms and single-celled organisms, perform respiration.

Through a series of chemical reactions known as respiration, all living things can produce the
energy needed to survive.

Oxygen travels through a biochemical process between the tissues and cells of the body. Gases
such as carbon dioxide are exhaled and oxygen is inhaled during respiration, which is a reverse
process of photosynthesis. When an organism obtains energy by oxidising glucose and,

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consequently, releasing carbon dioxide and water as wastes. This process is a part of
metabolism.

Breathing in Plants
Similar to animals, plants need oxygen to breathe, and as a result, they release carbon dioxide
during respiration. Plants, in contrast to animals and humans, lack specific structures for gas
exchange; however, they do have stomata, which are found in leaves and are actively involved
in gas exchange. Compared to humans and other animals, the respiration rate in leaves, stems,
and roots is slower.

Respiration and breathing are not the same thing. Breathing is the first step in the respiration
process that both plants and animals do. Since each cell requires energy to survive, they engage
in respiration throughout their lives. This process is called cellular respiration.

Plants use photosynthesis to produce glucose molecules during this process of cellular
respiration. Photosynthesis is the process by which plants absorb solar energy and transform it
into glucose. For their cells to remain active or alive, all plants need to breathe to get energy.

The Process of Respiration in Plants

Significantly less gas exchange occurs during respiration in various plant parts. As a result, plants'
roots, stems and leaves exchange gases independently. Stomata, which are tiny pores for gas
exchange, are present in leaves. The cells in the leaves use up the oxygen taken in through the
stomata to break down glucose into carbon dioxide and water.

The equilibrium between carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere is preserved by plants.
During photosynthesis, plants absorb carbon dioxide from their surroundings. Oxygen is produced
and released into the environment simultaneously. The steady exchange of gases maintains a
healthy ratio of carbon dioxide to oxygen in the atmosphere. But now, due to human activity, the
atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide is out of balance.

Exchange of gases in plants during Photosynthesis and Respiration

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The Reaction of Photosynthesis:

• Plants can produce their food in the form of carbohydrates (sugars) by utilising sunlight, water,
and carbon dioxide (as they are autotrophs).
• They are also known as producers in food chains due to their autotrophic nature.
• Light facilitates the transfer of energy from the surrounding environment to the chloroplasts.
• The majority of photosynthesis occurs in the plant's leaves, possessing chloroplasts rich in
chlorophyll to absorb as much light energy as possible.
• A plant uses the sugars it produces from photosynthesis to make all the materials it needs
and to release energy during respiration.
• An easy equation can be used to summarise the reaction:

Factors that Affect Photosynthesis

• For photosynthesis to occur, a plant requires temperature, light, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll
amounts and water.
• Light and carbon dioxide availability can have an impact on the amount and rate of
photosynthesis.
• Water is also required for photosynthesis.
• The rate of photosynthesis can also be influenced by other environmental variables like
temperature and the amount of chlorophyll in the chloroplasts.

1. Temperature

• Temperature influences the amount of kinetic energy that particles possess, which in turn
influences the rate at which water and carbon dioxide pass through a plant.
• Particles have less kinetic energy at lower temperatures, which leads to fewer successful
collisions over time.
• Raising the temperature causes particles' kinetic energy to increase, which raises the
possibility of reactant and enzyme collisions that lead to the formation of products.
• However, at higher temperatures, photosynthesis-regulating enzymes may become
denatured, changing their structure to become less complementary to their substrate. This
lowers the rate of photosynthesis as a whole.

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2. Light

• The amount of energy a plant needs to perform photosynthesis will determine how much light
it can absorb.
• The rate of photosynthesis increases with the amount of light a plant receives.

3. Carbon dioxide concentration

• Since carbon dioxide is one of the raw materials needed for photosynthesis, the reaction can
happen rapidly when excess carbon dioxide is present.

4. Chlorophyll

• The rate of photosynthesis is dependent on the quantity of chloroplasts, which contain the
pigment chlorophyll, which is used to absorb light energy for photosynthesis.
• A plant's rate of photosynthesis increases with the number of chloroplasts it possesses.
• Chlorophyll concentrations can be impacted by:
 Plant diseases
 Insufficient nutrition (such as magnesium deficiency)
 Absence of leaves (fewer leaves means fewer chloroplasts)

Uses of Glucose

Among the glucose produced during photosynthesis are:

• Transformed into insoluble starch and stored in the roots, stems, and leaves.
• Used to produce oil or fat for storage (especially in seeds).
• Utilised in the production of cellulose, which helps strengthen the cell wall.
• Combined with soil-absorbed nitrate ions to produce amino acids needed for protein
synthesis.

Starch

• Excessive food (sugar) is transported through the phloem tubes (explained further) and
converted into a different kind of sugar and distributed throughout the plant.
• A complex biological process called photosynthesis produces starch.
• It is the main source of carbohydrates found in seed endosperm and plant tubers
(underground stems), where it is kept in granular storage bodies that normally house millions
of starch molecules.
• Plants that contain starch are broken down by the animal/human body through a complex
process of enzymatic digestion process. Corn, or maize, is by far the most common source of
starch; other frequently used sources include wheat, potatoes, tapioca, and rice.

Starch Test by Iodine:

The primary purpose of the iodine test for starch is to detect the presence of carbohydrates such
as starch. The food products which we eat include different types of carbohydrates, among which
starch and sugars are the main carbohydrates found in our food products.

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Procedure

• Take a cleaned, washed, and dried potato.

• Take off the potato's peel.
• To the potato samples, add two to three drops of iodine solution.
• Leave the potato for a few seconds until you see any visible observation.

Observations
The colour will change. The potato develops a blue-black colour.

Result
The result is considered positive, due to the visible change observed.

• According to the observations, after adding the iodine solution, the food sample or potato
turned blue-black. This indicates the presence of starch in the specified plant source.

• This was a simple experiment designed to detect the presence of starch. This Iodine Test for
Starch can be performed on both liquid and solid food samples.

• Iodine can be used to detect the presence of starch in a plant's leaf, indicating that it is
photosynthesising. This can be used to demonstrate the impact of light on photosynthesis.

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Transpiration in Plants
Plants, like all living organisms, require an excretory system to remove excess water from their
bodies. The process of eliminating excess water from the plant body is known as transpiration. It
is typically the evaporation of water from the surface of the leaves.

During transpiration, water molecules in plant tissues are removed from the plant's aerial parts.
Plants absorb only a small amount of water, which is then used for growth and development. The
rest is eliminated through transpiration.

Stomatal Transpiration
It is the process by which water evaporation occurs from plant stomata. This is how the majority
of the water from the plants transpires. When the stomata are open, the water near the leaf's
surface turns into vapour and evaporates.

Factors Affecting Transpiration in Plants

Various factors influencing transpiration rate include:

1. Cellular factors
2. The leaf's orientation is one of the cellular factors that affect the rate of transpiration.
3. The plant's water levels,
4. The leaf's structural characteristics,
5. The quantity and arrangement of stomata in a leaf.

Environmental Factors

The following environmental variables have an impact on transpiration rate: light, humidity,
temperature, atmospheric pressure, and wind speed.

1. Humidity
The amount of water vapour in the air at a given time and temperature is calculated as a
percentage of the amount at the same temperature. The rate of transpiration varies in inverse
proportion to relative humidity. The transpiration rate decreases as the relative humidity
increases.

2. Temperature
A high temperature reduces humidity levels and opens the stomata even in the dark. As a
result, the rate of transpiration rises.

3. Light
The stomata are open during the day and close at night. The presence of light is directly
proportional to the rate of transpiration.

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4. Air
The rate of transpiration is low in still air. This is due to the water vapour building up around
the transpiring organs, which lowers the air's diffusion pressure deficit.

If the air is moving, the saturated air around the leaves is removed and the transpiration rate
increases.

5. Water Availability
The rate at which water is absorbed by the roots from the soil is directly correlated with the
transpiration rate. The rate of transpiration is lowered when stomata close and wilt due to a
decrease in water absorption.

6. Surface Area of the Leaves

A leaf with a larger surface area will transpire at a higher rate than one with a smaller surface
area.

Ascent of Saps

• Water moves towards the leaves through the xylem (as will be further explained) when it
evaporates through the leaves. We refer to this as the transpiration pull.
• The qualities of water that determine the ascent of sap caused by transpiration are as follows:

 The attraction that water molecules have for one another is known as cohesion.
 The attraction of water molecules to polar surfaces is known as adhesion.
 Surface tension: In the liquid phase of water, molecules are more attracted to one another
than in the gas phase.

Significance of Transpiration in Plants

The following explains the significance of transpiration:

1. The conduction of water and minerals to various plant parts is aided by transpiration.
2. The plant maintains a balance of water because water is constantly being eliminated from the
plant body.
3. It keeps the cells stiff and preserves osmosis.
4. Transpiration generates a suction force that aids in the water in the plants moving upward.
5. The accumulation of some hydrophilic salts on the leaf surface keeps the leaves wet.
6. It facilitates cell division and keeps the cells turgid.
7. Plants need optimal transpiration to grow properly.
8. The evaporation of water from a tree's leaves produces its cooling effect.

Transpiration has a few disadvantages in addition to its significance:

1. If the water lost through transpiration is not balanced through soil absorption, transpiration
slows down.

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2. Transpiration releases a great deal of energy.
3. Throughout the process, the plants absorb a large amount of unnecessary water.

Conclusion
In plants, transpiration is an essential process. When transpiration is absent, the plant cells will
eventually burst from an accumulation of excess water. Transpiration accounts for more than 10%
of the earth's moisture content. It's a well-known element of the water cycle.

Transportation System in Plants

In plants, transportation is an essential process. From their roots to the tips of their leaves, trees
carry all the water and nutrients necessary for their survival.

Plants are classified based on many criteria and one such classification is the presence or
absence of a vascular system. Essentially, a vascular plant has specialised features that help it
absorb water and minerals from the soil. These include special tissues such as xylem and
phloem.

Phloem and xylem form a vast network of conducting (transporting) tubes found in plants. This is
more similar to the human body's circulatory system, which distributes blood throughout the body.
The xylem and phloem tissues are distributed throughout the plant, much like the human
circulatory system does. These conducting tissues rise through the tree trunk and begin at the
roots. Subsequently, they divide into branches, and then, like branched networks, they divide into
every leaf.

Transporting (Conducting) tubes in Plants

The water and minerals along with food and hormones are transported in plants by two types of
conducting tissues:

• Xylem
• Phloem

Xylem and Phloem

Two distinct vascular tissue types that are primarily involved in transportation are the xylem and
phloem. These tissues function as a cohesive unit to form a vascular bundle. Whereas the phloem
moves in both directions, the xylem moves only in one direction.

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 Cross section of a plant stem showing Xylem and Phloem

Xylem
The long, non-living tube called the xylem passes through the stem from the roots to the leaves.
After being absorbed by the root hair, the water travels from cell to cell until it reaches the xylem.
The xylem vessels subsequently carry this water to the leaves, where transpiration causes it to
evaporate.

Xylem conducting water and minerals in a bidirectional route through the plant stem
Phloem

The movement of nutrients (sugar) and hormones, produced by the leaves to the parts of the
plant that are metabolically active is carried out by the phloem. The flow of these food molecules
can also be from roots to different body parts when the stored starch from the roots needs to be
transported when leaves do not produce any starch.

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 Phloem tissue conducting sugars and plant hormones in a bidirectional route

Diffusion
It is a method of transportation in which a material is transported from one plant part to another
or from cell to cell. The food molecules travel from a region of higher concentration to one of lower
concentration during diffusion.

Process of diffusion

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