PHOTOSYNTHESIS

WHAT IS PHOTOSYNTHESIS ?
Photosynthesis is an important activity of all green plants which
are able to synthesise food from dioxide and water in the presence
of chlorophyll and light energy.
Plants produces food resources & release oxygen as a by product
during photosynthesis.

Importance of Photosynthesis:
(1) Food for all: Photosynthesis is ultimately the source of energy
and food for all living beings directly for plants and indirectly for
animals and humans who eat the plants or the plant-eating animals.
(2) Oxygen to breathe in: Photosynthesis is the only biological
process which releases oxygen into the atmosphere. Oxygen
supports all life on earth.

CHLOROPHYLL - THE VITAL PLANT PIGMENT

Chloroplasts are minute oval
bodies bounded by a double
membrane, and their interior
contains closely packed
flattened sacs (thylakoids),
arranged in piles (grana)
lying in a colourless ground
substance called stroma.

Chloroplasts are mainly

contained in the mesophyll
cells located between the upper epidermis and the lower epidermis.
Chlorophyll is the green pigment found in plants. It is contained in
microscopic cell organelles called chloroplasts. Chlorophyll a and
b are most abundant.

Too much light destroys chlorophyll.

The grass growing in the shade under a stone turns yellowish due
to the non-formation of new chlorophyll and due to the
disintegration of the older one in the absence of light.

REGULATION OF STOMATAL OPENING FOR LETTING IN CARBON

DIOXIDE
The main function of the stomata is to let in CO2, from the
atmosphere for photosynthesis. Transpiration occurs along with
photosynthesis.

Opening and Closing of Stomata

There are two theories about the opening and closing of stomata.
(1) Potassium ion concentration theory (recent)
(2) Sugar concentration theory (old)

(1) K+ ion concentration theory:

During daytime, the chloroplasts in the guard cells
photosynthesise which leads to the production of ATP. This ATP is
used to actively pump the potassium ions of the adjacent cells into
the guard cells. They become hypertonic so they absorb more
water and become turgid. So guards cell bulges and open. Reverse
takes place at night.

(2) Sugar concentration theory:

According to the old sugar concentration theory, during daytime,
the guard cells begin photosynthesis and the sugar (glucose)
produced during the process, increases the osmotic pressure
which draws in water from the adjoining cells due to endosmosis.
In this way they absorb more water and become turgid. So guards
cell bulges and open.

Closing of the stomata: If for any reason, the water content of the
leaf is falling short, the water is drawn out of the guard cells due to
exosmosis making them flaccid. As a result, their inner thick walls
straighten to close the stomata.

PROCESS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Mesophyll cells in a leaf are the principal centres of this activity.
During daytime, when sunlight falls on the leaf, the light energy is
trapped by the chlorophyll of the upper layers of mesophyll,
especially the palisade cells.
• Carbon dioxide enters the leaf by diffusion stomata.
• Water from the soil is taken up by the roots.

The chemical equation to represent this process is as follows:

6CO2 + 12H2O → C6H12O6 + 6H2O + 6O2↑

TWO MAIN PHASES OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

A) LIGHT-DEPENDENT PHASE (PHOTO CHEMICAL PHASE)

In this phase, light plays the key role. A series of chemical
reactions occur in thylakoids due to light and so the phase is called
photochemical phase.

Two main steps are:

Step I. Activation of chlorophyll: The chlorophyll on exposure to
light energy becomes activated by absorbing photons.

Step II. Splitting of water: The absorbed energy is used in splitting

the water molecule (H₂O) into its two components (Hydrogen ions
and Oxygen) and releasing electrons.

Photolysis causes break down of water in presence of light. It

occurs in grana.

End result of the products of photolysis

(1) The hydrogen ions (H+) are picked up by a compound NADP
(Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate) to form NADPH.
(2) Oxygen is given out.
(3) The electrons (e) are used in converting ADP (adenosine
diphosphate) into energy-rich compound ATP.
This step is called phosphorylation.

B) LIGHT-INDEPENDENT (DARK) PHASE [also called Biosynthetic

phase]
The old term "dark phase" did not mean that it occurs when it is
dark i.e. at night. It only meant that the reactions are not dependent
on light. That is why, it is now better to call it "light independent
phase."

Conversion of glucose into starch and other chemicals:

Most green plants convert glucose into starch as soon as it is
formed during photosynthesis. Several glucose molecules are
transformed to produce one of starch; this process is called
polymerisation.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIGHT DEPENDENT AND LIGHT

INDEPENDENT PHASE

ADAPTATIONS IN LEAF TO PERFORM PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. Large surface area for maximum light absorption.

2. Leaf arrangement at the right angle to the light source to obtain

maximum light.
3. Cuticle and upper epidermis are transparent and water proof to
allow light to enter freely.

4. Numerous stomata allow rapid exchange of gases.

5. The thinness of leaves reduces the distance between cells

facilitating rapid transport.

6. The chloroplasts are concentrated in the upper layers of the leaf

to obtain light energy quickly.

7. Extensive vein system for rapid transport to and from the

mesophyll cells.

END RESULT OF THE PRODUCTS OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS

1. Glucose: The simple sugar glucose is used in four different ways
as required by the plant :
(i) immediately consumed by the plant cells
(ii) stored in the form of insoluble starch
(iii) converted into sucrose
(iv) used in synthesising fats, proteins, etc.

2. Water: The water produced in the process may be re-utilized in

the continuance of photosynthesis.

3. Oxygen: Some of the oxygen may be used in respiration in the

leaf cells (the phenomenon is called photorespiration).

Utilisation of Synthesised Food and its Translocation:

The glucose is converted into insoluble starch for temporary
storage in the leaf. At night, the starch is reconverted into soluble
sugar which is transported in solution through the veins of the leaf
and down through the phloem of the stem.

FACTORS AFFECTING PHOTOSYNTHESIS

There are four external and three internal factors which affect
photosynthesis:
A. EXTERNAL FACTORS
(i) Light intensity and (ii) Carbon dioxide concentration
One would easily think that the rate of photosynthesis will increase
with light intensity. To some extent, it is true. Photosynthesis
increases with the light intensity up to a certain limit only, and then
it gets stabilised at the point S' = (0.02% CO2). But if, at this point,
the carbon dioxide concentration is increased, the photosynthesis
also increases further and again gets stabilised at a point S" = (
0.05% CO₂) for the two factors together.

(iii) Temperature
With the rise in temperature, the rate of photosynthesis rises. This
rise occurs up to the optimum temperature of 35°C after which the
rate falls and stops above 40°C.

(iv) Water Content

The scarcity of water due to reduced absorption from the soil or
due to an excessive loss through transpiration reduces the rate of
photosynthesis. Only 1% of water absorbed by the root is utilised in
photosynthesis.

B. INTERNAL FACTORS
(i) Chlorophyll - Nutritional deficiencies of minerals cause loss of
chlorophyll and hence the drop in trapping solar energy.

(ii) Protoplasm- Dehydration of protoplasm for some reason

reduces the rate of photosynthesis. Similarly, the accumulation of
carbohydrates also reduces the rate of photosynthesis.

(iii) Structure of leaf- The thickness of

cuticle, the distribution of stomata and
the size of the leaf influence the
amount of light and the amount of CO,
entering the leaf.

EXPERIMENTS ON PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Destarching (Removal of Starch): A
plant used for experiments on
photosynthesis should initially be placed in the dark for 24 to 48
hours to destarch the leaves. During this period, all the starch will
be removed from the leaves and stored in the storage organs. The
leaves will not show the presence of starch.

To test a leaf for starch (lodine test).

 Dip the leaf in boiling water for a minute to kill the cells.
 Boil the leaf in methylated spirit over a water bath till it
becomes pale white due to the removal of chlorophyll .
 Pour hot water to soften it.
 Pour Iodine if it turns blue black, presence of starch confirmed.

Experiment to show that chlorophyll is necessary:

Experiment to show that sunlight is necessary:

Experiment to show that Carbon dioxide is necessary for

photosynthesis:
Experiment to show that Oxygen is produced during
Photosynthesis:

IMPORTANCE OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS
Photosynthesis supports all life on earth. If there were no green
plants, all life on the earth would come to an end.
1. Provides food: All animals, including humans, ultimately depend
on plants for food. The food chain may have a number of
intervening stages but the starting point is always a plant.

2. Provides oxygen: The life-supporting gas, oxygen, is present in

the atmosphere in a free state only because of photosynthesis.

CARBON CYCLE
The carbon cycle is a series of chemical reactions in which carbon
as a chemical element (in CO2 is removed from the air, used by
living organisms in their body processes and is finally returned to
the air).
The essential steps in the carbon cycle are as follows:
(i) Photosynthesis: Green plants (producers) use carbon dioxide of
the air to produce carbohydrates.

(ii) Food chains: Through food chains, the food passes on from
plants to animals.
(iii) Respiration: All plants and animals, respire by oxidising
carbohydrates in their cells to produce energy and give out carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere.

(iv) Decay: The dead remains of plants and animals are consumed
by bacteria and fungi and in the process, they break down the
organic matter, releasing carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere.

(v) Combustion (burning): When a fuel such as wood or a fossil fuel

like coal, petroleum or natural gas, is burnt, the carbon contained
in it is oxidised to carbon dioxide, which is given back into the
atmosphere. All the fuels named above originally come from living
organisms.

(vi) Heating limestone: A certain amount of carbon dioxide is

released during heating or burning of limestone in lime kilns.