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MODULE BIOSL 2: ANALYSE ENERGY

FLOW IN ECOSYSTEMS
Learning Outcome: BIOSL 2.3 – Investigate energy transformations in living organisms.

Performance Criteria: PC - 2.3.1 to 2.3.8

PLANT NUTRITION (PC 2.3.1 – 2.3.3)

What is nutrition?

 It is the uptake of substances by organisms from which energy will be obtained to be

used in maintaining life processes (characteristics of living things)

Modes of Nutrition

 These are principles of obtaining nutrients.

Two modes of nutrition are;

a) Autotrophic-
It is whereby organisms (plants) build up all their food i.e. making organic molecules
from simple inorganic substances.

Auto- means self and trophos means feeding.

b) Heterotrophic-
It is whereby organisms (animals) use ready-made organic substances as their source
of food. These organic substances are originally from autotrophs.

Hetero means different or other.

Why do organisms need nutrition?

They need it to make new tissues for growth and replacement of worn-out tissues.
It is needed also for the provision of energy.

AUTOTROPHIC

Why are plants referred to as producers?

: Plants able to make (produce) their own food through the process of photosynthesis.

Photosynthesis is defined as:

 The process by which green plants make their own food using water and carbon
dioxide in the presence of sunlight.
 The process by which green plants fix
complex organic substances such as
carbohydrates from inorganic substances such
as carbon dioxide and water.
Raw materials needed for photosynthesis are;

 Carbon dioxide
 Water
Requirements for photosynthesis

 Sunlight
 Chlorophyll
How do plants obtain these raw materials?

 Carbon dioxide - diffuses through the stomata found on leaves and some stems.
 Water – it is absorbed from the soil by the root hair cells through the process of
osmosis. Water moves between the cell walls through to the xylem tissues which is
responsible of transporting water and dissolved mineral salts.
 Sunlight – it is trapped by the green pigment called chlorophyll.
 Chlorophyll – is a green pigment found mostly in leaves and is made by chloroplasts.
The process of photosynthesis can be summarized through the following equations.

 Word equation:

 Chemical equation:

The importance of photosynthesis

 Almost all forms of life depend on the chemical energy found in carbohydrates
produced by photosynthesis.
 The oxygen produced by photosynthesis is essential for the process of respiration.
 The process of photosynthesis uses the atmospheric carbon dioxide thus maintaining
an ecological balance and minimizes the greenhouse effect.
Although photosynthesis occurs mainly in the leaves, any part of the plant that contains
chlorophyll will also photosynthesize.

The fate of glucose following the process of photosynthesis:

The figure below explains how glucose is used after photosynthesis.

Fate of Products of Photosynthesis further explained:

The Leaf Structure

When scientists say the something is adapted, they mean that its structure is related and
suited to its function. A detailed structure of the leaf which enables it to perform its
photosynthetic function is described below.

 Most leaves are thin thus carbon dioxide can easily diffuse across the short distances
to reach the inner cells
 Intercellular air spaces provide an easy passage for diffusion of gases.
 There are many stomata on the lower epidermis to allow for exchange CO2 & O2 and
minimize loss of water by transpiration.
 There are more chloroplasts on the upper cells (palisade) than on the lower cells
(spongy)
 The branching network of veins (xylem & phloem) provides transport system for
good supply of water to the cells and carrying away of nutrients from the cells.
1. Cuticle- this is a waxy layer on the upper epidermis which prevents water loss by
evaporation

2. Epidermis- found on the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. It helps to keep the leaf in
shape and protects the inner parts of the leaf form micro-organisms. Also
reduces transpiration.

3. Mesophyll – is the tissue between the epidermal tissues.

a) Palisade mesophyll tissue – Column-shaped (or elongated) cells which contain lots of
chloroplasts to ensure maximum absorption of light. It
is the site for photosynthesis.

b) Spongy mesophyll tissue – irregularly shaped cells which fit loosely to allow for easy
diffusion of gases.
4. Vascular bundle – contains the mains transport tissues

a) Xylem vessels – transport water and mineral salts from the roots to the leaves
through the transpiration pull.

b) Phloem vessels – transports manufactured food to growing parts of the part.

5. Guard cells – in most plants there are mainly on the lower epidermis. They surround small
openings called stomata through which gases diffuse in and out.

Functions of stomata:

- Are openings formed between two guard cells in the epidermis.

- They are usually more abundant on the lower surface of the leaf.

- The guard cells can increase or reduce the size of the stoma or close it completely
depending on their internal pressure or turgor.

- Allow exchange of gases between the leaf and atmosphere.

- Transpiration occurs through stomata.

EXPERIMENTS/INVESTIGATIONS

Testing Green leaf for starch

Background information

The leaf manufactures carbohydrates through the process called photosynthesis. First, plants
manufacture sugars which are later converted to starch for storage in the cells to find out if
photosynthesis has taken place, we test the leaf starch.

Apparatus:

2 Beakers, test tube, burner, leaf, white tile, ethanol, water, testing reagent- iodine solution.

Procedure:

Step 1

Boil the leaf for 3 minutes to break open the cells. This also helps to kill the cell cytoplasm
and make the leaf permeable to iodine solution.

Step 2

Boil the leaf in ethanol (alcohol) for 2 minutes to remove the chlorophyll.

Caution: ethanol is flammable; therefore, do not heat it directly.

Step 3

Put the leaf in warm water to soften it. Ethanol makes the leaf hard and brittle.

Step 4

Place the leaf on a white tile and add 3 drops of iodine solution.

Results

If starch is present the decolourised leaf will turn blue-black and if there is no starch it will
just stain reddish brown.
Investigating the conditions necessary for photosynthesis.

- Sunlight
- Chlorophyll
- Carbon dioxide
- Water
These investigations are done using 2 sets of experiments.

 The Main experiment – which has all the factors required except the one being
investigated.
 The Control experiment – which has all the factors including the one being
investigated.
Therefore, the results obtained will be due to absence of the factor being investigated.
1. Investigating if sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis

Procedure:

- A potted plant is de-starched by keeping it in the dark for a day. Then the plant is
exposed to sunlight for about an hour with one leaf covered with an aluminium foil to
keep light away (as seen in the figure below).
- Take the leaf that was covered and test it for starch following the procedure laid out
above.

Results:

The part of the leaf that was covered would not change colour whilst the part exposed to
sunlight would turn blue-black.

Interpretation / Conclusion

Since the starch test proved positive only for the part of the leaf that was received sunlight, we
can conclude that sunlight is needed for photosynthesis.

2. Investigating if Carbon dioxide is needed for photosynthesis

Apparatus:

Two potted plants, soda lime, sodium hydrogen carbonate, petri dish, plastic bags apparatus
for starch test

Procedure:

- Two de-starched potted plants are covered with plastic bags.

- In one plant place a petri dish with soda lime and the other plant should have sodium
hydrogen carbonate
Note: Soda lime is a chemical that absorbs carbon dioxide whilst sodium hydrogen
carbonate serves to release the gas carbon dioxide. Expose both plants to sunlight for 3 hours
and then take a leaf from each plant and test it for starch.
Results:

The leaf that had soda lime did not

change colour whilst the leaf that
sodium hydrogen carbonate had
turned to blue-black.

Interpretation:

Since the leaf from a plant with soda

lime which served to absorb carbon
dioxide did not stain blue-black, but
only that from a plant with sodium
hydrogen carbonate which supplied
carbon dioxide we can conclude that
carbon dioxide is necessary for
photosynthesis.

3. Determining if chlorophyll is necessary for photosynthesis

Apparatus:

Variegated plant, Apparatus for starch test.

Background:

A variegated plant is one with uneven distribution of chlorophyll, i.e. it has chlorophyll only
in patches.

Procedure:

- The plant is first de-starched and then placed in sunlight for 2 hours.
- Take one leaf and test it for starch.
Expected results:
- The area of the leaf that had
chlorophyll would stain blue-black
whilst the other area remains brown.

Interpretation:

- Since the leaf stained blue-black only

on areas with chlorophyll, we can
conclude that chlorophyll is necessary
for photosynthesis.
MINERAL REQUIREMENTS BY PLANTS

LIMITING FACTORS (Pure science)

 A limiting factor is that factor which directly affects the rate of a chemical reaction if
its quantity is changed.
 The raw materials of photosynthesis become limiting factors of the process when they
are in less supply
 Light intensity
 Carbon dioxide concentration
 Chlorophyll concentration
 Temperature
Example:

The figure above shows that light intensity only affects

the process of photosynthesis up to a certain level,
beyond which the rate of photosynthesis does not
change even though light intensity is increased. This
Rate of Photosynthesis

Rate of photosynthesis

implies that it’s no longer light that is limiting the

process but rather that; may be:

 chlorophyll has been bleached by light.

 chlorophyll is fully saturated with light.
 The process is now affected by other limiting
factors.
Light intensity
 The graph shows that CO2 is limiting the process of
photosynthesis only to a certain level, where the line
graph levels off. There may be a high concentration
Rate of photosynthesis
Rate of photosynthesis of CO2 available,

> but maybe the temperature is too low & is now the
limiting factor.

> Or may be All the cells are saturated with CO2

CO2 Concentration

The graph shows that temperature is limiting the

process of photosynthesis only to a certain level,
Rate of photosynthesis

beyond which the rate of photosynthesis drops.

This shows that temperature is no longer the
limiting factor.

> This maybe because higher temperatures

denature enzymes.

Temperature

RESPIRATION (PC 2.3.4 – 2.3.8)

What is Respiration?

 Respiration is the process that takes place in

living cells which releases ENERGY from
food molecules.
 Glucose from food is used to fuel exercise.
 Oxygen is required to ‘break down’ the
glucose to produce energy.
This energy is used to make muscles contract.
 Waste products, including carbon dioxide,
are produced because of the chemical
reactions. These must be removed and
excreted.
USES OF ENERGY

• Muscle contraction (Movement)

• Cell division (growth)

• Active transport (movement of substances) Energy

• Conversion to heat energy (body temp. control)

• Conversion into electrical impulses

• Formation & Secretion of substances (hormones & enzymes)

• Link of amino acids to form proteins.

AEROBIC RESPIRATION

 There are two different types of respiration.

 When you exercise at a steady, comfortable
rate, the cardiovascular system can supply the
muscles with all the OXYGEN they need.
 Under these conditions, aerobic respiration
takes place.
 Aerobic exercise can be maintained for long
periods without the performer getting
breathless or suffering muscle cramps.
 Moderate activities like: walking, jogging,
cycling and swimming use aerobic respiration.

Equations for Aerobic Respiration:

WORD:

CHEMICAL/SYMBOL:
ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION

• When you exercise at a high intensity, the

cardiovascular system cannot supply enough
oxygen to the muscles.

• Under these conditions, anaerobic respiration

takes place.

• With no oxygen available, glucose is burned to

produce energy and lactic acid.

• Lactic acid is a mild poison. As it builds up, it causes muscle pain and eventually
cramp.

• Glucose isn’t completely broken down.

• Less energy is released i.e. fewer ATP molecules formed.

• Short, intense activities like: sprinting, weightlifting, jumping and throwing use
anaerobic respiration.

Anaerobic Respiration in Human Muscles:

 O2 supply is short when working vigorously because blood can’t reach muscles
quickly to deliver enough O2 for aerobic respiration.
 Breathing & heart rates increase to bring O2 to muscles cells.
 Glucose is broken down into lactic acid.
 Lactic acid is waste product which builds up in muscles which causes them to ache.
 This is called fatigue.
 Lactic acid builds up in bloodstream causes muscle cramps.
 After exercise the body must get rid of lactic acid – does this by panting to increase O2
entering the body – glucose is formed – broken down in aerobic respiration.
 O2 required to remove lactic acid is called O2 debt (i.e., volume of O2 needed to
oxidize lactic acid)
 After anaerobic activity, oxygen is needed to neutralize the lactic acid. This is called
an oxygen debt. It is repaid after exercise.
 The oxygen reacts with the lactic acid to form CO2 and water.
Lactic Acid Formation in Human Muscles:

Anaerobic Respiration in Yeast (Fermentation):

• Yeast – single celled organisms important in making wine, bread & beer.

• Glucose broken down to ethanol & CO2.

• CO2 makes the dough rise while ethanol evaporates in the oven.

Fermentation in Yeast cells:

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN AEROBIC & ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION

INVESTIGATIONS: To Show Products of Anaerobic Respiration in Yeast

Questions & Answers:

Q. Under what condition will yeast carry out fermentation?

A. Anaerobic condition

Q. How are you going to provide this condition?

A. Boil the glucose solution to drive out any dissolved air. Add a layer of paraffin
oil on top of the mixture of glucose and yeast.

Q. Why is it important to boil the glucose solution?

A. This drives off any dissolved oxygen.

Q. Why must the glucose solution be cooled down before yeast is added?

A. It is because yeast would be killed when hot.

Q. What are the controlled variables in this experiment?

A. Temperature, pH, volume of glucose solution, etc

Q. What is the independent variable (what is manipulated) in this experiment?

A. Whether the yeast is living or dead.

Q. What is the dependent variable (i.e. the result) in this experiment?

A. The production of ethanol, carbon dioxide or heat.

Q. What is the function of liquid paraffin?

A. It prevents the mixture from coming into contact with air.

Q. What has happened to the hydrogen carbonate indicator solution or lime water solution?

A. The hydrogen carbonate indicator solution has changed from red to yellow.
Lime water will turn milky white.

Q. What does this show?

A. This shows that yeast can respire anaerobically to produce energy.

Q. What is the control in this experiment?

A. Boiled yeast suspension

Q. At the end of the experiment, what new substance would you expect to find in the glucose
solution containing living yeast?

A. Alcohol