Photosynthesis

• (light)

  Carbon dioxide + water -> glucose + oxygen
• 6CO2 + 6H2O -> C6H12O6 + 6O2
• The rate of photosynthesis is affected by light intensity, temperature, carbon dioxide concentration, and chlorophyll concentration. Any of these factors can become the limiting factor, meaning it stops photosynthesis from happening any faster.
• Which factor is limiting at a particular time depends on the environmental conditions:

  • At night - sunlight
  • Winter - often temperature
  • If its warm enough and light enough, CO2 is usually the limiting factor.
• The amount of chlorophyll in a plant can be affected by disease (e.g infection with tobacco mosaic virus) or environmental stress, such as lack of nutrients. These factors can cause chloroplasts to become damaged or to not make enough chlorophyll.