Photosynthesis

• What is the process by which plants make their own food?

  Photosynthesis
• What do plants or algae use to make large, complex molecules during photosynthesis?

  Sun's energy, water, and carbon dioxide
• What is biomass in the context of plants?

  The mass of living material in the organism
• Where does starch formation occur in plants?

  Inside chloroplasts
• What role does chlorophyll play in photosynthesis?

  It absorbs sunlight energy
• What is the chemical equation for photosynthesis?

  6CO₂ + 6H₂O + light → C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂
• What type of reaction is photosynthesis classified as?

  An endothermic reaction
• What happens to water during photosynthesis?

  It is split into oxygen gas and hydrogen ions
• How is glucose produced in photosynthesis?

  By combining carbon dioxide with hydrogen ions
• What factors affect the rate of photosynthesis?

  Light intensity, concentration of CO₂, and temperature
• What does it mean when a factor becomes a limiting factor in photosynthesis?

  It stops photosynthesis from happening any faster
• How can you investigate the effect of different factors on the rate of photosynthesis?

  By using pondweed and measuring oxygen production
• What does the rate of oxygen production indicate in the context of photosynthesis?

  It corresponds to the rate of photosynthesis
• What is the basic method to measure the rate of photosynthesis using pondweed?

  1. Set up the experiment with pondweed.
  2. Allow it to photosynthesize for a set time.
  3. Collect oxygen in a capillary tube.
  4. Measure the length of the gas bubble.
  5. Repeat for different values of the factor being investigated.
  6. Keep other variables constant.
• What is a less accurate method to estimate oxygen production in photosynthesis?

  Counting the bubbles produced
• What is the main product of photosynthesis?

  Glucose
• What gas is released as a byproduct of photosynthesis?

  Oxygen
• Why are chloroplasts arranged in leaves?

  To catch sunlight nearly all the time
• How does light affect the process of photosynthesis?

  Light is used to split water into oxygen gas and hydrogen ions
• What is the significance of measuring the length of the gas bubble in the experiment?

  It is proportional to the volume of O₂ produced
• What should be kept constant when investigating the rate of photosynthesis?

  Other limiting factors and the time the pondweed is left for
• What is the role of light in photosynthesis?

  It provides energy for the reaction
• What happens to carbon dioxide during photosynthesis?

  It is combined with hydrogen ions to make glucose
• What is the main purpose of photosynthesis for plants?

  To produce food
• How does photosynthesis contribute to the ecosystem?

  It produces oxygen and organic matter for other organisms
• What is the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration?

  Photosynthesis produces glucose and oxygen, which are used in cellular respiration