Factors Affecting Photosynthesis

• Plants need to carry out photosynthesis to survive, which is dependent on four main factors: light intensity, temperature, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air, and the amount of chlorophyll that the plants have.
• Chlorophyll is the pigment within chloroplasts that absorbs the light energy needed for photosynthesis, and its level within an individual plant can vary due to disease, environmental stress, or lack of nutrients.
• When we talk about limiting factors for photosynthesis, we're normally referring to light, carbon dioxide, and temperature.
• As light intensity increases, so does the rate of photosynthesis, but after a certain point, the rate plateaus because when carbon dioxide is plentiful, something else becomes the limiting factor.
• Carbon dioxide is one of the reactants for photosynthesis, and the more red a plant can get, the higher the rate of photosynthesis, but after a while, the rate plateaus because when carbon dioxide is plentiful, something else becomes the limiting factor.
• Temperature affects the rate of photosynthesis, with the rate rising initially because the enzymes involved can work more quickly and the molecules can move faster, but after a while, the rate starts to drop again as the enzymes involved begin to denature.
• More than one limiting factor can be represented within a single graph, for example, a graph can represent two different experiments where one was done at 15 degrees Celsius and the other was at 25 degrees Celsius.
• Farmers often use greenhouses to create conditions for high rate of photosynthesis, trapping the sun's heat and providing artificial light so that photosynthesis can continue all through the day and night.
• Farmers may also use fertilizers to ensure that the plants have enough essential minerals and pesticides to kill any unwanted bugs.