rate of photosynthesis

• factors affecting rate of photosynthesis

  • light intensity
  • carbon dioxide conc
  • temperature
• Limiting Factors


  • At any moment, one of these factors may act as the LIMITING FACTOR, determining the maximum rate of photosynthesis.
  • The limiting factor is any factor that STOPS photosynthesis from happening FASTER.
• rate of photosynthesis is affected by light intensity because it provides energy to the chloroplasts, which are needed for the process.
• LIGHT INTENSITY Graph:

  • This can be represented by a graph that rises steeply before plateauing, forming a curve that eventually flattens out.
  • Initially, as light intensity increases, the rate of photosynthesis increases proportionally.
  • Beyond a certain point of light intensity, the rate no longer increases, indicating another factor such as CO₂ CONCENTRATION or TEMPERATURE is the LIMITING FACTOR.

  
• CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATION Graph:


  • A graph plotting the rate of photosynthesis against CO₂ concentration also shows a similar initial steep increase.
  • As with light intensity, there's a level of CO₂ concentration at which an increase does not further increase the rate of photosynthesis. At this point, either LIGHT INTENSITY OR TEMPERATURE are acting as the LIMITING FACTOR.

  
• TEMPERATURE Graph:


  • The rate of photosynthesis increases with temperature due to more COLLISIONS between enzymes and substrates, but this only happens up to a point known as the OPTIMUM TEMPERATURE.
  • Beyond this optimal temperature, the rate rapidly declines as enzymes are sensitive to heat and can be DENATURED at high temperatures.
  • This graph would typically rise, peak, and then sharply drop off as the temperature moves beyond the enzymes' tolerable range.