Photosynthetic Rate

    Cards (15)

    • Photosynthetic rate
      The rate at which plants take in carbon dioxide, water and the energy from sunlight to produce glucose
    • Chlorophyll
      A green pigment in plants that absorbs light energy used to carry out photosynthesis
    • Role of enzymes

      Photosynthesis is an enzyme-controlled reaction where the enzymes are needed to convert carbon dioxide into glucose
    • Temperature
      Increases the rate of reaction up to an optimum rate, after which the denaturation of enzymes will occur
    • Sunlight
      Is needed as an energy source for photosynthesis to occur
    • Carbon dioxide (CO2)
      Enters the plant through the stomata during gas exchange and is the source of carbon needed to make glucose
    • Temperature effect

      Photosynthesis rate increases to an optimum and then decreases due to denaturing enzymes
    • Light intensity effect
      Photosynthesis rate increases and then plateaus due to another limiting factor such as temperature or carbon dioxide
    • Carbon dioxide concentration effect

      Photosynthesis rate increases and then plateaus due to another limiting factor such as temperature or light intensity
    • Chlorophyll effect

      Plants with diseases or variegated leaves may have less chlorophyll which reduces the rate of photosynthesis
    • Limiting factor

      An environmental factor that prevents photosynthetic rate from increasing
    • Three main limiting factors

      Temperature, light intensity and carbon dioxide concentration
    • Plateau
      Where a graph levels off and no longer increases past a certain point
    • Inverse-square law

      Light intensity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from a light source
    • Inversely proportional relationship
      As the distance of light from a plant increases, the light intensity decreases
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