Photosynthesis

-the process of food production in plants

-production of carbohydrates usually sugars, from carbon dioxide, water, light
energy and chlorophyll
Plants are Autotroph
Autotrophs are organisms which are capable of producing food by themselves
2 Types of Autotroph
a.) Photosynthetic- utilies lught energy for food production
b.) !hemosynthetic- utilies energy form oxidation of inorganic compounds
"ssential #actors of Photosynthesis
a.) carbon dioxide
b.) water
c.) light energy
d.) chlorophyll
e.) enymes
f.) carrier molecules
g.) suitable temperature
$.) %aw &aterials '!arbon (ioxide and )ater)
-carbon dioxide diffuses through the stomata from the atmosphere into the
intercellular spaces of leaf
-carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere is *.*+,
-once !-2 is in the intercellular spaces, the molecules of !-2 dissolve in water
that saturates the walls of the cell and diffuse in the cytoplasm and eventually to the
chloroplast where photosynthesis ta.es place
-water is another raw material, absorbed by cells from the environment
particularly by the roots and transported by stem to the leaves
2.) "nergy
-light energy with the red and blue wave lengths being the most effective
-there are many wavelengths of light energy but those which are absorbed by
chloroplast pigments are useful in photosynthesis
-the process maybe considered as one in which radiant energy is converted to
chemical energy and stored in the form of the carbohydrate end product
+.) Pigments
-enables green plants to absorb light energy and to use this energy in the
production of sugars
-chlorophyll is the pigment involved in photosynthesis
-chlorophyll a and b are found in the chloroplasts of the higher or more complex
plants
-chlorophyll a plus are found in algae
/.) Temperature
-photosynthesis ta.es place over a range of temperature from 0-/* degrees
!elsius
-rate is increasing as the temp. becomes higher up to approximately +0 degrees
!elsius
-above +0-/* degrees !elsius the rate declines
-decrease in rate is usually because of the inactivation of enymes at higher
temperatures
0.) !arrier &olecules
-important in carrying or transferring hydrogen atoms, electrons and transferring
energy.