Photosynthesis: 17 flashcards
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1. What is photosynthesis?
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The process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water.
2. What are the main inputs (reactants) of photosynthesis?
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Carbon dioxide ($CO_2$) and water ($H_2O$).
3. What are the main outputs (products) of photosynthesis?
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Glucose ($C_6H_{12}O_6$) and oxygen ($O_2$).
4. Write the balanced chemical equation for photosynthesis.
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$$6CO_2 + 6H_2O \xrightarrow{light} C_6H_{12}O_6 + 6O_2$$
5. What is the role of chlorophyll in photosynthesis?
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Chlorophyll is the green pigment that absorbs light energy (mainly red and blue) and converts it into chemical energy.
6. Where in the plant cell does photosynthesis occur?
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In the chloroplasts, which contain chlorophyll.
7. What is the function of stomata in photosynthesis?
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Stomata are small pores on leaves that allow gas exchange: carbon dioxide enters and oxygen exits.
8. How does water reach the leaves for photosynthesis?
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Water is absorbed by roots and transported through xylem vessels to the leaves.
9. What is the role of sunlight in photosynthesis?
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Sunlight provides the energy needed to drive the chemical reactions that convert $CO_2$ and $H_2O$ into glucose and oxygen.
10. What is the difference between the light-dependent and light-independent reactions?
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Light-dependent reactions occur in the thylakoid membranes and require light to produce ATP and NADPH. Light-independent reactions (Calvin cycle) occur in the stroma and use ATP and NADPH to fix $CO_2$ into glucose.
11. Why is photosynthesis important for life on Earth?
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It produces oxygen for respiration and glucose for food, forming the base of most food chains and regulating atmospheric $CO_2$.
12. What factors can affect the rate of photosynthesis?
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Light intensity, carbon dioxide concentration, temperature, and water availability.
13. How would you test a leaf for the presence of starch to prove photosynthesis occurred?
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Use iodine solution: boil the leaf in water, then in alcohol to decolorize, rinse, and add iodine. A blue-black color indicates starch.
14. Explain why a plant kept in the dark for several days may not photosynthesize.
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Without light, the light-dependent reactions cannot occur, so no ATP/NADPH is produced, and the Calvin cycle stops; thus no glucose is made.
15. What is the overall word equation for photosynthesis?
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Carbon dioxide + water → glucose + oxygen (in the presence of light and chlorophyll).
16. Describe how the structure of a leaf is adapted for photosynthesis.
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Leaves have a large surface area, thin shape, stomata for gas exchange, and contain chloroplasts in mesophyll cells; veins deliver water and remove glucose.
17. What happens to the glucose produced during photosynthesis?
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It is used for respiration, converted to starch for storage, or used to make cellulose and other organic compounds.
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