Practice Question 11
11.1 Describe how carbohydrates, produced by leaves during photosynthesis, are transported to
different parts of the plant.
Answers
Answer:
Green plants create carbohydrates on their own through the process of photosynthesis. The function of carbohydrates in plants and animals is that they are a source of fuel for growth. If even one basic ingredient a plant needs for photosynthesis is absent or lacking, the plant's health can suffer, resulting in stunted growth or reduced production. The gardener who provides the amounts of water and light the plant requires for this food production is rewarded by a healthy plant.
Tip
Plants use the process of photosynthesis to create carbohydrates.
Leaves That Breathe
People breathe oxygen in and carbon dioxide out, but for a plant to make carbohydrates, the leaves take in carbon dioxide through the stomata on the leaf surfaces. From the stomata, the mesophyll cells use the carbon dioxide to combine it with water and light for photosynthesis. After the plant uses the carbon dioxide in photosynthesis, the waste product is oxygen, which is released through the stomata on the leaves.
Water Transportation From the Roots
Part of photosynthesis involves moving water from the roots to the leaves. Water flows through xylem, which are like pipes that bring water to the leaves, advises the University of California Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information.
For the water to move against gravity up the plant from the roots, the plant relies on transpiration, which is the evaporation of the water through the stomata on the leaves. This process uses up to 90 percent of a plant's water, which leaves less than 10 percent for photosynthesis and growth.
Sunlight in Photosynthesis
Sunlight is a critical part of photosynthesis because it provides the plant with energy, advises the University of California Davis Fruit and Nut Research and Information. Once the leaves absorb sunlight, the energy is used to break the bonds that hold together the hydrogen and oxygen in the water molecules.
The electrons released from breaking these bonds are sent into a cellular process, called the electron transport chain. This system forms ATP, which is a type of energy molecule the cell requires to piece together the hydrogen from the water and the carbon and oxygen from the carbon dioxide to produce glucose.
Photosynthesis Creates Carbohydrates
Photosynthesis requires sunlight, carbon dioxide and water to produce glucose. This simple sugar is a carbohydrate that combines with other sugars to form the plant's structure and stores energy for future use.
Glucose produced from photosynthesis flows to the rest of the plant through phloem, which are small tubes that run throughout the plant. The plant stores the surplus carbohydrates in the crown and roots, where they will stay until the plant needs them during dark hours or during the winter when deciduous trees lack leaves to produce more food through photosynthesis.
Carbohydrate Use and Storage
Aside from using complex carbohydrates to create the plant's structure, plants store carbohydrates or use them for energy to grow. To use stored carbohydrates, plants take the glucose formed during photosynthesis and combine the carbohydrate with oxygen -- a process called respiration -- to release energy. Unlike photosynthesis, which only takes place in green parts of the plant, respiration occurs in all living tissues, including underground roots.
Explanation:
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