Photosynthesis

The word equation for the process of photosynthesis is as follows:

Carbon Dioxide + Water --> Glucose + Oxygen

This is good for the plant as Glucose [which is a sugar] is food for the plant. Also, Oxygen is produced which is good for us humans as we need it to breathe and it that was not enough, it uses up the Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere helping us to reduce Global Warming.

You must remember the word equation for photosynthesis for your exam.

The wax upper layer is to stop water entering the leaf which would make it too heavy for the plant to support. The palisade cells are close to the leaf surface and contain many chloroplasts so that they can produce as much glucose as possible through photosynthesis.

The spongy mesophyll is used to store the water needed for photosynthesis. The Stoma is a hole in the bottom of the leaf. This allows Carbon Dioxide into the leaf. Surrounding the stoma are Guard Cells. These cells close the stoma at night to stop the leaf from losing water. The process of losing water from leaves due to evapouration is called TRANSPIRATION.

Testing for Starch

Glucose is a relatively small sugar compound. The plant joins these Glucose compounds together to form the larger compond called Starch. If you add IODINE to starch it turns from brown to black. Starch is a form of CARBOHYDRATE. Potato plants and rice are plants that are particulary high in starch content.

Pollination